It’s only the second oldest profession in the history of the world
Filed Under (Eliot Spitzer, Crime, Culture War, Hypocrisy) by Don C on 14-03-2008
Often as not I find myself in disagreement with Megan McArdle but I think she nails this one:
Second of all, can we all concede that at least part of the reason that women do not want to be prostitutes is that there is a severe social stigma attached to women who are promiscuous, and particularly to women who rent their promiscuity to men–a stigma far, far greater than that which attaches to their clients? This makes any argument from my desires entirely circular. Kerry is arguing for eliminating that stigma. If I’d grown up in a culture that thought of “prostitute” as a job like “CPA” (another job I’d hate), I probably still wouldn’t want to be one. But the fact that I am repulsed by the idea of turning tricks, having grown up in a society that thinks there’s something deeply wrong with turning tricks, is not actually proof that there is something deeply wrong with turning tricks.
Morals are a luxury that some people can’t afford. Besides, what difference in the world could it possible make if some man who I don’t know even exists pays to have sex with some woman (or man) who I don’t know even exists? What other people choose to do amongst themselves totally doesn’t concern me unless I am intent on forcing my morals on others or unless I believe enforcing the majority’s moralality on the minority is a legitimate function of government, which I don’t.
The only problem I have with prostitution is that it could lead to dancing.
“have sex with some woman (or man)”
I think you mean vice versa.