I agree with a lot of this and to be honest I do think that sex in advertising is probably more perverse than prostitution... but at the same time, I don't think it's particularly healthy to enable all aspects of sexuality, because it can also end up distorting reality or ruining families. And we're not talking about free love or escaping sexual repression here, we're talking about profiting from it. Don't you think that if there were less sexual repression then it's possible that prostitution wouldn't be as big as it is?
I absolutely think that prostitution would not be as common if our societies were less sexually repressed. In a large sense, prostitution as it is currently practiced is a product of sexual repression. And also a way in which people then respond and cope with that sexual repression.
Whether people profit from it or not is not the issue for me. It is simply not my place to judge. And prostitutes dont advertise and market their products like other industries. Generally its practiced in a discreet away, well in my society anyway. Our red light district is nothing like the stuff they have in Amsterdam! And even then- Coke is way more in your face than that! People have a choice whether or not they use a service or buy a product. Its the person's responsibility to choose and then deal with the consequences of their decisions. The only thing we can do as a culture that really cares and empowers is to provide people with accurate information and more support with subjects like health, sexuality, relationships, addictions, etc. If there was active adevrtising and marketing practices in the prostitution industry that i would be more inclined to find it offensive or unhealthy. As it stands, i have a far bigger moral issue with corporations who market their products using pervasive brainwashing techniques, preying on people's insecurity and manipulating children.
In regards to distorting reality- what is reality? Im not sure what you mean by that.
And in regards to ruining families- i think that prostitution wouldnt be the actual wound or issue here, more like the bandaid someone uses to try to cope with a deeper underlying issue. Like if alcoholism was destroying a family, the issue isnt necessarily alcohol, it is the deeper reason why one chooses to abuse alcohol etc. I think our society has fucked up ideas of what a healthy relationship should be and the majority of people do not know how to communicate with each other, get into relationships for terrible and unhealthy reasons, and then stay in relationships for unhealthy reasons. That is why so many relationships fall apart and are so destructive and painful for people. Our lack of ability to communicate, sexual repression, lack of humanitarian values and ethics, lack of love and compassion, competitive culture, and lack of community combine together to create all manner of chaos. This is why families get 'ruined'.
Personally. i believe in an ideal society of 'free love', or free sex based on the highest principle of love, joy and creativity. The only type of prostitution that would exist in such a society would be very highly valued and well regarded courtesans, who would approach sex more from a knowledge and experiential basis, rather than a profit based one. Obviously people would do very little for profit in my society because people would be living to enjoy life, not working to just survive! And rape would clearly be unheard of in such a society- it would simply be a blasphemy or heresy against the sacred act of sex.
But in a more practical and serious vein, i think the priority is more education, guidance and support in regards to communication, relationships, critical thinking and personal responsibility in schools. Kids learn about relationships normally from watching their often fucked up parents, terrible television and movies and neurotic songs. We arent really providing children with many good role models or quality information. Perhaps 'relationships' and 'communication' should be a key focus in schools, given that relationships and communciation are fundamental to the human experience, joy, fulfillment and a happy and productive society.
