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Is sex work a prima facie soul destroyer?

By My Dupe Account (Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 04:27:55 PM EST) sex, porn, self-actualization, work (all tags)

My sex avoidant upbringing always led me to have an uneasy truce with pornography. In a nutshell, I've always felt that sex work was, at best, a necessary evil.

Part of the reasoning behind that is that sex work doesn't seem, to me, to be a particularly fulfilling career along the lines of "nobody ever says they want to be a porn star when they grow up." Particularly, it doesn't seem like a career with any room for the growth or mastery that accompanies self-actualisation. Tag on the objectification and the tendency for your sex worker peers to have tumultuous histories and addictions. Then you can tag on the ever increasing pressure to perform potentially unwelcome acts to appease your fans and employers.

The funny thing is, not a heck of a lot of that is unique to sex work. Most people hate their jobs, have no room for growth, are mere productivity machines to their bosses and will be downsized at a moment's notice. Furthermore, most of us have an infinitesimal chance of experiencing an on-the-job orgasm and no chance of breaking out of the 9-to-5++ routine. In short, if sex work is soul destroying, then 9-to-5 work is the soul pulveriser.

Also, why does almost all girls-with-glasses porn inevitably end with a cum facial? Patriarchy porn: diediediediediediedieDIEDIEDIE<blink>DIE</blink>!!!!

More Lesbian Librarians Please. 'Kay. THNX.

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Poll

Patriarchy porn

-	die	50%
-	DIE	100%
-	DIEDIEDIE	50%
-	DIEDIEDIEDIEDIE	50%
-	DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEdieDIE	50%
-	DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE	50%
-	DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE	50%
-	DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE	50%
-	DIE * 1 billion	50%
-	DIE * 1 trillion	50%
-	DIE * 1 trillion trillion	50%
-	DIE * 1 googol googol	50%
-	DIE * 1 googolplex googolplex	50%
-	DIE * 2 googolplex googolplex	50%
-	DIE * googolplex to the googolplex power + 1 with bold tag	50%
-	No, seriously, die	100%

Votes: 2
Results	\|	Other Polls

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Is sex work a prima facie soul destroyer? | 38 comments (38 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

Sex by komet (4.00 / 1) #1 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 04:56:56 PM EST

is just like music, cooking, tax optimization, skateboarding or cleaning toilets: most people do it privately, but it is perfectly valid to offer it as a commercial service and indeed many people choose do so.

The fact that some religious fanatics give it special status doesn't make its commercialisation "evil" at all.

Sex slavery, like tax consultant slavery, is of course an entirely different matter.

--
<ni> komet: You are functionally illiterate as regards trashy erotica.

No wonder I feel dirty after by greyrat (4.00 / 2) #2 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 04:59:23 PM EST

watching cooking shows...
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou
[ Parent ]

: That's why I wear an apron by edward (4.00 / 1) #4 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:06:10 PM EST

when I watch cooking shows. Keeps the oil from splashing on my naked body.

[ Parent ]

You're probably right... by My Dupe Account (4.00 / 1) #3 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:04:30 PM EST

But sex is a biological drive, whereas everything else you listed is not. Cooking is a fairly new invention, and eating is not really transferable in the same way that sex is. Evolution has provided all kinds of psychological and emotional hooks related to sex, presumably to maximise reproduction. Sexuality is a unique human pleasure/function. Equating sex with other everyday functions is disingenuous.

[ Parent ]

A biological drive? by edward (2.00 / 0) #5 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:18:27 PM EST

I don't understand what that means. Could you explain it please?

[ Parent ]

Uhm, ya ever seen Blue Lagoon? by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #7 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:41:24 PM EST

Your body involuntarily creates hormones that make you want to have sex. Similarly, your body creates an undenable urge when you need to eat or you need to breath. The difference is that you don't need a partner to do either of those things and you can't assuage those instincts merely by watching someone else eat.

[ Parent ]

Nope, I haven't. by edward (2.00 / 0) #10 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 06:38:07 PM EST

Is it a pornographic moving picture show?

I'm surprised about what you said about hormones. All along I thought that their purpose was to make my voice deeper and let me grow an awesome beard.

After all, I thought that I was the one wanting the sex!

[ Parent ]

Not pornographic by Greener (2.00 / 0) #21 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 11:54:38 PM EST

but you might feel awkward at the video store when you rent it.

I haven't seen it yet for that reason.

[ Parent ]

: YUO = WIMP by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #26 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:12:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]

After that.. by Driusan (2.00 / 0) #9 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 06:26:44 PM EST

An explanation of the sentence "Sexuality is a unique human pleasure/function" that doesn't make the speaker sound like a moron would be appreciated.

[ Parent ]

blahblahblah by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #25 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:11:52 PM EST

Sorry if I'm not a Pulitzer Prize winning writer. Let me parse that for you:

Sex is a unique human experience.
Sex is useful for pleasure.
Sex also serves a procreation function.

I think common sense would find each of those statements true. However, if I'm a moron for pointing out something so glaringly obvious, you might keep in mind that my co-conversant is the one forgetting what sex is.

[ Parent ]

"Sex is a unique human experience." by Driusan (2.00 / 0) #29 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:33:48 PM EST

lolwhat? I can show you an entire animal kingdom that begs to differ.

[ Parent ]

: Oh by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #32 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 07:01:44 PM EST

Nonono, you misparsed me. Let me metaparse: Sex is unique in the oeuvre of human experiences. That is to say, of all the human experiences, like coughing, sleeping, smelling, farting, falling down the stairs, sex is unique.
Unless I'm misparsing you and you're talking about sex with animals, because that's just messed up.

[ Parent ]

Also: by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #8 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:57:46 PM EST

The clit is the only human organ that serves the sole purpose of creating sexual pleasure. There is no human organ that serves the sole purpose of listening to music, cooking, tax optimization, skateboarding or cleaning toilets.

[ Parent ]

It serves a purpose? by edward (2.00 / 0) #11 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 06:40:33 PM EST

I thought it was vestigial.

Ascribing purposefulness to biological states is silly.

The clit sure is fun to lick, though. It serves my need to lick things.

[ Parent ]

: Vestigial? by Weapon of Pack Destruction (2.00 / 0) #22 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:41:48 AM EST

No.
ObLearnSomeEvolutionaryBiologyMaybeStartWithSarahHrdy

[ Parent ]

And by komet (2.00 / 0) #12 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 06:52:47 PM EST

from that it follows that selling sexual services is evil how?

Try logic some time. It's good once you get the hang of it.

--
<ni> komet: You are functionally illiterate as regards trashy erotica.
[ Parent ]

: Mama mia pizzaria! by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #24 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:07:01 PM EST

Uhm. Yeah. Comparing sex to tax preparation and cooking is doing sex just as much of a disservice as those fucktard conservatives who think sex is just for procreation. Notice how I didn't say anywhere that I believe sex work is evil. I know you think I said that, but read it the fuck again. Seriously. Chill.
Like it or not, there is an emotional component to sex. Maybe it's socially constructed. Maybe it's genetically constructed, but it's there. To ignore it is to devalue the importance of sex. Moreover, sex work is potentially dehumanizing in as much that the product and its consumption is considered more important than the employee's humanity and often their wellbeing. My thesis is that this isn't a special state, because it exists in every aspect of our consumption-driven economy.
For instance, do you know what kind of music Tawny Stone listens to? Do you know her hopes and dreams? Do you care about her wellbeing? Do you know the first think about her? Lots of people don't care about the Joe who serves them a taco at Taco Bell, either. A lot of people don't treat their servers like human beings. I do. I care.

[ Parent ]

Well... Sex is unique in that by ObviousTroll (4.00 / 1) #16 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 07:57:28 PM EST

it's the only biological function that a person has to be tricked (by their own hormones) into engaging in. That is - eating and breathing are their own reward, by orgasms are the bait that your body uses to trick you into breeding.

--
Faith, and the possibility of weaponized kissing?
[ Parent ]

ObPrimaFaciel by DesiredUsername (2.00 / 0) #6 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 05:35:03 PM EST

nt

---
Now accepting suggestions for a new sigline

Depends by jump the ladder (2.00 / 0) #13 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 07:11:25 PM EST

It's better paid than working at McDonald's and probably involves more self actualisation than that job.

Don't know any ponstars but I know some lap dancers and they're not all coke head, alcholic victims although some of them are around. The choice is working in low end service job or getting paid a good amount to take your clothes off.

girls-with-glasses porn by yankeehack (4.00 / 2) #14 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 07:50:46 PM EST

awesome, there's another line of work I could go into.

(btw, what is up with the patriarchy porn?)
****
You know what is funny? I voted for McCain in 2000 and Obama in 2008. (And let's not forget Edwards in 1998.)

OhDearGGaaawd by My Dupe Account (4.00 / 2) #27 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:16:25 PM EST

PleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleasepleasePleasepleaseplease

[ Parent ]

I'm giving you the 4 out of pity <nt> by yankeehack (4.00 / 1) #30 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 06:04:54 PM EST

****
You know what is funny? I voted for McCain in 2000 and Obama in 2008. (And let's not forget Edwards in 1998.)
[ Parent ]

Oh sweet. by My Dupe Account (4.00 / 1) #31 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 06:57:22 PM EST

You should know, though, that, given my sexual history, pity is a highly eroticized emotion for me. It's like Pavlov and that bell.

[ Parent ]

: At least someone's needs are getting serviced here by yankeehack (2.00 / 0) #33 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 07:30:10 PM EST

Mr. Dupe Account.
****
You know what is funny? I voted for McCain in 2000 and Obama in 2008. (And let's not forget Edwards in 1998.)
[ Parent ]

Good God by vorheesleatherface (2.00 / 0) #36 Tue Sep 05, 2006 at 07:08:04 PM EST

I love you all over again!!!!!!11!!!!elven!!!!!

"Stabbing someone in the head with a pitchfork is rarely beneficial to the relationship." - MereKat
[ Parent ]

Wait, There was a first time??? by yankeehack (2.00 / 0) #37 Tue Sep 05, 2006 at 08:12:50 PM EST

****
You know what is funny? I voted for McCain in 2000 and Obama in 2008. (And let's not forget Edwards in 1998.)
[ Parent ]

: It just sounded funnier that way ;) [nt] by vorheesleatherface (2.00 / 0) #38 Thu Sep 07, 2006 at 10:19:09 AM EST

"Stabbing someone in the head with a pitchfork is rarely beneficial to the relationship." - MereKat
[ Parent ]

Intellectually, I can see the point of view by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #15 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 07:55:24 PM EST

that it's "just another job" - but while that's true, saying that ignores all the consequences - girls being tricked or coerced into the trade, for example.

Like drug use, prostitution is fine in theory but in practice it carries way to much social baggage.

As you say, it's not a career with an upward path. Indeed, a girl's greatest earning power is when she's still too naive to actually earn (or hang onto) what she's worth.

--
Faith, and the possibility of weaponized kissing?

dunno where you went to high school by clover kicker (2.00 / 0) #17 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 08:11:05 PM EST

> nobody ever says they want to be a porn star when
> they grow up

Half the guys I went to high school with wanted to be porn stars. (The other half wanted to be lifeguards at nude beaches.)

yes by gzt (4.00 / 1) #18 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 09:09:01 PM EST

sex is different from, say, tax preparation because of its intrinsic embodiment, as it were. it is inextricably linked with the possibility of the creation of new life as well as a number of emotional and psychological effects. I know that we with our chemicals attempt to sever all ties between what our bodies do and what our minds experience as consequences, but the Gnostic victory of pleasure over matter just isn't coming any time soon. the actions of your body still have consequences.

and the fact of the industry is that pornographs almost always involve male exploitation of females. verily, women bore the brunt of the sexual revolution.

: The reality is by debacle (4.00 / 2) #20 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 09:49:53 PM EST

That women are the sexual revolution. A woman seen with more than one man is completely perpendicular to the ideas of proper sexual conduct that have been handed down through the millenia - never or rarely did you see a woman with more than one mate, and if there was more than one mate it was generally more females.
The entire sexual revolution was built upon the idea that sex is an entirely selfish need, and that climaxing can be a passtime rather than a biological function.
The pornographer's industry today is built upon masturbation, rather than sexual entertainment - thus the prevalence of female gang-bangs and lesbians. If you watch 60's and 70's porn you'll notice that the idea of a gang-bang is often a good deal more rudimentary, consisting generally of a relatively even number of either sex.
Basically, it's a degenerate artless form of pornography. It is a bastardized notion of sex, even moreso than the already disjoint notion of pornographic sex - sex for the onlooker. Assholes are bleached and everything is shaved. Breasts are enlarged, asses firmed, tummies tucked. This sort of pornography might seem to vandalize the feminie spirit, but in reality it is only the feminine spirit that triumphs. We less about the moneyshot than which hole it goes into, who licks it off of what, etc.
Not to sound like some sort of fanatical pornographic purist, but 'modern' porn isn't healthy. It displays a lack of character and depth in both males and females.
"I'm very responsive to certain stimuli, and pain is pretty much at the top of that list." - BadDoggie

[ Parent ]

This diary is so retarded I killed five kittens by debacle (4.00 / 5) #19 Sun Sep 03, 2006 at 09:38:29 PM EST

I tried to get a sixth into the food processor but I smashed its skull a little to brisquely and so I can't take credit for that one.

"I'm very responsive to certain stimuli, and pain is pretty much at the top of that list." - BadDoggie

Don't know. by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 1) #23 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 03:13:22 PM EST

The decision of somebody to throw themselves into the jaws of a industry built to entertain us and fueled with our money is hardly any business of ours.

Sure, the industry has flaws, but it isn't like the people who provide the funding that keeps the porn biz going are in any way responsible for that.

Sex and the human body are no different than, say, cattle, and there's no reason to treat the commercialization of it as any different. In fact, if it helps you conceptualize it in more morally palatable terms, refer to it not as the porn biz, but the "fresh meat biz." Call the actors and actresses "livestock." And think of the end user as the "eater." That should help you put it in its proper perspective.

Wait... by My Dupe Account (2.00 / 0) #28 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 05:21:32 PM EST

So, in that analogy, where does my Foreman Grill fit in?

[ Parent ]

Soft core. by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 2) #34 Mon Sep 04, 2006 at 08:19:28 PM EST

The Foreman Grill is to meat what USA Up All Night was to porn.

[ Parent ]

: Minor correction... by atreides (4.00 / 3) #35 Tue Sep 05, 2006 at 09:15:08 AM EST

The Foreman Grill is to meat what Cinemax Friday After Dark was to porn.
The microwave oven is to meat what USA Up All Night was to porn.
_{Have you seen The Passion yet? Here's a spoiler for you: Jesus dies.
"...compassion is more than a 16 point word in scrabble." - MostlyHarmless}

[ Parent ]

Is sex work a prima facie soul destroyer? | 38 comments (38 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback