So what do our kids get exposed to in college or Sex, shmex, what's the big deal
In yesterday's Times, there was an article about the openness of sex discussions in school newspapers . Frankly, I kind of like the notion. Whatever modern society is doing, it is moving us away from unnecessary repression. The article is basically saying that there is some very frank and open discussion going on in College papers about dating and sex. Yes, we may be getting more promiscuous than we used to be, but honestly, I don't think so. While some of the stuff discussed in college newspapers may be shocking to my grandparents, my parents, or even myself, I think the end result has more good than bad -- people are more informed as to what actually is going on and how they might want to go about it. In general, when something is being tabooed or outlawed, the criminal or quasi criminal element takes over and the results are much more destructive -- look what happened during prohibition with the booze industry, look what is happening in the world with drugs.
There are some things in contemporary culture that I find completely disgusting, the kind of explicitness that is beyond any consideration of taste. My wife and I were talking about Rap music the other day, and she quoted a line from M&M. She had to explain to me in explicit detail what he was actually saying, and I almost lost my dinner. At the same time, that is one way for people to find out about those things, and what may not appeal to the sensibilities of a 31 year old may make total sense to someone who is 16, or is just of a different background.
So while subjective good taste may be offended left right and center, at least we should not have a situation like the one where a girl committed suicide after her first periodic flow because she thought she was being punished for sinful thoughts.
Openness breeds equanimity. When matters are not repressed, people don't get as obsessed about them. It is a known fact that more people abused alcohol during prohibition because it was prohibited. I think the same holds true for recreational drugs today. I think the same holds true for sex -- when we make it forbidden and dirty, we often provoke unhealthy interest and consuming obsession. The tone of the article and of the people interviewed in it struck me as fundamentally healthy. Thoughts?
7:50:36 AM 
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