Isn't an acknowledgement of that also in my post?
I think gender norms have changed hugely. Just in my lifetime the difference is massive. Both men and women have a hell of a lot more freedom to express themselves. But even after all this change men are expected to take initiative and women to be passive receivers of that initiative. Back in the 80'ies, if a woman showed sexual initiative she was a slut and condemned. Today the same woman would be applauded. That is a huge shift. But she's applauded because she is breaking a norm. A norm we all agree should be broken. But it is still the norm.
Wait wait. Now you're confusing things. Being famous and enjoying the fact that women want to "be close to them" and saying yes, is not taking undue advantage of power. It's fine. It's morally in the clear and well done. I hope they enjoy it.
Taking advantage of power is where there's a situation where she is in various ways professionally dependent on his good will and he is taking advantage of that. There's got to be some sort of threat involved. Implied or otherwise. Just the fact that they are also comedians, and less well known comedians in need of a big break, I don't think qualifies as taking advantage of power. It can. But not necessarily. Nothing in the Louis CK situation made me feel that he took undue advantage of his position.
Regardless, any 30 something man pursuing a 14, 15 year old girl is a disgusting, vile, weak man who is a fucking chicken shit who didn't have the balls to pursue women his own age who likely told the sick mother fucker to go jack himself. He pursued children because he could control them. Sick fucker.
You're projecting a hell of a lot onto him. Hebophilia is quite common among men. As the porn category "barely legal" testfies to. It's one of the most popular categories. Women looking younger than 18 has great value in the porn scene for a reason.
Of course, I think, there are problems with middle aged men banging teenagers. But I think the desire is genetically hardwired. Genetically women are most likely to produce healthy offspring between 14-19. Or something like it. Historically, in a lot of societies a women still not having had a child at 17 was considered problematic and cause for concern. I don't think hebophilia is evidence of some deep desire to control women.
I think it's problematic that women have early sexual debutes (before they're emotionally ready for relationships). I think it should be avoided. And has all the same power imbalance issues with it as discussed above.
But its also problematic condemning a large proportion of men for having normal sexual desires. I don't think it's healthy shaming anybody for their sexuality. I also think it's unhealthy and unhelpful (and wrong) calling hebophiles for pedophiles. A pubescent teenager is not a child. If we tell normal people that they are sick, they might start believing they're sick and stop giving a fuck about anything. And engage in god knows what destructive behaviors. Pastor Ted Haggard comes to mind.
Pedophile priests is another one. It's not healthy for anybody to repress their sexuality. Eventually they'll just start to sexually desire whatever is around them and they can get access to. While I think we should condemn the priests, they're not the fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is that Catholic priests aren't allowed to sleep around like normal people. I'm sure the same goes for conservative politicians. Perhaps he has the perfect post card relationship. Looks great on the surface. But is a sexless relationship of convenience. He's going to start to desire whatever he feels he has access to, and it'll be something he feels he has power over and that he can control. He's the not fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is that open relationships are frowned upon by conservative Christians. We also need to get less hung up about unfaithfulness.
If we put people in impossible social situations, bad things are going to happen.
I'm 42. Most of my girlfriends have been my age. But I'll willingly admit that the girls I find the most attractive are 21-25. A couple of weeks ago I had sex with a 23 year old. I don't think I have anything to feel shame about. Do you think I should? For relationships I prefer women my own age. But if it's just sex, I don't. This woman I have no power over. We don't even live in the same country, and have completely different careers. I have very little hang ups about sex or shame issues in general.
That was a bit ranty. I hope it was coherrent.
Now I'm off to do, yet another, viewing of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
