Mary Jacobs of UM Reporter conducted an interview with Dawn Eden about her new book, The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On. What really struck me was what Eden had to say about why culture promotes promiscuity.
And in our consumer culture, making women lonely is what sells. You don't see a married woman with kids blowing her Christmas bonus in the shoe department at Macy's. Advertisers have a vested interest in keeping women single and lonely, because they're the ones that buy impulse purchases.
Eden points out that contrary to what the sexual/feminist revolution tried to pass off as the way to liberation and self-fulfillment, casual sexual encounters have left in their wake broken hearts and broken homes. And as hard as it is to imagine, broken hearts and homes are good for business. For where do people turn when they discover that the promises of the sexual/feminist revolution are lies; consumerism. I'm amazed that I haven't heard anyone say anything like this before. It's the old adage of detective work, "Follow the money."
Chasity, according to Eden, is the new revolutionary thing to do. But it will be a hard sell. It is an accepted "fact" that all normal adults will engage in sexual relationships regardless of their marital status. Perhaps if enough individuals like Eden come to realize that the "liberated" lifestyle is really a path to loneliness and brokenheartedness this new revolution will take root and set people free.
What a fascinating thesis! It sounds kind of conspiracy-theorish to me, but my wife thinks that it's absolutely true.
I will completely agree that casual sex is immensely destructive.
Posted by: John | May 27, 2007 at 07:17 PM