Sex for Sale

Not the usual meaning! The kind of sex for sale I’m thinking of is the kind that sells newspapers. I’m talking about the continuous stream of exposes about the sexual practices of prominent and not so prominent people. One’s sexual preferences are nobody’s business. It may be that John Edwards was indiscreet at best by falling in love with someone outside of his marriage. It’s likely that a more severe term than indiscreet would be inappropriate. But does this expose really warrant his entire character and career being devastated? Was it necessary to forever and irrecoverably damage Eliot Spitzer’s life because he went to a prostitute, along with a substantial percentage of the male population? Does Anthony Weiner’s indiscretions or even perversions justify ruining his life and the life of his family? He was a fine congressman now lost to us and to himself and to his family forever. The list could go on and on. I don’t think this would be upsetting to Rupert Murdoch; he became a billionaire in part because of his scandal-mongering tabloid papers. Whether the allegations are true or not matters little. This carries over into entertainment as well: Does John Travolta’s sexuality have any effect on his acting ability? If only there was more empathy and less salacious curiosity, we’d be much better for it. In the days of John F. Kennedy, his liaisons were numerous but the press did not pursue them. Had it, we would have lost him more quickly than we did. Newspapers and reporters were a little more decent then. But today we live in a monstrously cruel society…. Shame on you, Mr. Murdoch, and your likes!

Reflect!! Comments please.