Why do you tell yourself that kids can consent?

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Learning to undeny
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Re: Why do you tell yourself that kids can consent?

Post by Learning to undeny »

I think no one has still pointed out the social repercusions of sex. A child cannot give informed consent to these because they don't know the complex consequences of the apparently inocuous act. For example, the expectation that children should have low sex drive, or the concept of a "virgin", or "innocence", or "shame".

I know, each of these concepts individually appears to be a hassle. But the idea that sex is just sex is just wrong. In every single society (correct me if there are exceptions), sex has a complex social meaning attached to it: marriage, relationships, rituals, power... We would all want a free society where sex is just sex, but it's simply in our heads. Sex will always have complex social consequences.
Spoiler!
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. --- Epicurus
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PorcelainLark
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Re: Why do you tell yourself that kids can consent?

Post by PorcelainLark »

Learning to undeny wrote: Fri Oct 24, 2025 10:06 pm I think no one has still pointed out the social repercusions of sex. A child cannot give informed consent to these because they don't know the complex consequences of the apparently inocuous act. For example, the expectation that children should have low sex drive, or the concept of a "virgin", or "innocence", or "shame".

I know, each of these concepts individually appears to be a hassle. But the idea that sex is just sex is just wrong. In every single society (correct me if there are exceptions), sex has a complex social meaning attached to it: marriage, relationships, rituals, power... We would all want a free society where sex is just sex, but it's simply in our heads. Sex will always have complex social consequences.
What do you have in mind? A child can't get pregnant (so sex isn't as big of a commitment), adults have sex without making marriage commitments (why shouldn't minors be able to do the same?), some people don't feel shame about sex (we shouldn't take for granted that either a minor or their community will feel shame about sex or stigmatizes it), and hook up culture is still pretty common amongst gay men (even if casual sex in heterosexual contexts is less common than it was, we know casual sex is possible). The exclusive MAP is in a perfect situation for casual sex without broader social commitments since a child ages out of their range of attraction. If we're talking about jealousy, that already exists amongst minors (possessiveness of friends). It seems like making an issue where there doesn't need to be one.
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Learning to undeny
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Re: Why do you tell yourself that kids can consent?

Post by Learning to undeny »

PorcelainLark wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 4:37 am What do you have in mind? A child can't get pregnant (so sex isn't as big of a commitment), adults have sex without making marriage commitments (why shouldn't minors be able to do the same?), some people don't feel shame about sex (we shouldn't take for granted that either a minor or their community will feel shame about sex or stigmatizes it), and hook up culture is still pretty common amongst gay men (even if casual sex in heterosexual contexts is less common than it was, we know casual sex is possible). The exclusive MAP is in a perfect situation for casual sex without broader social commitments since a child ages out of their range of attraction. If we're talking about jealousy, that already exists amongst minors (possessiveness of friends). It seems like making an issue where there doesn't need to be one.
Yes, I had in mind that these forms of sex are linked to subcultures and so they have social implications. But not so complex and hard to understand, and not so much linked to specific acts.

I still wonder if there is an example of a culture where sex has no other implications, by default.
Spoiler!
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. --- Epicurus
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