I am always amazed when a famous and wealthy man is revealed as a sexual abuser. I have seen this in action when I first graduated from College and took a job in a research outfit that did studies on the effectiveness of ads and commercials; I spent a lot of time working with ad agencies. This was the early 60s when well-to-do and powerful men actively harassed and abused attractive aspiring models or attractive secretaries. Even then I was aware that for some sum of money, one could have a wonderful time with willing and beautiful and charming women who worked as providers.
Now, decades later and after many years of indulging in the hobby, iI am more than merely amazed at this kind of activity.
I have had generally wonderful experiences with providers spending a reasonable amount of money, I am nowhere near the financial level of the men whose unwanted sexual advances have been revealed over the last year or two. The ones we have learned about are very very rich. They could have had incredible experiences for what is small change to them and have rather chosen to victimize women who enter their field of vision.
Why? I wonder.
Whatever the answer, this just underlines what i have always felt about the hobby. The hobby has contributed to the stability of my marriage (particularly since my fiends with benefits have gotten very old and many of them have died) and it surely protects many women who might otherwise be victimized at work or school. The one thing it can not do is protect women from what must be very sick men like the one who would prefer to have sex with someone he has drugged or the others who are turned on by forcing themselves on women over whose careers they have power.
Harvey Weinstein is obviously a pig, but does ANYONE really believe that he invented the "casting couch"??? This kind of thing is something virtually everybody knew was going on, I think the only surprise is that he didn't just coerce "fresh of the bus" wanna be actresses who spent more time waiting tables than actually acting into fucking him, but that he was able to do so with such well known names as are being revealed today.
Doc I agree with the main premise of your post, but you must have been living under a rock for the last fifty years if this actually surprises you.
Why? I wonder.
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... others who are turned on by forcing themselves on women over whose careers they have power.
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But, for them, it isn't just about sex, it is all about power and wielding it over others.
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And GaG is also right to point out that this is nothing new. The casting couch has probably been around since the origins of Greek theater more than 2500 years ago.
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"I'd like to star as a Lesbian in your new play!"
"Well, you can be a lesbian on stage if you're willing suck my dick off stage. How do you say "quid pro quo" in Greek?"
-- Modified on 10/15/2017 5:01:34 PM
as you said, it's all about power and being able to wield it over others.
Escort prices are insignificant compared to these guys' disposable income. They don't employ escorts because they get the thrill of a fetish out of compelling their victims. A willing escort would be a boring experience for them. Even a willing professional submissive would be boring to them. Their fetish relishes actual coerced submission.
For these guys it's not just about sex and fun and getting off. It's about power and control. That's what gets them off. Some of them are so far gone that if a beautiful woman was all over them willingly they wouldn't be able to get it up.
Their brains don't work like yours Doc, don't try to understand it.
I would suggest reading this book:
Of course you are all correct.As Freud onc said: "Sex is about everything but sex".
I shouldn't have said amazed but every time I run into something so irrational I am"amazed" (sort of). The fact that men are turned on by true helplessness and lack of consent is hard to internalize.
I have played in BDSM where non consensual consent is what excites most of us when we play --"Oh please master don't make me cum again", "Oh please ma'am, not the paddle".
When I was in my early 20s, I was involved with an exciting woman who was older than I. She had a real cute female sub who was her pain slut slave and I was often part of the sub's "weekly punishment." The domme would restrain her sub vey tightly with straps and chains and deliver paddling and caning among her punishments. The sub would struggle and beg and wimper and cry during the height of the punishment session.
Two things struck me: One time the sub was chained and strapped and she used her safe word. My girl friend stopped to find out what was wrong. It turns out that one of the buckles was pinching her skin in a very unpleasant way. Everything stopped as the buckle was readjusted. The second thing was the after care she gave her sub. It was very tender and caring, Clearly these two people loved each other and would do nothing that was not at its very base truly "wanted". The buckle was clearly was as welcome as a caress from an abuser.
Here is the thing. Rape and harassment have little to do with sex and all about having power over another. It is that simple. Obviously that gross pig could afford anything he wanted but he used his position to victimize. The only way this stops is when people (yes, woman can be the offenders too) are called out and prosecuted.
Abbey
what is absurd is that "everyone" knows this goes on. Some of these high paid actresses are now crying rape or abuse after decades of making millions from movies when they seem to have gotten their start on the old casting couch. So, it seems that they were perfectly willing to accept that giving up the sex for a movie role was OK then when they needed a break, but now they are incensed and jump on the bandwagon to crucify these bastards. And, crucify these bastards is just what should happen. But, we should take a step back and wonder why they weren't willing to speak 10, 15, even 20 years ago. It seems the movie career was more important.
I do not disagree, but there is a problem, not quite a PR problem, but something like it. If, in your youth, you stand up for yourself and refuse the casting couch you may end up complaining about it for the rest of your life from behind a lunch counter in a Hollywood diner. If you give in and become successful you know have a public voice that will be heard beyond Hollywood, even if it does sound hypocritical.
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Depending on details, the timing could also be a factor. Go along once and bring it to the public's attention after one or two roles and it may be the end of the ride. Wait until the sunset of your career and you've got nothing to lose.
what is absurd is that "everyone" knows this goes on. Some of these high paid actresses are now crying rape or abuse after decades of making millions from movies when they seem to have gotten their start on the old casting couch. So, it seems that they were perfectly willing to accept that giving up the sex for a movie role was OK then when they needed a break, but now they are incensed and jump on the bandwagon to crucify these bastards. And, crucify these bastards is just what should happen. But, we should take a step back and wonder why they weren't willing to speak 10, 15, even 20 years ago. It seems the movie career was more important.
Coercing or trafficking a young girl into prostitution is just as bad if not worse than asking someone to lie on the casting couch to further her career in acting. At least the actress gets fame and fortune and only has to sleep with one guy. The prostitute has to keep seeing johns constantly. Many of these johns insist on the girls doing things they aren't comfortable with (which is most stuff) in exchange for money. If she refuses, she gets blasted on review boards or gets no money. C'mon guys. Give it up. Don't get mad, because Weinstein gets the hottest, most famous actresses and you have to settle for unknown hookers. If you had his money, you'd do the same thing.
Wrong. The idea that all of us would rape, and sexually assault is wrong. Get it? Wrong.
Harvey Weinstein did not invent Hollywood-sexual-oppression but he sure seemed to master the craft. I wasn’t all that offended initially because I made some incorrect assumptions about how the “casting couch” worked. I naively assumed that a young aspiring starlet merely accepted a movie executives relatively benign advances to further her carrier. Then, I listened to the audiotape of Weinstein trying to coerce a young woman into his room. I became livid. No woman should have to endure that kind of behavior. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but if a woman tells a guy no, he should accept it and move on without applying the kind of coercion and bullying Weinstein is now famous for.