I totally agree with your statement. As a college student in the late '60's/early 70's, I remember how awesome rock music was with a great new band emerging almost every week. After getting accustomed to this musical bounty, I also remember thinking it would never end. Then it ended with a suddenness that was shocking, and we all watched as the world descended into Disco.
Yes, I've asked myself the same question about are we living in the golden age of hobbying as I look at all the beautiful women that are both local, or visitors to LA, where I live. I think you can make a pretty good case that we are close to the peak, or maybe just past it.
I know you asked the question more from an individual standpoint than an overall "state of the hobby" standpoint, and there's no question that the women are prettier and higher quality thanks to the internet, the experiences are better and the entire scene is safer. Review sites like this one help the right customer find the right lady, and vice versa. This is something that was impossible 15 years ago, and has really helped improve your bang for the buck. Which is s a good thing because the internet has also raised prices.
You would think the increased competition resulting from more women entering the business made by these positive changes would reduce prices, but in fact, the opposite is true. The internet has resulted in what has essentially become price fixing on a national level, something that was also unthinkable 15 years ago when it was a local hobby. Not only do women travel extensively today, but the internet allows providers to see what others are charging, and more importantly, it allows others to see what you're charging.
And make no mistake about it, even if it's on an informal basis, any member of the escort "cartel" will hear about it if they're lowering prices too much below the accepted level. This is one of the reasons why women that are struggling to make ends meet still won't lower prices even though economic theory says she should.
For example, I knew a lady that charged $200/hour for the first visit, and only $100/hour if you were a return visitor. As soon as the internet started to dominate, she raised her prices to the then standard $250 and dropped the $100/hour option. She told me she was tired of the "snotty comments" she kept getting about it from other women who thought she was "giving it away."
But as for the bigger question about could this be the golden age and could it change, these things usually move on the timeframe of other social trends. I used to study social trends as part of my job and turning points are the hardest thing to anticipate. You can ride a dominant trend for 10-20 years, and during that period think it will never change. But turning points (just like when Disco replaced the golden era of rock) are the only thing that really matters in the end.
We are 10-12 years into the internet era of hobbying, and it's very possible that the success of the hobby will be its undoing. It could draw too much attention to itself in any number of ways- too many high profile men getting busted, too many successful escorts writing books, too much revenue going unreported to the IRS. Or just as possible, the broad success of the hobby could finally lead to decriminalization and recognition of changing values and demographics of society. There's really no telling- but things ALWAYS change.
So my advice is to enjoy the present era of hobbying as much as you can, because there are no guarantees about the future- ever. Just remember that Pink Floyd and The Who led to Donna Summer (and far worse), and hobby your butt off while you can!
