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Single Idea 5846

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 5. Sexual Morality ]

Full Idea

The fact that a lover uses not force but persuasion makes him more detestable, because a lover who uses force proves himself a villain, but one who uses persuasion ruins the character of the one who consents.

Gist of Idea

A lover using force is a villain, but a seducer is much worse, because he corrupts character

Source

report of Socrates (reports of career [c.420 BCE]) by Xenophon - Symposium 8.20

Book Ref

Xenophon: 'Conversations of Socrates', ed/tr. Waterfield,R/Tredennick,H. [Penguin 1990], p.260

A Reaction

A footnote says that this distinction was enshrined in Athenian law, where seduction was worse than rape. This is a startling and interest contrast to the modern view, which enshrines rights and freedoms, and says seduction is usually no crime at all.

The 14 ideas with the same theme [social issues concerning sexual relationships]:

5846 A lover using force is a villain, but a seducer is much worse, because he corrupts character [Socrates, by Xenophon]
298 While sex is very pleasant, it should be in secret, as it looks contemptible [Plato]
1479 Animals have not been led into homosexuality, because they value pleasure very little [Plutarch]
6212 Lust involves pleasure, and also the sense of power in pleasing others [Hobbes]
21467 Would humanity still exist if sex wasn't both desired and pleasurable? [Schopenhauer]
18302 Man and woman are deeply strange to one another! [Nietzsche]
19639 We all need sexual secrets! [Cioran]
20890 Why do sexual relationships need permanence, if other relationships don't? [Punzo]
20891 Does engaging in sexual intercourse really need no more thought than playing tennis? [Punzo]
20888 Rape of children is dreadful, but no one thinks children should have a right of consent [Foa]
20887 A rape disregards the status of being a person - but so does all assault [Foa]
20889 If men should lust and women shouldn't, that makes rape the prevalent sexual model [Foa]
23113 Sexual morality doesn't require monogamy, but it needs a group of sensible regulations [Kekes]
18554 Prostitution is wrong because it hardens the soul, since soul and body are one [Scruton]