"Now, if we were to grant individuals full rights of adulthood at 16 or 17 years of age, then it would also make sense for 16 or 17 to be the age of consent for sex." Exactly. Pedophilia apologists always make the argument that the age of consent is arbitrary. And they're right. The age of majority os different in different countries and…
"Now, if we were to grant individuals full rights of adulthood at 16 or 17 years of age, then it would also make sense for 16 or 17 to be the age of consent for sex."
Exactly. Pedophilia apologists always make the argument that the age of consent is arbitrary. And they're right. The age of majority os different in different countries and makes different things legal/illegal. There's no airtight argument that the age should be 18 vs 17 or 16.
But there *is* an airtight argument that there needs to be an age of consent. An age where we can say, legally speaking, that most people will be mature enough to make serious decisions for themselves. That makes it harder for predators to manipulate young and vulnerable people.
If an adult feels aggrieved because they're being asked to put a child's (or, in fact, *anybody's*) emotional needs before their own sexual needs, I think that tells us everything we need to know about them.
People have gone all their lives without sex. I don't recommend it but it didn't kill them. Needs are things like food and water, denial of which leads to illness or death. This Rogue guy doesn't "need" underage girls. He desires them. If he acts on that desire he will end up in prison where this sort of thing is not survival-positive.
I urgently desire a Moog One. I can afford it but the double shipment and the customs would double the price, as they did for my Moog Grandmother. I will likely go to my grave without a Moog One.
I urgently desire a certain drug-enhanced extremely dangerous sexual experience. I accept that I will never have it.
Wants and needs. I would not want a world restricted to "why does anyone need [x]?" but is important to understand the difference.
In the case of the subject at hand, sex drive is powerful for most people in their teens but it is certainly not a need. Indeed, immature choices can screw up your whole life. There, I think, is the reason for age of consent laws.
We already have more than enough pull to screw up our lives in youth without some asshole adult coming along and pushing us off that cliff.
"Now, if we were to grant individuals full rights of adulthood at 16 or 17 years of age, then it would also make sense for 16 or 17 to be the age of consent for sex."
Exactly. Pedophilia apologists always make the argument that the age of consent is arbitrary. And they're right. The age of majority os different in different countries and makes different things legal/illegal. There's no airtight argument that the age should be 18 vs 17 or 16.
But there *is* an airtight argument that there needs to be an age of consent. An age where we can say, legally speaking, that most people will be mature enough to make serious decisions for themselves. That makes it harder for predators to manipulate young and vulnerable people.
If an adult feels aggrieved because they're being asked to put a child's (or, in fact, *anybody's*) emotional needs before their own sexual needs, I think that tells us everything we need to know about them.
"before 'their' own sexual needs"
This is not a need. This is a desire.
People have gone all their lives without sex. I don't recommend it but it didn't kill them. Needs are things like food and water, denial of which leads to illness or death. This Rogue guy doesn't "need" underage girls. He desires them. If he acts on that desire he will end up in prison where this sort of thing is not survival-positive.
I urgently desire a Moog One. I can afford it but the double shipment and the customs would double the price, as they did for my Moog Grandmother. I will likely go to my grave without a Moog One.
I urgently desire a certain drug-enhanced extremely dangerous sexual experience. I accept that I will never have it.
So it goes.
Wants and needs. I would not want a world restricted to "why does anyone need [x]?" but is important to understand the difference.
In the case of the subject at hand, sex drive is powerful for most people in their teens but it is certainly not a need. Indeed, immature choices can screw up your whole life. There, I think, is the reason for age of consent laws.
We already have more than enough pull to screw up our lives in youth without some asshole adult coming along and pushing us off that cliff.