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Edmund, first of all, it's great to talk with you again! I've always admired your steady and thoroughgoing scholarship into subjects of which I have only the slightest acquaintance, "Alexander's Choice" and Eglinton's "Greek Love" and a few other things forming the only real exceptions to my yawning ignorance of the subject. Anything I may say about classical antiquity must be understood from that perspective of intellectual impoverishment, as I am the first to acknowledge. So, it would be those prejudices which form my hesitant skepticism of any historical social structures, and not just those in which pederasty not only had a place but one of privilege. Since I am, constitutionally, utterly godless, and politically, liberal, I think that their beliefs and social strata would not have allowed my own personal flourishing. My understanding is that all, or nearly all, of those pederastic societies had a quite rigid hierarchy and some pretty harsh rules (like all other societies!) laid out by their powerful leaders and their gods. No doubt, some of that was necessary. I suspect I would have chafed under a yoke given my aforementioned predilections and style, i.e. my vicarious and fixed bl orientation. However, I always try to keep my beliefs provisional and my judgements falsifiable. I'll be happy to give these the old heave-ho, too if necessary. Cheers! |