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The distinction, perhaps, between a "need" or "desire" for child pornography, compared to sexual desire towards a boy, is that the former is more of a compulsion. It has no component of the wellbeing of the boy involved, much as a man masturbating to heterosexual porn doesn't care about the woman in the porn, and is merely trying to satisfy his sexual desires. That's not to say sexuality or erotic desire is wrong in any sense. But, it is to say that if a relationship is founded purely on sexual desire, this is far more Pandemos than Ourania, and somewhat negates the uniqueness of pederasty IMO. It's little different from having sex with women at that point. It's also likely not the healthiest foundation, friends with benefits are hardly mutually virtuous. Plato's thoughts around sexuality and desire are very interesting. I find the section on Diotima's ladder of Eros especially interesting, it's a spiritual view of sexuality that I hadn't really encountered prior at all, compared to the Christian framing of all sexuality as sinful and a vice. I was also recently reading Corydon by Gide. The actual arguments for pederasty are quite dull, but the surrounding context, of gynecentrism, male versus female sexual drives, is fascinating. It also ties onto theories about male variability. I can't say I think Gide is the best re:his expressions of pederasty, but the dialogues were at least very thought provoking, even if malformed. |