Society is entirely schizophrenic on this point. On the one hand, we use sex to sell everything under the sun. (And, for that matter, the sun itself -- come vi

Society is entirely schizophrenic on this point. On the one hand, we use sex to sell everything under the sun. (And, for that matter, the sun itself -- come visit [insert sunny low-latitude vacation destination here]!) On the other hand, we can't even consider it. At work, in professional circles, etc. (At least, not "overtly". There's a lot of "covert" use in play, though. From both sexes. Physically attractive people, both anecdote and now studies show, get ahead.) On the third hand... We are supposed to be "totally committed". (Or, we were supposed to be in the last decade -- I start to lose track.) You're not a quality employee if you aren't putting in 60 hours a week. Wait, you're not worthwhile if you don't own your own company. Work life, personal life -- there is no dichotomy. There can be only one! (Work) So... radically, almost diametrically opposed viewpoints. And we are supposed to conveniently segregate them depending upon where we are and/or what we are doing. Only... we increasingly aren't supposed to segregate those very activities and locations. Bah... I'm all for treating people well. And I think that starts with divorcing ourselves from a lot of this -- both current and perennial -- cultural crap. The only solution I can really think of is transparency. Don't lie to your kids, students, employees about how the world works. Hopefully, informed people are more likely and more empowered to behave as responsible adults. Respecting both others and themselves. -- P.S. I wrote this fairly quickly and on the basis of quickly reading the parent comment. I'll have to read through things more carefully, now. I see that the article starts out describing a literal assault. I do not condone that nor mean to imply with my already-written comment that we can merely... "examine" ourselves out of all such circumstances. All the same, a lot of the messaging in our society seems, by design or side-effect or both, to misinform. And to omit much needed conversation and correction before we reach the point of assault. I think of the... scumbag behavior I so often encountered in school and at college. When you're a young person and without good role models, it can be hard to figure out how to deal with that. And sometimes, even what to think of it. Type A or whatever personalities often make a certain amount of headway just by outright aggressiveness and intimidation. Also, as a male, I've been in the perhaps somewhat less prevalent position of being manipulated by a world-class female user. Perhaps we are at the vanguard of having another serious, cultural conversation about all this. Hopefully, for the better. Shine a light on it. Put it in context. Help people to see and find a better way.