I'm not sure there's such a divide between "the two poles of prostitution". Surely, as there is with damn near everything else about human nature and society, there's a broad gradation between, not just the two ends?
And I'm not clear about what you mean by looking at both opposite poles through one angle. I think you may be wanting to use the opposition to write about how violence, society, et al. affects both ends? Or how both ends affect violence and society? To me, that's an awfully broad undercurrent to write about; it'd have to take several stories to cover even partially.
Pardon me if you've already read this, but have you ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? There's a section where the author is teaching freshman English Comp, and has assigned a 500-word essay on a topic of the student's choice. One comes up to him and says that she tried writing about the United States, and couldn't write anything...so he tells her to go out to the main street, sit on a bench in front of the opera house, look at the top left
( ... )
When I said poles, I meant the two ends of a broad spectrum. And I'm not thinking about comparing the two poles in one fell swoop. I just notice that it's a theme that's cropped up in my writing (not that those particular things have been published yet).
And no, I haven't read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. No offense, but I don't plan to--The Dancing Wu Li Masters is more my speed, and there are so many other books I need to read first.
I understand about the concept of Big Stuff vs. small stuff, oh yes. And in response to your question, I was going for strictly brick modalities....
I found ZMM to be occasionally useful, but mostly infuriating, but in a way that made me think about why I hated sections of it. Thinking is always useful. And no offense taken, either.
I have some thoughts. Never been to a prostitute myself, but found with the downtown artists, the distinction between sex worker and artist got very fuzzy. This was sometimes humorous. "Is she a stripper doing art, or an artist stripping?" People smiled. The question has no real meaning!
Some of my best friends, I learned later had been prostitutes. Some are kind, some are avaricious, a x-section of people like on any city bus. The first thing I noticed, was women went into prostitution if two conditions applied. Neither by itself was enough. The first was they needed money, fast, and had no realistic options available to them. The second was they liked sex a real lot. I'd weight the second condition about double the first. Also the two women I'm thinking of, struck me neither took the job all that seriously. Just a job. I learned a lot I've never read anywhere.
Would it help to talk to someone who had been a prostitute in her youth Mel? I know someone of that sort who is open enough about her past she might be willing if you want.
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And I'm not clear about what you mean by looking at both opposite poles through one angle. I think you may be wanting to use the opposition to write about how violence, society, et al. affects both ends? Or how both ends affect violence and society? To me, that's an awfully broad undercurrent to write about; it'd have to take several stories to cover even partially.
Pardon me if you've already read this, but have you ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? There's a section where the author is teaching freshman English Comp, and has assigned a 500-word essay on a topic of the student's choice. One comes up to him and says that she tried writing about the United States, and couldn't write anything...so he tells her to go out to the main street, sit on a bench in front of the opera house, look at the top left ( ... )
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And no, I haven't read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. No offense, but I don't plan to--The Dancing Wu Li Masters is more my speed, and there are so many other books I need to read first.
I understand about the concept of Big Stuff vs. small stuff, oh yes. And in response to your question, I was going for strictly brick modalities....
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Some of my best friends, I learned later had been prostitutes. Some are kind, some are avaricious, a x-section of people like on any city bus. The first thing I noticed, was women went into prostitution if two conditions applied. Neither by itself was enough. The first was they needed money, fast, and had no realistic options available to them. The second was they liked sex a real lot. I'd weight the second condition about double the first. Also the two women I'm thinking of, struck me neither took the job all that seriously. Just a job. I learned a lot I've never read anywhere.
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