Free Love, the Oklahoma art scene, and all the Herman Cains out there

The dirty secret behind the push for sexual freedoms is that it was not about freedom at all.  On the contrary it was about convincing women by a long slow process to give up their ideals of commitment and make any romantic feelings they had seem inadequate, weak, and unsophisticated. Thus in the 1960s we see pop culture dismissing "sentimentality" in regards to marriage, religion, holidays, etc. It is not a coincidence that these are the very things that help cement the family experience.

The women I've talked to about this agree that the sexual and relationship power held by women is at its strongest within the context of the family traditions, courtship, and religion (with the understanding that "power" here does not imply a power struggle or antagonism).  "Free love" and Hugh Hefner's playboy culture of the 1960s sought to discredit these areas where the female sense of commitment was actually confirmed and empowered. 

If these traditional things which confirm and empower the female instincts of commitment could be discredited, then it will be far easier to increase the number of your sexual partners. No longer does a lecherous man have to labor at eroding a woman's sense of commitment. Most of the work has already been done for him. From a biological point of view, is it not typically the male who pursues and the female who determines whether or not sex happens? The effort in the 1960s was to change this dynamic and give men as much of the decision-making power as possible.

The world is full of Herman Cains. I know some myself: Wealthy men who understand how awkward it is to be asking for young girls phone numbers outside of clubs in a town where everyone knows he is married. The solution to this awkwardness? Get rid of the wife like one of these did. The next woman to step up is the local showcase of gullibility. All for the amusement of these wealthy men who throw money at desperate artists and pride themselves at traveling out of town with other men's wives. chris salyer

The best quote was recently sent to me by a mother after we discussed this topic- Not protecting our daughters from a permissive society allows them to be preyed upon in ways we have yet to understand.