The demonization of pedophiles.

[The Brain]

Yes, but it's non-consensual because of an arbitrary line in the sand.  Other cultures, like the ancient Greeks didn't have such a problem with this.  As I pointed out in my example, the law plays with that line.  The same person can be simultaneously an adult as a perpetrator and a minor as a victim.

It is a question I have wondered about.  Today we can point to, convincingly I think, the large amount of social damage sexual abuse of kids causes.  But were the ancient greeks somehow insulated from  it?  Is it our cultural taboo that creates the damage in someway?  Or, conversley, did it cause large amounts of social damage in ancient Greece?

I think on these lines with regards to child physical abuse, once so common, as well.  Was it this tendency that created the violent societies in the past or was the very fact those societies were so violent somehow made the physical abuse less damaging?

Not sure.

Obviously when expectations change social costs of various activities change.

[Eddie Teach]

I mean organizations like the Catholic Church and Penn State would never have covered for murders and somebody who kidnapped and tortured people.

I'm sure the Church has done that many times. Dunno about Penn St.

[Razgovory]

Okay, maybe I should step back.  What do board members think of the claims that a pedophile is predisposed toward his sexual peculiarity?  That the pedophile lusts for small children because that's the way his head is wired.  He was born that way.  Is this a legitimate statement?

It is a relevant question only to the extent of whether they should ever be released from prison (or in capital punishment land simply executed).  If they are just born that way and nothing can help them then the answer is pretty straight forward imo.

Why only to that extant?

[DGuller]

Okay, maybe I should step back.  What do board members think of the claims that a pedophile is predisposed toward his sexual peculiarity?  That the pedophile lusts for small children because that's the way his head is wired.  He was born that way.  Is this a legitimate statement?

Mostly bullshit is my guess.  History is full of examples of pseudo-science being invented to justify persecution of undesirables.

[Razgovory]

Yes, but it's non-consensual because of an arbitrary line in the sand.  Other cultures, like the ancient Greeks didn't have such a problem with this.  As I pointed out in my example, the law plays with that line.  The same person can be simultaneously an adult as a perpetrator and a minor as a victim.

It is a question I have wondered about.  Today we can point to, convincingly I think, the large amount of social damage sexual abuse of kids causes.  But were the ancient greeks somehow insulated from  it?  Is it our cultural taboo that creates the damage in someway?  Or, conversley, did it cause large amounts of social damage in ancient Greece?

I think on these lines with regards to child physical abuse, once so common, as well.  Was it this tendency that created the violent societies in the past or was the very fact those societies were so violent somehow made the physical abuse less damaging?

Not sure.

Or is it not as damaging as we are led to believe?  How many children are abused sexually?  How many go on to become abusers?  I'm beginning to suspect the "ick" factor is a major part of it.  I'm wondering if that as homosexuality becomes more acceptable, people who are disgusted by that sort of behavior are shifting their hate to pedophiles who in their mind are similar and a safer target of hatred.  It seems the mass awareness and moral panic concerning pedophilia coincides with the mainstream acceptance of homosexuality.

[crazy canuck]

Okay, maybe I should step back.  What do board members think of the claims that a pedophile is predisposed toward his sexual peculiarity?  That the pedophile lusts for small children because that's the way his head is wired.  He was born that way.  Is this a legitimate statement?

It is a relevant question only to the extent of whether they should ever be released from prison (or in capital punishment land simply executed).  If they are just born that way and nothing can help them then the answer is pretty straight forward imo.

Why only to that extant?

What else is that question relevant to?

[Razgovory]

Okay, maybe I should step back.  What do board members think of the claims that a pedophile is predisposed toward his sexual peculiarity?  That the pedophile lusts for small children because that's the way his head is wired.  He was born that way.  Is this a legitimate statement?

Mostly bullshit is my guess.  History is full of examples of pseudo-science being invented to justify persecution of undesirables.

Please clarify.

[The Brain]

Yes, but it's non-consensual because of an arbitrary line in the sand.  Other cultures, like the ancient Greeks didn't have such a problem with this.  As I pointed out in my example, the law plays with that line.  The same person can be simultaneously an adult as a perpetrator and a minor as a victim.

It is a question I have wondered about.  Today we can point to, convincingly I think, the large amount of social damage sexual abuse of kids causes.  But were the ancient greeks somehow insulated from  it?  Is it our cultural taboo that creates the damage in someway?  Or, conversley, did it cause large amounts of social damage in ancient Greece?

I think on these lines with regards to child physical abuse, once so common, as well.  Was it this tendency that created the violent societies in the past or was the very fact those societies were so violent somehow made the physical abuse less damaging?

Not sure.

Or is it not as damaging as we are led to believe?  How many children are abused sexually?  How many go on to become abusers?  I'm beginning to suspect the "ick" factor is a major part of it.  I'm wondering if that as homosexuality becomes more acceptable, people who are disgusted by that sort of behavior are shifting their hate to pedophiles who in their mind are similar and a safer target of hatred.  It seems the mass awareness and moral panic concerning pedophilia coincides with the mainstream acceptance of homosexuality.

It coincides with a lot of things.

[Ed Anger]

Yes, I occasionally check for perverts within a mile. Especially for Tier III's.

[Razgovory]

What else is that question relevant to?

Well if the statement is true or not.  Or why it occurs.

[jimmy olsen]

Besides I am pretty sure serial killers and sadists are more vilified than sexual predators.  I mean organizations like the Catholic Church and Penn State would never have covered for murders and somebody who kidnapped and tortured people.

So you assume Penn state put a hit out on that D.A. that went missing?

[grumbler]

Yes, but it's non-consensual because of an arbitrary line in the sand.  Other cultures, like the ancient Greeks didn't have such a problem with this.  As I pointed out in my example, the law plays with that line.  The same person can be simultaneously an adult as a perpetrator and a minor as a victim.

It is a question I have wondered about.  Today we can point to, convincingly I think, the large amount of social damage sexual abuse of kids causes.  But were the ancient greeks somehow insulated from  it?  Is it our cultural taboo that creates the damage in someway?  Or, conversley, did it cause large amounts of social damage in ancient Greece?

I think on these lines with regards to child physical abuse, once so common, as well.  Was it this tendency that created the violent societies in the past or was the very fact those societies were so violent somehow made the physical abuse less damaging?

Not sure.

The issue of whether a person will be tried in the juvenile or adult legal systems isn't a matter of informed consent, like the issue of sexual age of consent is.  They are apples and oranges.  A ten-year-old tried as an adult doesn't become an adult (doesn't get to vote, for instance, or drive or buy cigarettes and booze); they are tried in the adult legal system because the juvenile legal system lacks the ability to inflict a suitable sentence if found guilty.  I'm not a big fan of the whole "try as an adult" concept to begin with, but I understand how it differs from treatment as an adult as regards consent to sex.

Pedophiles are reviled more than most criminals, IMO, because they strike at the most vulnerable.  I think they were reviled before it was recognized that they had such high recidivism rates.  They don't get a pass because they are 'wired that way" any more than any other serial rapist or drunk driver gets a pass because they are "wired that way."  If you are "wired wrong," you are expected to compensate for it; if you cannot, then society will put you someplace where your lack of self-control doesn't harm others.

[crazy canuck]

What else is that question relevant to?

Well if the statement is true or not.  Or why it occurs.

Whether it is true or not is only relevant to the question of whether they can be rehabilitated.  If true then no and if not true then maybe yes.  I dont know why else the question might be relevant.

[Eddie Teach]

Okay, maybe I should step back.  What do board members think of the claims that a pedophile is predisposed toward his sexual peculiarity?  That the pedophile lusts for small children because that's the way his head is wired.  He was born that way.  Is this a legitimate statement?

I think this is like most statements regarding nature vs. nurture, a question that can be answered with 50% certainty.

[jimmy olsen]

Yes, but it's non-consensual because of an arbitrary line in the sand.  Other cultures, like the ancient Greeks didn't have such a problem with this.  As I pointed out in my example, the law plays with that line.  The same person can be simultaneously an adult as a perpetrator and a minor as a victim.

It is a question I have wondered about.  Today we can point to, convincingly I think, the large amount of social damage sexual abuse of kids causes.  But were the ancient greeks somehow insulated from  it?  Is it our cultural taboo that creates the damage in someway?  Or, conversley, did it cause large amounts of social damage in ancient Greece?

I think on these lines with regards to child physical abuse, once so common, as well.  Was it this tendency that created the violent societies in the past or was the very fact those societies were so violent somehow made the physical abuse less damaging?

Not sure.

People who were violently abused as a child are more likely to use violence as adults so I'm going with the bolded bit.