Sexting

Not to worry, it is extremely unlikely and doubtful that I will be transmitting any nude photos of myself to unsuspecting recipients via my cell phone. Assuredly, my basic little cell phone does not have a camera accesory but does have the capability of texting but no additional bells and whistles are really needed. I can't e-mail from my cell phone nor can I listen to tunes, watch movies or play games.Who really cares unless you need those kinds of accouterments as part of your work and need to be" wired" and fully loaded or are a techno geek.

Of course most young people have to posses the most sophisticated technology available but look what they've done with it! At what point did someone consider taking a nude picture of themselves and texting it to a potential recipient as a means of flirtation? I can think of a whole lot of other ways to flirt that do not require exposing one's self. Flirting used to mean displaying interest with coquettish gestures such as prolonged eye contact , a meaningful expression or smile as an open invitation to get to know someone better or "hey,let's make out".None of those benign activities are permanently recorded for other parties to see. If something occurs between two people it remains a private matter (excluding minors or other forms of illegal exploitation).

I read an article that identified this phenomena as a decline in the value of virtuousness. With out sounding dreadfully old fashioned there was a time when some level of modesty was valued and showing everything or dressing like a hooker was frowned upon. My parents would have vociferously discouraged this type of display, and truthfully my father probably would have sentenced me to go live in a convent with the nuns.The worse thing we did was try to roll up our skirts to make them shorter like Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon from Saturday Night Live fame). We didn't brag about engaging in sexual activity because nice girls didn't do that kind of stuff, at least until they were a little older and knew what they were doing. I have heard tales of eleven and twelve year olds engaging in oral sex and bragging about it. But oh no I've dated myself again and my tirade makes me look like an uptight grownup who raised two daughters.Beleive me they know better, just ask them. Way to go on a rant but this is disturbing to me. What the hell is going on?

Maybe when Pam Anderson from Babewatch made her sex video with Tommy Lee the horse was let out of the barn. When Paris Hilton did her imitation of procreation with I forget who, it influenced impressionable young people to believe it was okay and let's all run around not wearing underpants and show our privates. Debauchery now seems prized as does reducing sex to recreational harmlessness but let's not forget the unintended consequence of sexually transmiited disease, pregnancy, exploitation and abuse. I worry about our young women and what has been normalized.

I haven't really heard many stories about boys doing the sexting I think they tend to be the recepients. Once it's out there apparently it can land anywhere.

You don't need to worry about any frighening images of me in my birthday suit showing up on anyone's cell phone. I think we are all somewhat relieved about that.