Sex education for twenty-somethings?

The following link is an essay written by Susan Reimer of The Baltimore Sun on the subject of sex and irresponsible twenty-somethings.  It appeared in my local newspaper, the Press-Register.  After reading about her concerns, I decided to write her.  My letter to Mrs. Reimer follows.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.reimer21dec21,0,3943892.column

December 24, 2009

Dear Mrs. Reimer,

I read, with interest, your piece on "sex education for twenty-somethings".  I couldn't have seen it more differently.  I can't believe you actually wrote this.  You're looking at a snap shot of man's time on Earth during, both, uncivilized times (some 70k plus years) and civilization (the last 5k years or more).  How do you think sex between man and woman, during the Stone Age, played out for this same age group -- was it all weddings then sex?

Would you expect it to be any different during Ancient history (how about for Mary and Joseph)?  I think you're complaining about the nature of man and thousands of generations of behavior in motion, which is deeply ingrained in our tissue, bones and DNA.  Maybe it goes against the social norms and etiquette of this society, which you may hold as sacred, but isn't much of this society and especially you're generation (Boomers?) phony?  You're invoking an artifical world over the natural one, it's like covering a beautiful Mahogany table with a plastic sheet and saying to oneself, "Doesn't that look better"?  I don't think you get it.

For all the things that you want to say is wrong with this younger generation, I could easily turn the tables on you and rattle off numerous things that your generation has done wrong -- namely screwing up this entire country, on your watch (spiritually, emotionally, financially, mentally and physically) with your head full of knowledge -- beliefs, fears, illusions, lies, theories, denial, but little truth.  Your generation offered up lots of conventional wisdom, but none of it's true.  My generation is inheriting a divorce rate of 50%, we, now, have a better chance of surviving cancer than marriage.

Is it any wonder why things are the way they are?  Maybe in understanding what went wrong with your generation, you can better understand why those following are choosing to live life, differently.  Where it's becoming less about corporate careers and retirement plans and more about copulating and living happily, what's wrong with that?

Sincerely,
Ted Burnett
Daphne, AL

tedburnettresume.blogspot.com

Copyright © 2009, 2010. All Rights Reserved. “Sex education and twenty-somethings?” by Ted Burnett.

I am available for speaking, consulting and political advising. My other essays can be viewed at my blog – http://www.toxicnation.blogspot.com/. I can be contacted via email at – tebjr1@yahoo.com. My bio can be viewed at http://www.tedburnettresume.blogspot.com.