Questarian New Yorkshire wrote:I'm not alien to social conservatism, but I want to see social conservatives present it exactly as it is and say it exactly as they mean it. I don't see a point otherwise.
Fair enough. I don't believe that's an unreasonable request on its own. With regard to forcing others to abide by a principle, my expressed preference is to establish cultural conventions that create a stigma on irresponsible, reckless, or non-virtuous behaviors. A big component in my rejection of a distinction between personal and social harm is that I believe that personal harm almost invariably becomes social harm, especially if those mistakes that one ought to reflect on are never reflected on because we deem those mistakes neutral or even good as opposed to bad. If a person drinks excessively and abuses their spouse, this may occur within the confines of the domestic sphere but the effects will surely not be confined to them alone because people do not exist as islands. I think casual sex is the same in a lot of ways, even with the quibbling over consent.