Social Cohesion 2.0

An op-ed piece in the Guardian by two activists ("Sex workers are not criminals") makes the argument that prostitutes should not be prosecuted for soliciting potential customers. In the authors' view, "soliciting shouldn't be an offence and it shouldn't be classified as antisocial behaviour." Yes, indeed - how could the offer of sexual services for cash even remotely undermine social cohesion? Just the opposite. As Aldous Huxley demonstrated long, long ago, providing individuals with multiple outlets for the incessant gratification of their desires is, in fact, essential for the maintenance of social stability. The exact words he put in Mustafa Mond's mouth: "“You can’t have a lasting civilization without plenty of pleasant vices.” Indeed. And there is no such thing as society anyway - Baroness Thatcher was surely right on that count, as on most others.