it has “seduction” in the title, and it repeatedly mentions things like “how to trick women into bed” and “getting excellent and frequent sex”
I understand the objection to these sorts of language, but in the case of the first example, what exactly should be used instead? What is the value-neutral term for “seduction?” Unfortunately, I’m not sure we have one.
When you are attempting to seduce someone, what is it exactly that you want to get them to do? How can you tell when you’ve succeeded?
“Get them to have sex with me whether they want to or not” is an answer with different implications than “reduce the obstacles that impede them from acting on their desire to have sex with me” or “encourage them to act on their own desires in general” or “create a desire in them to have sex with me” or etc.
Admittedly, not all of those are value-neutral either. If the thing being talked about is negatively or positively valued, it makes sense that the word used is as well… to eliminate that by blurring the connection between word and referent does not improve communication.
I understand the objection to these sorts of language, but in the case of the first example, what exactly should be used instead? What is the value-neutral term for “seduction?” Unfortunately, I’m not sure we have one.
When you are attempting to seduce someone, what is it exactly that you want to get them to do? How can you tell when you’ve succeeded?
“Get them to have sex with me whether they want to or not” is an answer with different implications than “reduce the obstacles that impede them from acting on their desire to have sex with me” or “encourage them to act on their own desires in general” or “create a desire in them to have sex with me” or etc.
Admittedly, not all of those are value-neutral either. If the thing being talked about is negatively or positively valued, it makes sense that the word used is as well… to eliminate that by blurring the connection between word and referent does not improve communication.