It is because they could not call it Sex
It is not easy being old and boring, especially when you live in Soweto. Everything and everyone is young and hip or at least they believe they are or just act as if they are. Don’t get me wrong, I am pointing fingers in self-righteous judgement at the very things that I did (at a different scale of course) some 20 odd years ago. You may think “how self-serving of the old geezer”; and I might agree with you. This however,does not help deal with the horror, pain and devastation that are too often the consequence of being young and might I add, cool. So, someone on the radio was saying how we should all pitch in our little bits to help the youth or save them from themselves.
The issues facing, done, experienced and coveted by the youth are staggering. The one thing that is pretty much destroying them is sex. I am not here talking about getting the clap or falling pregnat at 15, that is what we did. I am talking about a generation that has become enslaved to sex. Ok, maybe I am over-stating the point a little - I do not mean to.
Have a look at the advertising of products that are aimed at the youth. From what they should eat to what they should wear - it is all about getting laid. So, sex has become a precious commodity that is bought and sold in the youth market. The currency is material possessions: money, car, clothes, jewellery, etc. The boys that have this, will get that something-something that the girls have. There is also the pressure on the youth to get that something-something as soon as possible.
It does not help much that men my age chase girls my daughter’s age. You see, they have that material stuff that my daughter’s peers would love to have. If you were to go to any of the university/technicon residences and see who the “guys” who are there to pick up the girls are. Now, the boys my daughter’s age reckon, to get the girls, they better have the material stuff too and studying first and getting a good job thereafter, just takes too long. So the guys try short-cuts and then take an offramp to suncity. Lives destroyed.
In the meantime business is watching these developments and then, business sets out to do what businesses do - cash in. Have you ever wondered why “Axe” deodorant is called that? Why would anyone name a deodorant something that is ordinarily used to chop wood and other things? Each one of the adverts relating to this product is about how a man will get laid in abundance if they use Axe.
They call it Axe only because they could not call it Sex and get away with it.
