Pedo-conspiratorial hysteria is just more scatalogical residue of twisted, paranoid right-wing demonology… Satanic cabals, human sacrifice, child sex trafficking, ritual murder, cannibalism, sinister amoral behavior, obscene plots, corruption and immorality practiced by demonic liberal elites, decadent artists, immoral libertines, aging skate filmers, punkers, rappers, radicals and revolutionaries, commies, homos, weirdos, immigrants, enemies of the state, etc… just more evidence of the rot growing in the American social structure… blah, blah, c’mon boys, how long u gonna fall for this puritanical reactionary QAnon bullshit, it’s a dumbing-down, a means of control i tell ya.
Obviously there are red lines, pedophiles really exist but measured judgement and critical thinking are skills worth developing. Pluralism, nonconformity and novel unfamiliar difference (like cross-generational friendships, confusing gender norms, topless male teenagers oh my!) free expression, free thinking, free speech and uncensored art are incredible cultural achievements, things worth preserving and fighting for, especially when some of it makes us uncomfortable. This is the price and promise of freedom.
Teenage aesthetics can be beautiful, poetic, sublime and worthy of artistic attention (just like any other aspect of human life) and can easily be revelatory and sincerely non-exploitative, ie necessary but not sufficient for pedophilia. Let’s stop the slippery slide into paranoia, anti-naturalism, censorship and totalitarianism. A healthy society is an open society, progress demands freedom, moral courage, experimentation, risk-taking, radical openness and tolerance, uncomfortable feelings/ideas, challenges to social norms and historical/cultural assumptions, etc… without the constant threat of cancellation, social shame (and/or violence).
it’s sad, the vibe around here nowadays reminds me of high school, only a very limited group of acceptable ideas/attitudes are tolerated by the socially dominant alphas (primitive bullies) who enforce strict conformity to the sacred slap shibboleths. This is pernicious, regressive conservatism by any definition.