For years now the idea of corruption in any form, considered earlier to be taboo, has come to be accepted as the norm in these recent interesting times.
Moreover, amongst several of the oldest professions since the very beginning even from the days of Moses, Jesus and successively during the conversions from the ‘Jihalia’ period, later during the spread of ‘Islam’ were henceforth considered intolerably taboo then. But, over a period of time after the dark ages, these very same taboos were considered as acceptable as part of the process of day to day needed distractions, harking the good life wherever available and found in search of satisfying basic instincts and natural desires. Hence, the institution of marriage is no other than a form of institutional prostitution; a process of favours of the sexual kind. A regular give and take; a regular form of barter of the body between a husband and a signed for wife, naturally fulfilling the essential sexual needs and desires so commonly unspoken of so on and so forth. All this and more, in exchange for some semblence of reasonably justifiable security provided to the wife by the husband. In the normal course of circumstances, this arrangement may last for a lifetime.
But, as things and events alter and change over the years; marriages make or break entire families; creating battle scenes and war like situations as to the ownership of possessions of various things, property as well as the upkeep and maintenance of offspring, if any.
I seriously believe that these precarious relationships, can and do create heaven or even hell on earth. In many cases, marriages have become a living hell for many couples, forced to live within and amongst the joint family system, just to please their outlaws, or even in laws.
This casual arrangement, therefore, might as well be regularised and approved of; thus saving the lives of a lot of innocent children from being raped, especially by the pious clergy. The madrassahs would hopefully be spared from such evil acts as men and as well as women would easily be in a position to buy and pay for their sexual desires as and when desired. Consequently the sheer cost of keeping and maintaining just one wife would considerably reduce itself; thereby avoiding unnecessary aggravation of both, health and heart issues.
Two, the second most important reason: the idea of alcohol being taboo, may as well be rationalised and approved of. Bribery along with expensive gifts and give-aways now belong as part and parcel of our social disorder, we might as well be open about the benefits of beer-drinking verses the detriments of hard drugs. Recent examples of prominent personalities in the news, these days confirm the facts.
Perhaps, it is about time we all faced up to this reality. There is no shame in acknowledging the realisation that prostitution and beer-drinking both go hand in hand, in the general welfare, of both physical and mental health of the general population in any region of the developing world.
NAEEM B SHAIKH
Lahore
