Not just for the kids

Thu, 19/08/2010 - 21:36


Usually thought of as the domain of frustrated teens who can’t or won't physically act on their hormonal urges, this particular by-product of the ubiquitous smartphone is not just relegated to those greasy teens anymore – it’s also popular among those in adult relationships who for one reason or another don’t get to see enough of each other to feed that new-relationship hunger.

Sexting is really just a modern love letter. As a race we’re all a shitload more sexually liberated than we were when Gramps was courting and the only way to titillate a far off lover was to send a fragrant letter by post. These days you can instantly send and receive naughty pics, suggestive messages, even dirty videos. I know from personal experience that with free smugphone to smugphone multi media messaging apps these day, the sky’s the limit.

It’s staggering the amount relationships have changed in the digital age. I for one can’t even remember how I ever even saw or communicated with boyfriends 10 to 15 years ago. If we were stripped of mobile phones and the internet these days we’d lose each other for weeks on end and be reduced to walking the streets in the hope of randomly bumping in to one another. (Luckily it's really only stalkers who have to resort to this type of behaviour).

The media love sexting, mostly because it involves teenagers, and as we all know those crazy teens are just out of control.
In the course of my research (by research I mean a bit of lazy googling, barely ever beyond the first page of results, and a few dirty pics sent back and forth with a ‘friend’) not surprisingly the fifth search result was a piece from the Daily Mail, which in the first 3 paragraphs uses the phrases “provocatively”, “shockingly” “leafy suburbia” (oh god no!! surely not!!), “degrading”, “deeply alarming” and "will horrify parents”…
Ok so not that I agree with the Daily Mail (over my dead body), but I will say this; grown ups? Why not? Get your kicks (not that 'grown ups' are beyond trouble arising from sexting). Not so grown ups? Be careful, remember - you are idiots – you’re only gonna be broken up in 3 weeks with nothing left of your relationship but a bunch of dirty pics for him to show his mates and anyone else who cares (i.e. the internet, a.k.a. everyone in the whole world everywhere, ever).