The sexual-market-value dilemma

In rich Western societies, the decline of the sexual market value of men and women who get older is a dilemma. People who get older naturally long for a society in which this is not a handicap. The concern is reflected in sex-negative feminism, which can be understood as trade unionism of less competitive women who aim to protect their sexual market value.

The desire to redefine social hierarchies of attractiveness also drives Salafist movements. Male children of Muslim immigrants in Europe sense their placement on the low end of the attractiveness scale, as even their sisters dream of princes that are firmly rooted in Western culture.

Social climbing is only a temporary solution, for male children of Muslim immigrants, and for anybody getting older.

A more profound solution, in the case of ageism, are societies in which age is a minor factor.

Poor but tolerant societies, for example. As long as there is a dire need for economic support within families, the age-related unattractiveness of support-givers wanes as a factor determining sexual market value.

Thus, whether male or female, there is a rationale to get out of rich Western societies, and be rich in a Third World country.

For males, societies with irrational metaphysical foundations, such as religions, offer a possibility to be attractive mates in spite of advancing age.

In societies with archaic religious structures, sexual market value depends on many factors other than the physical attractiveness or the age of a man.

Aging women, on the other hand, have good reason for not being comfortable with such archaic structures. For aging women, extreme feminism and legal constraints on opportunity-seeking men are viable strategies to protect their own sexual market value in spite of advancing age.