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Don_Dickle to No Stupid Questions · 1 day ago

How old is the "world's oldest profession"?

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How old is the "world's oldest profession"?

Don_Dickle to No Stupid Questions · 1 day ago
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  • deft@lemmy.wtf
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    1 day ago

    No idea. Ask your mother?

    • workerONE
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      1 day ago

      deleted by creator

  • wador@lemmy.zip
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    1 day ago

    Some people jokingly say that prostitution is the oldest profession. I don’t know about that, but transactional sex must be as old as humanity.

    • CyanideShotInjection
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      1 day ago

      Probably even older considering that it also exists in other apes species.

      • cattywampas
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        1 day ago

        And certainly that would not count as a profession because that labor is not specialized.

        • GreenBeard@lemmy.ca
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          1 day ago

          I mean, it sort of is, in that only half the population can do it. What he’s referring to though is an experiment where they tried teaching chimps the concept of “money” by giving them tokens they could exchange for food.

          The very first thing that they started doing was exchanging food tokens for… mating activities.

          • guy@piefed.social
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            1 day ago

            only half the population can do it at the same time yes. But everyone can be a prostitute otherwise

            • GreenBeard@lemmy.ca
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              1 day ago

              I guess technically it’s slightly more than half, but the real limiting factor in the market is that regardless of species, most female primates won’t buy sexual favours. That’s not to say there isn’t a market for male “prostitutes”, just that their target demographic is a bit… niche, as is the demographic of those who would be willing to offer those services.

          • cattywampas
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            1 day ago

            Well anybody could do it.

            But there’s lots of things I could sell from time to time, including labor or sex. Would it make it my profession if I did so once in a while? Or would I need to do it full time?

            • wador@lemmy.zip
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              1 day ago

              You could be a blow queen… Then you get money and food at the same time.

  • IWW4@lemmy.zip
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    1 day ago

    Since 2400 BC.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_prostitution

    • cattywampas
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      1 day ago

      Certainly there were other professions before 2400 BC

      • IWW4@lemmy.zip
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        1 day ago

        Sure, but are those professions still around?

        • cattywampas
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          1 day ago

          Like farmers? Or weavers? Or metal workers? Or shepherds? Yes.

          • massive_bereavement@fedia.io
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            21 hours ago

            Pointy rock delivery, clubbers, fine cave painting, sabertooth tiger removal service, the pelt emporium, bear-away, insurance against sun not coming out, cryogenics.

            • floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              6 hours ago

              I think you’re due for a museum visit

              • massive_bereavement@fedia.io
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                6 hours ago

                Only if they have the pelican cement mixer.

            • cattywampas
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              20 hours ago

              I think you’re underestimating the level of technology in 2400 BC

          • Tja@programming.dev
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            1 day ago

            How about copper merchants?

            • KingGimpicus@sh.itjust.works
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              17 hours ago

              Ea-nasir will life in infamy for all time.

          • IWW4@lemmy.zip
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            1 day ago

            Don’t tell me, go tell the thread.

            • Klear@piefed.world
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              1 day ago

              The thread? Do I look like a weaver?

        • riot@fedia.io
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          1 day ago

          Midwifery.

        • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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          21 hours ago

          I’m sure I can buy shitty copper from someone.

  • cattywampas
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    1 day ago

    It’s hard to say, because what counts as a profession? Do you need specialization of labor? Or money?

  • owenfromcanada@lemmy.ca
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    1 day ago

    Pretty old. At least twelve years.

    • rmuk@feddit.uk
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      4 hours ago

      ಠ_ಠ

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