Alcohol, Porn and Morgan Freeman

Almost all boys are shy when it comes to asking a girl for a date. It's natural self-doubt that comes with being human. It's why alcohol is associated with meeting girls. "I need to have a few drinks to work up the courage to talk to her" is a common theme among men. It lowers your inhibitions and relaxes you so you can overcome your shyness. Listening to some AlAnon podcasts, it's something you hear repeated in lots of men's testimonies.

Morgan Freeman is a smooth operator. If he's not cool and self-confident, no one is. I've read a little about the recent accusations that he was guilty of sexual assault or abusive behavior and I just don't see it. Worse than that is the message it sends to guys. If Morgan Freeman's ultra-cool moves are considered sexual harassment, then my clumsy, uncertain ones are doomed.

If you're not going to date, there's always porn as a fallback. Porn is tremendously addictive. It's also a self-exterminating trap for society.

Courtship is a messy thing. I can recall wanting a first kiss with the woman who is now my wife, but being afraid to try. She told me later that she had been longing to be kissed by me. If we were logical beings, we'd simply come out and say what we wanted and there would be no need to have a few drinks or flirt. Drinks and flirting lead to misinterpretations, mistakes, embarrassment and ... Morgan Freeman being accused of sexual harassment.

So just what is a guy supposed to make of the Morgan Freeman situation? If I were unattached, it would raise my levels of self-doubt. That would lead to needing even more booze to ask someone out on a date or simply ditching the whole thing and consuming porn.

I don't think that's what we want.

Morgan Freeman. There isn't enough booze in the world to make you think you are this cool.