If it looks like an apple but tastes like an orange

The Freakonomics blog, which I read religiously, had another edition of “Ask a . . .” today. Their Ask a sex worker series after the Spitzer debacle was fascinating. Now they bring us a searing interrogation of five college women.

Who’s paying for your education?

How do you and your friends view smoking cigarettes? Do you smoke? If not, why not?

If you could have anyone’s job in New York City, whose would it be?

How many more people do you think you’ll sleep with before you get married?

How many would you like to?

I’m glad they didn’t bother with any frivolous questions like “Has college changed how you view the world. If so, how?” or “What one thing do you wish were different in America?” or “What’s your favorite gosh-darn book?”

Some of their answers to question four really inspire me about our future. Here it is, out of the mouth of babes, a bright, shiny new world:

I intend to sleep with a lot of people before I get married (if I get married). I think I’ll sleep with at least 20 people, maybe five of which will be as a part of committed relationships.

Hmm … assuming one a year, and I get married at 30…that’s 10 more people. I’m going to be stingy here and guess that I’ll sleep with maybe 12 to 15.

And to the final question:

How many would you like to?

Theoretically, like 14 — and without consequences.

Where did she get the misguided idea that such things could have consequences? I told you we should do away with that History of Civilizations course!