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Thread: Freakanomics and Stripping

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    Default Freakanomics and Stripping

    I recently read this excellent book called "Freakanomics" which is about the economics of the mundane and that by using statisical analysis we can assess trends which may not be readily apparent. As many of you out there know ecomomics studies in part how incentives drive our decision making. While reading I began to think about the writers exploration using the example of strippers. What incentives motivate strippers to continue doing their work even as the industry, as many of you have stated, has changed?

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    Veteran Member Eques's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    uh, Lots of money, arguably easier work and less time commitment than other jobs, even as the industry has changed.

    I don't really know what kind of comments you're looking for. It's hard to discuss anything in the way Levitt and Dubner do in the book without lots of statistics to look at.
    Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    I'm wondering if girls are attracted to stripping beyond the daily money, which I agree is always an incentive to work. It seems that now girls are confronted with strippers who have "made it", they have received the Pretty Woman fantasy in reality, perhaps this is the incentive that keeps girls flocking to what by many accounts I have read here is a pretty crappy job.

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    Featured Member Hello_Kitty27's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Eques said:
    arguably easier work
    I'm not speaking from experience, but I don't think I'd go as far as to say "easy work" or "easy money". It's definitely a lot more difficult, at least in the "I've seen it all" sense than a secretary or admin asst job......I could probably name a couple dozen jobs that are 'easier' on one level or another, than stripping.






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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by Eques
    arguably easier work
    Uhm....In whose fantasy? Dancing is HARD. So are lots of other jobs I have had.

    Back to the OP:

    Dancing suits me. It's a fun and interesting job, mentally challenging, financially rewarding, and I have the instant feedback that I know I have made the customer happy. I guess you could call that part emotionallly gratifying. Also, my two biggest weaknesses, being chronically late and telling assholes where to go, are not all that frowed upon, so my stress level is much lower than in any "straight" job I have had.


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    Veteran Member Eques's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Almost every person in this world believes their job is hard. A lot of people are wrong. Unless a moderator is going to tell me to feel free to fire off some broadsides, there's no point in me trying to argue this without getting my posts axed and getting banned.
    Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.

    The truth lies in a man's dreams... perhaps in this unhappy world of ours whose madness is better than a foolish sanity.

    Miguel de Cervantes (1547 - 1616)

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    For myself... I've worked for a suicide hotline, a biophysics lab, and the army. Personally, I'd say that dancing is harder than the work that I had to do in any of those as far as my physical and emotional commitment. Others might have other experiences but no one can say that somelese's personal interpretation of their own experiences is "wrong." What may be a hard job for me might be easy for another and vice versa. With any specific job, i'm doing it and they are not; therefore, whether they would find it easier or not is irrelevant.

    My main incentive is a flexible work schedule and the ability to take vacation as I please.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by Eques
    arguably easier work
    you're clearly not a stripper.

    our work is often interesting, yes. rarely boring. generally high in the monetary compensation department. but easy, it is not.

    i personally hate "regular" jobs. they bore me. on the other hand, i love talking to people and i love dancing, so stripping is a job i enjoy. well, for the most part.

    i find people fascinating and i get a constant stream of new personalities to entertain me at work. i enjoy trying to "figure people out" and testing the versatility of my own demeanor. guys (and girls) like different things. i enjoy evaluating them and adjusting my personality to suit each one. and i love hearing people's stories. you'd be amazed at the things people will tell you...

    the other thing i like about it is that, if i work harder, i usually make more money. at most jobs, hard work will get you a pat on the back if your lucky. maybe an eventual raise (often accompanied by longer hours). with dancing, i find i get a much bigger pay off for hard, smart work.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by colleen
    Also, my two biggest weaknesses, being chronically late and telling assholes where to go, are not all that frowed upon, so my stress level is much lower than in any "straight" job I have had.
    Excellent observation!

    In my job, I sometimes buy things from vendors. In the SC, I buy dances from the ladies, who are in fact vendors.

    If I don't like someone in the SC or one of the girls is being a jerk, I can say things there that I would never say to one of my IT vendors. That sure does make for a lot less stress!

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    What is "easy" and what is "hard" is often what you make of it. You really don't know which of two jobs is "harder" until you've had firsthand experience at both of them. And your neighbor who has also done both jobs may possibly disagree with you. One person's "hard" may be another person's "easy".

    I'm not mining coal or flying jets off aircraft carriers for a living. I'm certainly not going to say my job is harder than those kind of tasks. I might say my job is harder than working at McDonalds, but then again I've never worked a busy lunch hour shift there, so what do I know. All I do know is that I didn't choose my job because of it being "easy" or "hard". I chose it because it provides me the best benefits (monetary and otherwise) in exchange for the exertion that I must do in order to get those benefits.

    I'm sure this is the primary reason that most anyone chooses their respective profession over other available alternatives, strippers being no different.
    Former SCJ now in rehab.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Ok, not real sure how this turned into a thread about whether stripping is hard work or how stipping compares to other "square" jobs. My question, perhaps poorly stated, was what incentives are present, beyond immediate CASH, that leads so many attractive and intelligent women to this kind of work. Lifestyle seems to be one of the big reasons I've observed from my own limited experience. However, from what I've read here and witnessed in the "field" the supposed glamour, excitement, and freedom of stripping is often illusory. It actually seems like real hard work for MOST dancers. So I am left thinking that there must be something more. Is it a desire to be recognized? To be on stage and the center of attention? Is it seen as possibly a path to being a star? Or maybe to meet some wealthy but insecure man? Im not sure and thats why I posted this thread to begin with.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Skanklover, there are several "why do you strip" threads already. They provide a long and vried list of reasons we have to strip or otherwise work in the adult entertainment business. I'm not sure what you thought you would find out by asking this question.

    As I pointed out, I have several good non-financial reasons for my choice of work. I could do several other things with my life, like get my Ph. D. in Psychology, go back into the army as an officer, go back to teaching school, return to retail management, or work in a forensics lab. They woudl probably all pay about as well as dancing in what could only be called a honky-tonk. They would also bore me senseless. My incentive to continue what I am doing is that I have interesting work with reletively low stress.

    I suspect the list I posted above is much more typical of dancers than the one you put up. Although I was attracted to the glamour at the beginning (when I was 18 or so) it's certainly not why I am still here.


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    When you perform... you are out of yourself--larger and more potent, more beautiful. You are for minutes heroic. This is power. This is glory on earth. And it is yours, nightly.

    --Agnes De Mille

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Colleen-yes, when you were 18 you were attracted to the glamour. Exactly. That was an incentive beyond paying your bills. As far as this being a thread about "why you became a stipper", wasn't really the point so sorry if you read it that way. Since the vast majority of strippers are young women between 18-25 it would lead the casual observer to think that they too are motivated by this incentive as well or maybe the others I stated. What I was searching for in this thread, and maybe it isnt being understood because no one here read the book which lead to the question, was, setting aside "lifestyle" what other incentives are there? I guess Im asking for an examination of the industry as a whole, like for example teaching, and how it relates to the women who choose to participate.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    we're all answering your question and you're not getting it. read the responses, buddy.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Well Georgia I did read the responses and thank you all for them. I do actually get the answer to "why do you strip" having visited this site many times and actually having relationships with strippers and also know how annoying such a question is. So I do appologise if you took offense. I guess if I was to categorise the limited response here then I'd say that "lifestyle" is one insentive that brings girls to the industry. And maybe I'll just leave it at that. Or maybe its worthy of a masters thesis in economics.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Pandah: From what I have read on this site many of the participants seem very well read and intelligent. The site is Stripperweb so it certainly is the right place, and this is customer conversation so it seems like the right section.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Think "C"s and "Z"s not "S"s
    People are not ruled by their memories.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    I've read the book, and loved it! Okay, so I'm kind of a nerd, but I digress...

    The hidden reason why women strip is because we actually have obtained power through black ops government agencies, and need the cover that stripping provides. The mob is actually in control of the US government, and everyone knows that strip clubs are run by the mob.

    We recruit world wide and have bases of opporation in almost every country and city. Our recuiting efforts are increasing (more and more dancers are coming on board all the time). We have infiltrated all major military installations (notice how there are ALWAYS strip clubs near military bases??), have been party to conversations with world leaders and actively control the UN through our stripperly influences.

    The New World Order is coming, and the strippers are leading the charge!


    Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!


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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Paris-------SSSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

    You blew all our cover!

    Skanklover--I still don't get what you are asking. I thought you were asking, besides the money, why do we continue to stay in the business. Are you really asking, besides teh money, what ATTRACTED us to the business? As in, why did we start dancing in the first place?


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    When you perform... you are out of yourself--larger and more potent, more beautiful. You are for minutes heroic. This is power. This is glory on earth. And it is yours, nightly.

    --Agnes De Mille

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by Paris
    I've read the book, and loved it! Okay, so I'm kind of a nerd, but I digress...

    The hidden reason why women strip is because we actually have obtained power through black ops government agencies, and need the cover that stripping provides. The mob is actually in control of the US government, and everyone knows that strip clubs are run by the mob.

    We recruit world wide and have bases of opporation in almost every country and city. Our recuiting efforts are increasing (more and more dancers are coming on board all the time). We have infiltrated all major military installations (notice how there are ALWAYS strip clubs near military bases??), have been party to conversations with world leaders and actively control the UN through our stripperly influences.

    The New World Order is coming, and the strippers are leading the charge!
    Alrighty then - how much is the fee for a seat on one of the black helicopters when it becomes necessary to permanently leave the United States? Or are all of you actually shapeshifting reptilian aliens from the fourth dimension? Please see this link, which is good for a laugh or two

    http://www.davidicke.com/content/view/50/26/


    Btw, he also has some analysis on the "New World Order" at his site...interesting, as long as you're not too cold-blooded about it while skimming through his articles and essays.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by skanklover
    Well Georgia I did read the responses and thank you all for them. I do actually get the answer to "why do you strip" having visited this site many times and actually having relationships with strippers and also know how annoying such a question is. So I do appologise if you took offense. I guess if I was to categorise the limited response here then I'd say that "lifestyle" is one insentive that brings girls to the industry. And maybe I'll just leave it at that. Or maybe its worthy of a masters thesis in economics.
    i'm not offended in the least.

    "lifestyle" is hardly a limited term. why does anyone do the job they do? lifestyle could answer that question nearly everytime. people generally choose their profession for a combination of reasons: money, interest, convenience, habit, piece of mind. stripping is no different. it is just another job.

    as far as the recent changing nature of the industry goes, well, that is a characteristic of many industries at this time. industries change and people change with them. changes in insurance structuring have led to a lot of changes in the medical industry, but most doctors continue to do their jobs for obvious reasons.

    true, dancers have not spent 8 or more years in school learning their trade, but they have gotten an education in their craft by simply doing it. they are able to adjust to change just as anyone else would. if the job suits them, why would they look for something else just because things change over time?

    as for new dancers, they have just started working and so the changes in the industry are not relevant to them. they have no past experience to compare their new situation to. if they enjoy dancing or find the income enticing enough, they will continue doing it.

    is that what you were asking? if not, you should considering rephrasing the question to encourage more insightful answers.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    I'll give my "outside the fence, looking in" observations.

    The dancers I know tend to be of a pretty independent frame of mind. They're often widely travelled, or have done other unconventional jobs. They seem to like the freedom of chosing their own schedule or or working to a degree that gives them the income that they want.

    I think there's a degree of personal pleasure in what they do - you couldn't take your clothes off night after night without getting some enjoyment out of it - but the degree of enjoyment varies considerably from dancer to dancer. It also depends on the customer - for obvious reasons dancers prefer well behaved custys.

    [I am defining enjoyment widely. One dancer I know well has a low opinion of the majority of her customers - her enjoyment comes in manipulating them so they conform to her agenda].

    I also think to be "outside the fence looking in" can be very deceptive and there are three barriers to a guy like me fully understanding a dancer.

    (a) Firstly, a dancer has to really trust you OTC to start discussing her motivations with you.

    (b) Even if she does fully trust you, there will still be some things she is not comfortable discussing.

    (c) You have to be prepared to ditch your own male preconceptions about dancing and dancers. (I'd like to think I have, but you never can be 100% sure).

    My preconceptions apart, (and putting aside the financial motive), I think dancers are driven by the desire to be independent, coupled with some degree of enjoyment in what they do.

    Phil.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    It definitely attracts and keeps the 'free spirits', that's for sure.

    And make no mistake about it, dancing is hard work--the one perk I envy is being able to relax and chill out if it's slow or you aren't in the mood--DJ's can't do it, and in fact slow nights are way harder to work than busy ones.

    But even the ability to 'chill' is limited in some clubs where management is on the dancers' asses to mingle and work the crowd, and 'chilling' on a slow night can often lead to depression due to lack of earnings.

    The stress levels are extremely high, especially in the rougher clubs and clubs with lots of extras going on.

    I've rarely seen such a high 'burnout' rate in any profession, and I've worked all kinds of jobs...
    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    Free your mind, and your ass will follow.
    George Clinton

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    I agree "Freakanomics" was a good and interesting read.

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    Default Re: Freakanomics and Stripping

    I haven't read the book yet. But in econ terms.... i think that two things drive it. 1. money, especailly after tax wages 2. utility and the max of utility, our beloved free time and how happy we are not to be committed to a 9-5 job.

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