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In the maze of the prostitution: money and their symbolic aspects

In this paper, I will speak about money, value and price, in their relationship with prostitution, understanding them as symbolic elements. I take as theoretical parameter Georg Simmel's contribution.From an empiric point of view, I refer to the relationships of prostitution lived at the Praia do Meio (Natal-RN), where I made twenty interviews with prostitutes. I noticed that money is not just the symbol of the prostitution relationships, but also of our time. Prostitution, in its turn, can also be thought as such a symbol, for even values considered to be socially positive are commercialized. On the other hand, even in prostitution the logic of money is surpassed, in the sense that in it a series of emotions and feelings that permeate the human relationships are involved, without which the modern sociability, ruled by monetary relationships, would not be possible.

money; value; price; prostitution; symbol


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