<B>By Nicholas Rainer</B>

Sex not only sells. It scares, shocks, enthralls and bewilders in equal measure. Its offshoots ? desire, jealousy and obsession, to name but a few ? have inspired the greatest works of art and have unleashed wars. Most importantly, it is the catalyst of all life. Yet, for all the omnipresence of sex throughout history, it is a subject that remains incredibly taboo. The recent mobile phone porn scandal and the incidence of same-sex relationships in several schools show that today?s youth are a lot less inhibited than their forebears. Is prudish Mauritius finally losing its virginity?

The legacy of former generations is such that they?re not in much of a position to a claim the moral high ground. HIV/Aids, drug abuse, religious fanaticism, terrorism and other forms of violence plague a world that has never been more competitive. The gap between the rich and the poor is more pronounced than ever. Not exactly the propitious environment for the second coming of the age of innocence.

Couple this with the fact that young people nowadays are faced with more choice than ever before in history. Unsurprisingly, they are exercising this privilege in their sexual lives. They also have unlimited access to all the wealth and squalor of the information superhighway. Every foray onto the Internet is like hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere on a dark night. You never know who?s going to pick you up.

At the same time, more parents are working long hours to keep up with the frenetic financial demands of a consumerist world. This, in turn, means that young people are spending more time on their own ? left to themselves ? often without a moral compass.

And role models have never been more scant. Politicians certainly don?t fit the bill. Politics has become a by word for all that is wrong with contemporary society ? racism, corruption, nepotism and incompetence. Not exactly the hotbed of ideology it claims to be.

Young people today are also being bombarded with advertising telling them who to be and who not to, what to buy and what not to. As a result, sex has become a commodity. It?s the original champion of globalization. Just switch on your television, leaf through a magazine or take a drive and you will see that sex is everywhere. It is well known that children ape adults. And goodness they sure are aping us!

Throughout the ages, youth has been the instrument of revolution. When it comes to sex, why should we expect things to be different? Anyone who holds oppression to be the remedy for youthful excess is wallowing in dangerous denial.

Thankfully, even government has realised that the times are changing. It seems to recognize the importance of not only accommodating but also protecting sexual minorities. The Equal Opportunities Bill, for example, makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the grounds of his/her sexual orientation.

This is not to say that sexual promiscuity is inherently good. HIV/Aids and teenage pregnancies are but two dangers that threaten its proponents. Yet it is the zeitgeist of our time. By the time the members of the Internet generation grow up, they?ll probably be shocked by the sexual behaviour of their successors. For now, patience, understanding and advice on contraceptives is the most we can offer.

We live in what is called a high-risk society. There is so much pressure on youth and so little innocence. It?s quite natural that they turn to sex for relief. Or, as Marvin Gaye crooned, ?When I get that feeling, I want sexual healing.? Admittedly though, he was eventually shot by his own father.