Speaking of coercion… is that you, Yglesias?

The fact of the matter is that older teens are adults and that the essence of adulthood is being put in a position to make decisions – even bad decisions. To be in a position where one has to rely on advice from one’s friends and family rather than on coercion to avoid them.
[….]
Meanwhile, Franke-Ruta’s analysis is curiously class-bound, erecting a dichotomy between Scorpion Bowl-drinking 19-year-olds and chardonnay-sipping young professionals. One doubts, however, that drunk Ivy Leaguers are actually the main source of pornographic talent. Most 18- to 20-year-olds are in the workforce, and most women making porn are getting paid for their work. One might hope that in a more just society with broader educational and economic options fewer people would earn their keep in this way (or, more realistically, they might get paid more), but at the end of the day making it illegal for these women to be in porn will reduce, rather than expand, their opportunities. What’s more, it’s likely to push many people into underworld activity (or perhaps simply illegal misrepresentations of their age) and make their work more dangerous.