Why resort to hookers when they could just use BTL's to handle these sort of desires? And if a worker is depressed I am sure they could just give him a 'happy pill' (some sort of strong anti-depressant). They might send them on Corporate Culture seminars that help a worker bury their emotions and become more productive (brainwashing). I see many alternative options here of which an in-house prostitution ring being one of the more expensive alternatives (cost of Prostitute vs Pill vs BTL vs Brainwashing).

I've always assumed that for most people in the Sixth World, a real experience would still be preferred over a BTL, because no matter how good the BTL is, you still know before and after that it was just a fiction.

As for the cost of escort vs BTL to the corp, I would imagine that for relatively unskilled labour, happy drugs, BTLs, etc. might be acceptable, because the long term negative side effects do not matter. Just dispose of the worker when they burn out and find another one.

Now when it comes to trained and skilled employees, where creativity is part of the job (executives, researchers, etc.) the investment in getting such an employee makes it poor business to mistreat them too much. These are the employees who would have access to high class escorts, courtesans, etc. Come to think of it said escorts would also be part of the valuable workforce.

I've always seen corps as mostly cradle to grave, where the top 10–20% have it good, and the rest not so much. However, if you have a valuable aptitude you could move up from your parents station. So gettting into that top 10–20% could be based on brains, brawn, or other assets.

So your a kid in the lower tier of a corp, you do not have the scholastic aptitude to move up in research, nor do you have the brawn to become valued security, but you can make others feel good. I can see the corp school system offering these kids a "way up", via becoming an escort (under whatever euphemism the corp may use).

If you are born into the top % than you have it better, but I could still see someone who has the aptitude for such work becoming a really high end companion for an important executive.


As noted before, it's all very feudal, if your born a commoner, you will die a commoner, unless you have a level of skill at something so high that you get plucked up by those in charge. The only difference is that a good corp school system will do a better job of finding the exceptional amongst the common.

BTLs are better than life, hence the name. It isn't just marketing hype. They're also addictive, which ultimately reduces productivity. This is why many modern corporations pass around urine cups instead of marijuana brownies.

It is also important to remember that well-trained escorts are not just meat to be bought and sold, they are vital intelligence assets who can both gather secrets and manipulate.

Of cousre BTLs are better-than-life, that what the name means. What I was saying; is that like drugs, no matter how good the BTL is while using it, how you feel about using it afterwords is an issue.

I also assume that like drugs BTLs are emotionally unsatisfying, but they provide a rush during use, and of course are addictive.

why have a real life assistant/secretary, when a comlink with the proper software can do same job? style.

same here, sure the BTL can give you the experience, but why settle for that when you can afford the real deal for hours on end?

btw, i recall a story about paris having its own street for this kind of thing before ww1, with police protection for the ladies and medical checkups. but when british soldiers started coming over the channel to fight, the leadership but a stop to it for fear of it having a negative effect on the moral, soldiers not wanting to return from leave and so on...

You "settle" for BTL because of two reasons:
1. You get normal simsense piped into your brain all the damn time. The music you listen to, the movies you watch, all of that is playing with your emotions directly. There's arguably an entire culture built up around some form of simsense abuse.
2. BTL is zapping your pleasure centers directly. Strictly speaking you CAN'T have a better experience than you can on BTL. BTL's are so powerful that they actually burn out portions of your brain. If reality is so highly rated why do people continue to abuse mind melting drugs like ecstasy? I would even argue that well made BTL's ARE emotionally satisfying since they'll push all the right buttons and give you the impression that you are have an authentically delectable experience. Of course when you crash... that's another matter.

Now agree that some people might be purists and enjoy "The Real Thing", after all SR wouldn't have it's shadier and creepier bits if they didn't exist. But they by no means represent the bulk of society. Purists are also probably wealthy individuals who, like you said, are looking for style points.

Reality is for people that can't handle drugs.

Hehe... That's certainly one opinion

To go back to the post that started this out. I fail to see why taking BTL's is exclusive of prostitution. Double billing for the win!

Some of you guys need to read (or re-read) Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Everyone belongs to everyone else. A gramme (of SOMA) is better than a "damn". Convert that to sexual promiscuity and BTL.

Although, I don't see why you'd just use legal simsense instead, as it's much less likely to destroy your drones en masse.

There is nothing quite like a romantic candle-lit dinner at Taco Bell followed by passionate yet gentle fluid-free sim-love-making.

Why a physical person instead of simsence/BTL? Go watch the original RollerBall with James Caan in it.

@hyzmarca: Yes, for as we all know, in the future, all restaurants are Taco Bell.

Shhh. He is still trying to figure out how the three sea shells work.

there is also a sense of power in having real bodies do the act. Any skell in a box under alaska way can jack a BTL and think he is with the hottest sim star. But What power the corp has-real women are available to command.