R-E-S-P-E-C-T, as Aretha sang

[Albert Joson]

I totally agree with Ms. Chandler and the other posts
regarding the important issues that should be included
in the pages of Playboy. Of course in the 60s with
Vietnam, civil rights, womens rights, and many other
issues, it was perfect for a magazine to cover them.
Today, Playboy, like you all have mentioned, has shyed
away from those issues. But now more than ever before
we need to address them. From the Iraq war to 9-11 to
the economy as well as the ongoing racism, sexism, and
gay & lesbian issues. 
As a 22 year-old art student, I feel disappointed in
the lack of young people stepping up and giving their
voices. Of course, there are many kids doing so, but
not as much to make an impact on the world.
I just took a popular culture class (taught by writer
Alan Kaufman) who taught us that the greatest impact
on pop culture were the wars we have fought, like the
two World Wars and Vietnam. From the Iraq wars, I
havent seen any cultural changes coming. (BTW for that
class I wrote a paper about Playboy's impact on pop
culture and got an A :))
Back in the day, Playboy did make an impact on the
world, especially towards how people thought about
sex. But since then there has not been something like
that in the print world to distinguish itself from the
"frat boy" mags. The Maxims, FHMs, etc. have only
shown that young men only care about sex, beer, and
partying. Attending an art school in San Francisco, I
know there is more than that.
Hugh Hefner created Playboy for the sophisticated male
of the post war generation. The sophisticated male has
been "eaten up" by the college frat boy.
The sophisticated male is still out there (me being
one) and Playboy should get back to that.

Albert J