What price sex?

SASHA Nott's feature ''Would you sleep with a stranger for $1 million (Sunday Morning Post, June 20) reminded me of an old story.

A rich man asked a pretty young woman if she would sleep with him for $1 million. She said ''yes''. He then asked: ''Would you sleep with me for $10?'' ''No,'' she exclaimed, indignantly. ''What do you think I am?'' His response: ''We've already determined that. Now we only need to set the price.'' I was appalled by how many of the local celebrities who were interviewed said that they (or their spouses) would either definitely do it or would seriously consider the possibility. But I guess that's all we can expect in a society where our future is going to be determined not by what promotes freedom, democracy, human dignity, or moral rightness, but by what promotes ''stability and prosperity''.

BENJAMIN A. REES Kowloon