World's second oldest profession
The English idiom world's second-oldest profession is used to refer to a number of professions, playing on the common comment that prostitution is the world's oldest profession. One frequent use of the phrase is to refer to spies and spying.[1][2] An explanation of this phrase is that it must be the second-oldest profession because it is mentioned in the Book of Joshua.
- "Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly with orders to reconnoitre the country. The two men came to Jericho and went to the house of a prostitute named Rahab.."
Paul Reynolds, a writer with the BBC, noted: "Rahab, of course, was engaged in the oldest profession."
Ronald Reagan nominated politician as the second-oldest profession with the alleged quip, "Someone once said that politics is the second-oldest profession. I'm beginning to think it bears resemblance to the first."[3]
According to the World Almanac website, nominations for the second-oldest profession include: actors, casino gambling, con men, gangsters, counterfeiters, gigolos, glassmakers, interpreters, journalists, moving companies, pharmacists, pickpocketers, pimps, pirates, press agents, prostitutes, spies, and quacks.[4] Humorist Erma Bombeck titled one of her books Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession, since presumably many prostitutes (the "oldest profession") got pregnant.[5]
Other writers write about other professions as the world's second-oldest profession without stating why they should be considered the second-oldest profession.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
References
- Paul Reynolds (2004-02-26). "The world's second oldest profession". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Phillip Knightley (1986). The Second Oldest Profession. Spies and Spying in the Twentieth Century. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-02386-9.
- Jan Hanska (2012). Reagan’s Mythical America: Storytelling as Political Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Steinitz, Andrew (November 30, 2007). "The Second Oldest Profession?". World Almanac. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- "Motherhood". Goodreads.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- Eric Banks (2004-08-13). "RITUALS; World's Second-Oldest Profession". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Burt Prelutsky (2008-02-01). "The World's Second-Oldest Profession". townhall. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Kathleen M. Leonard. "Brief History of Environmental Engineering: "The World's Second Oldest Profession"". American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- "The World's Oldest Profession". Mister Poll. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Stan Lepeak. "The World's Second Oldest Profession". Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Katherine Griffiths (2002-09-17). "Hard times for some prompt comeback for once disreputable pawnbrokers". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Yeoh Siew Hoon (2006-05-24). "What's a prom queen doing in the world's second oldest profession?". Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- "More on the World's Second Oldest Profession". 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- Greg McNeilly (2008-07-03). "The World's 2nd Oldest Profession". AOL. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- John Burnett. "Cooling U.S. Market Sends Tomb Raiders Abroad". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2008-09-22.