In his editorial for the first issue of Playboy magazine in December of 1953, which—with a beautiful, buxom Marilyn Monroe on the cover—flew off the shelves and sold almost 54,000 copies, Hefner suggested how men in a period of cultural conservativism and conformity could put the new Nietzsche to work for a little transgressive fun: If you’re a man between the ages of 18 and 80, playboy is meant for you. If you like your entertainment served up with humor, sophistication and spice, playboy will become a very special favorite … a pleasure-primer styled to the masculine taste.… We like our
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