Pornography

[elmar]

Obviously, some pornography or sexual graphics are illegal, as well as viewing/watching it. It has had its fair share of negative and disruptive effects, involving the branching out of sexting, which have resulted in an increase of bullying and teen suicide. But the pornography industry is actually booming. If you have a chance, MTV's True Life: I Work In the Porn Industry takes a peek at how a job can improve one's income.

In your opinion, should pornography be eliminated? Should it be more carefully produced or published?

[Grumps]

I question your assertion that pornography "has had its fair share of negative and disruptive effects" which you seem to take as given without providing many real examples. It leads to an increase in sexting which in turn leads to more cyber bullying and teen suicide? I fail to see the connection. I think most kids can figure out "hi how r u i want 2 put my ho-ho in ur cha-cha lol" and don't need pornography for that. And I don't really see how porn connects to bullying and suicide. People come up with more elaborate insults? "hur hur u hav sex w/ dog wile riding midgit" I think insults of that nature are much less potent than insults concerning a person's enduring personal traits or life conditions. You know, real talk. Believe me, I'm a bully so I know what I'm talking about.\

I don't see problems with pornography at all. Well maybe if we get into the really weird **** maybe that's a whole different can of worms.

[Bishup]

pornography is not illegal if you 18 or over in most places. It's just adult entertainment. It is not trivial it open to likes and dislikes but it turns out most people like it.

[Daedalus]

I have trouble coming up with downsides to porn. Getting rid of it would be horrible!

[malkovic]

It has had its fair share of negative and disruptive effects, involving the branching out of sexting, which have resulted in an increase of bullying and teen suicide.

Hold it right there, partner. Since when does sexting cause teen suicides? Even if you could track down a correlation between an increase of suicides and an increase of sexting, remember: post hoc ergo propter hoc.

Personally, I see no problems with pornography. In reality, it has the potential to decrease sex-related violent crimes by giving those with unusual and violent desires an outlet for their sexual needs.

[LadyAleira]

This is actually a very timely post as I have been in the process of thinking a lot about this issue.

I don't necessarily think that pornography itself is bad but I do think that what it has evolved into is having harmful effects on our society. If you look at most porn now, it is very hardcore and it creates an image that women are basically sex toys that enjoy all sexual activity, even that which doesn't really seem to have much pleasure basis for them. Most of the acts performed in porn now are acts that most girlfriends/wives would not do, or would not enjoy doing, in real life. And that's the problem with porn. It's created this society where men (or anyone who watches porn really) gets a skewed perception of what sexual intimacy is like and then try to take that idea of sex into the real world where women end up feeling violated and dehumanized by the requests asked of them.

Sure, porn provides an outlet for sexual acts that someone might not get to perform in real life, but it also creates an expectation in the minds of porn watchers for how their sexual lives should be.

And that's not even getting in to the issues of how the women who show up in porn are treated....

[elmar]

I was presumptuous in my original post, sorry!

But from other experiences in the United States, students who have sexted with other students have had their pictures forwarded to many more people, thus the spread of that one image. And I've read articles of certain students receiving bullying because of that one picture being seen by "the entire school" or many people, at least those with texting/Facebook/etc. And the bullying becomes too much, so some students have committed suicide because of it. I had to write an article for my journalism class awhile back about one girl who killed herself following her sext message.

This correlates to pornography due to teenagers seeing people demonstrate sexual activity on camera and then they want to do the same. I got of this theory from watching an episode of Glee, where the directors included two of the characters wanting to film a pornography.

[genepeer]

Well then, in pornography's defence, those children shouldn't be watching porn in the first place

[Proletariat]

I was presumptuous in my original post, sorry!

But from other experiences in the United States, students who have sexted with other students have had their pictures forwarded to many more people, thus the spread of that one image. And I've read articles of certain students receiving bullying because of that one picture being seen by "the entire school" or many people, at least those with texting/Facebook/etc. And the bullying becomes too much, so some students have committed suicide because of it. I had to write an article for my journalism class awhile back about one girl who killed herself following her sext message.

This correlates to pornography due to teenagers seeing people demonstrate sexual activity on camera and then they want to do the same. I got of this theory from watching an episode of Glee, where the directors included two of the characters wanting to film a pornography.

I'm still not sure I buy the correlation. Teens can sext because they hear their friends talking about it, doing it, or stumbling upon it through media mentioning it. They also might just "discover" it on their own. It doesn't take a genius to take a photo of their junk, and I don't think the existence of porn is the only way teens can be influenced into doing those things.

Besides, isn't some of this discussion moot in the first place? Like many other things, Porn will never be eradicated, and certainly not through illegalization. Nation-wide internet censors exist, sure, but many people tend to forget nowadays that there are other mediums as well. Therefore, the discussion of whether porn should be banned or not is irrelevant; the real issue is whether it is moral for an individual to use it.

[Kasper Jepsen]

This correlates to pornography due to teenagers seeing people demonstrate sexual activity on camera and then they want to do the same. I got of this theory from watching an episode of Glee, where the directors included two of the characters wanting to film a pornography.

Honestly i really, really doubt that teenagers watching pornorgraphy leads to sexting. Rather, teens going through puberty and having access to modern technology causes sexting.

[Hexa]

In my opinion censorship is wrong in all cases. There is no right time to do it.

[Ice Cream is really yummy]

I just don't think that it is right. You were given this body, why would you want to expose it in such a way? And we always talk about how people "take advantage" of others, and I really think that porn is like taking advantage of others indirectly. For the girl, it is like she wants attention, but this attention is short lived. For guys, it's the same thing; it's like a quick fix. I know many people won't totally agee with me, but I do not agree with porn. Yes, it is "part" of our society, but I do not, under any circumstance, think that it is morally right, not one bit.

[Proletariat]

I just don't think that it is right. You were given this body, why would you want to expose it in such a way? And we always talk about how people "take advantage" of others, and I really think that porn is like taking advantage of others indirectly. For the girl, it is like she wants attention, but this attention is short lived. For guys, it's the same thing; it's like a quick fix. I know many people won't totally agee with me, but I do not agree with porn. Yes, it is "part" of our society, but I do not, under any circumstance, think that it is morally right, not one bit.

Well, this is definitely a fair position to take. My question would be this: is it still "taking advantage" if the parties involved are willing?

If we take an economic approach to the issue, and replace a naked picture of person A with an apple (allusion fully intended), if person A sells the apple to person B, at a price agreed to by both parties, is this still "taking advantage"?

I think where people draw the line is that pornography obviously isn't an apple. It's something much more personal, which, to me, is all the more reason why it is fully within the right of an individual to do as they wish in regards to it.

[Ice Cream is really yummy]

I just don't think that it is right. You were given this body, why would you want to expose it in such a way? And we always talk about how people "take advantage" of others, and I really think that porn is like taking advantage of others indirectly. For the girl, it is like she wants attention, but this attention is short lived. For guys, it's the same thing; it's like a quick fix. I know many people won't totally agee with me, but I do not agree with porn. Yes, it is "part" of our society, but I do not, under any circumstance, think that it is morally right, not one bit.

Well, this is definitely a fair position to take. My question would be this: is it still "taking advantage" if the parties involved are willing?

If we take an economic approach to the issue, and replace a naked picture of person A with an apple (allusion fully intended), if person A sells the apple to person B, at a price agreed to by both parties, is this still "taking advantage"?

I think where people draw the line is that pornography obviously isn't an apple. It's something much more personal, which, to me, is all the more reason why it is fully within the right of an individual to do as they wish in regards to it.

Very good question I believe that everyone has the choice to choose. If they want to do that, then that is their choice, and I should respect their choice (even though I do not agree with it). It was not my decision to make. But, I do not, in any way, feel as if it is morally right. Just because it has become popular and many people are for it, I will not be conformed into liking it.

I think that guys are still "taking advantage" of the ways that girls expose themselves for them. The girls want that attention, or maybe the money, or instant fame, the list goes on. There are so many different "motivations" out there to do such a thing, but I believe that it is an opposition, which for me, means, that I should be strong, and not fall for it. No girl should expose herself that way. If she does, then that is her choice, but I will not support it. For guys who watch porn, it is also their choice, but aren't they doing of for "pleasure"? Aren't they gaining that pleasure from watching the way someone of the opposite sex moves, or poses? Is it some other way that is less "lethal" than getting high off of drugs (I know that example is a bit extreme, but that's just my way of looking at things).

If we are talking economically, yes, they are making a ton of money, but society is becoming more and more blind. I find that posters are mirrors of porn. Those children out there, all they need to do is turn the television set on and they get some "lesser" porn. All you need to do is open a magasine and there is a model there, a man or woman, posing in such a way which provokes some "twisted happiness" for some.

So, basically what I am trying to say is that everyone has the choice to choose, and I should respect their choice. I do not at all support their choice, but I will not go completely out of my way to stop everything. I will share with them my views, but I will still respect their choice. If I can, in some way, help them (financially), then yes, I would help them, as much as I can. I will help them find another job, help re-build their career. I do not want to see someone "taken over" that way.

Edited May 17, 2011 by egr12resa

[Chris Kuno]

Well I googled it and apparently the porn industry is worth over 100billion dollars. That is a lot of mullah and a corporation/business is still in it to make money. It seems very profitable in the eyes of a business student. Not that I would start a pornography company - I just dont think thats right.

[Manstein]

Well I googled it and apparently the porn industry is worth over 100billion dollars. That is a lot of mullah and a corporation/business is still in it to make money. It seems very profitable in the eyes of a business student. Not that I would start a pornography company - I just dont think thats right.

You'd be wrong about the profitability. Due to the advent of 'tubes' and the Internet, few people can be arsed to actually PAY for their porn (seriously, do you? Does anyone?). And if no one pays, then, well, Houston we have a problem. And that's why the porn industry has a hard time right now.

[Matthew Sinclair]

Well I googled it and apparently the porn industry is worth over 100billion dollars. That is a lot of mullah and a corporation/business is still in it to make money. It seems very profitable in the eyes of a business student. Not that I would start a pornography company - I just dont think thats right.

You'd be wrong about the profitability. Due to the advent of 'tubes' and the Internet, few people can be arsed to actually PAY for their porn (seriously, do you? Does anyone?). And if no one pays, then, well, Houston we have a problem. And that's why the porn industry has a hard time right now.

"hard time" nice pun haha.

I like porn, that is all I shall contribute

Just kidding, I'll contribute something a bit more anecdotally substantial haha. I think one has to understand that pornography is no more than the recreation/replication of reality. It's a natural thing. I also think that there is good and bad porn, although my definitions of which are totally contingent on my own biases and morals. To be honest, I think that "good" porn is what can be seen on the tube site xtube. It's user uploaded content, so it's more or less home made. Ignoring all of the promotional videos, the pornography on that site (which is one of the most popular in the world with around 7 million registered users I think) is what I would call genuine. It doesn't cause misrepresentations about the roles of women, it doesn't depict those with extraordinary bodies...I would argue that it is a celebration of human sexuality I just wanted to say something verbose haha.

Although that doesn't mean to say that I think the professionally produced content is "bad porn", rather that is the type that creates more misrepresentations that you're talking about. Although if it's what turns people on, and it's legal, and it doesn't negatively affect those involved (without their consent), then who are we to judge and subject them to our morals and values. And that doesn't mean I agree with child pornography, as my definition above said doesn't negatively affect those involved and child pornography clearly does. That is what's bad, and that shouldn't be really grouped with the rest of pornography. There needs to be consenting adults involved.

In regards to young people watching pornography, it's almost inevitable. No amount of censorship will stop it. In a way, I think it could have positive influences on the child's sexual development, especially if they are being raised in a conservation/religious family as they may not receive a liberal explanation of human sexuality, which I feel is beneficial, open, and honest. Although of course the best explanations should come from parents and school. I think sexual education at school needs massive improvements and needs to reflect the truth about the diversity of human sexuality, not just hetero-normative. Although this deserves a completely different forum haha sorry!

Although, like I said, these are just my liberal views

[Mahuta ♥]

Okay, I am not extremely comfortable talking about pornography especially that almost all posters here are guys. However I am going to give my quick opinion on this:

In my opinion pornography is not that the greatest idea to be honest, mostly because it gives am image of what a woman should be like in bed. I do not want to be expected to do everything the porn star does in order to please my man, not because I can't, but because I don't feel comfortable doing it. That being said, I totally understand why you guys would like porn and the fact that it may reduce the sex violence..etc (applies for kinky sex or whatever you guys call it). Bottom line, as a woman I would not feel comfortable if I was compared to some random porn star my man happened to be watching and possibly fantasizing about.

This is my opinion, don't eat me.

[jess1ca]

Porn objectifies people... they are viewed as sex objects. It can ruin relationships.

A lot of people get addicted to porn, distance themselves from the real world, and forget about their real life relationships. All addiction is harmful.

It really skews the idea about what sex is. According to research, porn has increased disrespect toward women and desensitized people towards sexual crimes such as rape.

And what about all the human trafficking and slavery involved in this sex industry? Not just in child pornography, but adult pornography too. Are adults not exploited too, just like the children in child pornography?

A lot of women are trafficked, or lured into the industry. A lot of these women come from broken homes, have emotional disorders and psychological issues and initially they think that porn will be great because it gets them fame and attention. And the porn industry takes advantage of these vulnerable people. Really, what is so glamourous about having a director telling you to perform the same act over and over and over again for the cameras, performing sexual acts with people you don't know??!... How many people, even porn *stars*, actually enjoy that after a while? Can we mention all the physical damage such as STIs, multiple abortions, drugs, etc.

In short, I think porn really dehumanizes people. Sex isn't about using other people for your own pleasure. I've watched documentaries on the people rescued from sex trafficking, came across a few stories of former pron stars. It really saddens me and makes me feel sick.

It's not about censorship, it's the act of creating the porn itself. Kind of like removing a video of someone torturing their dog... are we more worried about removing the video or are we more worried about what's happening to the dog?

Anyway, I didn't mean to offend anyone. These are my beliefs on the issue of pornography, not the people involved with it/ using it.

Edited May 17, 2011 by SmilingAtLife:)

[Proletariat]

The same about Mahuta's argument can be flipped around however. Not every guy has those rock hard abs, or the extraneously long penis. The bottom line is that all porn is a fantasization, which is no different than fantasies perfectly conceivable without pornography. It is ultimately the responsibility of the individual to check and limit oneself, just like a crack addiction isn't the fault of the dealer, but the fault of the individual who chose to try it in the first place. Some classic liberalists liked to think that all men were naturally capable of making good choices; I think this is wildly optimistic in reality. However, I don't think it is right to suppress the freedoms of individuals who are capable of that level of rationality simply because of others who cannot. In life one can't have their cake and eat it too, and if the choice was between liberty and egalitarianism I would always side with the former. The latter is dead (or rather, never existed.)

By the way, I don't think you paint a very accurate picture of the porn industry SmilingAtLife. At least in North America and Western Europe, people enter the industry through free will, and leave it the same way. When you try to portray the broad-stroke images of trafficking, STIs, and puppy torture, you're not really hitting a tone that anyone in the adult industry would recognize. It may be different in Moscow or Bucharest, but those places have other problems, and it becomes an issue that is almost wholly divorced from the modern concept of pornography. Above all, I really can't understand how you can deride pornography for objectifying its subjects, then go ahead and compare these persons to dogs via analogy. It seems hypocritical, and borderline offensive.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Proletariat