What are your thoughts on pornographic content?
There seems to be a growing movement against pornography. The anti-pornography coalition is surprisingly diverse, including Christians, Muslims, Republicans, Democrats, “manosphere” influencers, and women who call pornographic content misleading sexual education for young men.
Critics argue pornographic professions are no different than any other form of employment, and they enable vulnerable women to maintain their lifestyles. They further state that age verification requirements in some states (e.g., Texas) have forced them to shut down operations, since pornographic content viewers do not want to verify their government ID on pornographic websites. Hence, this could be the beginning of internet censorship.
From a scientific point of view, opinion appears divided. Some scientists believe consumption of pornographic content interferes with the dopamine receptors in your brain, which can lead to lead to lower sexual pleasure during sexual activity, as well as the sexual objectification of women. Other scientists believe disciplined / opportunistic consumption of pornographic content is healthy and can be a way to improve prostate health and reduce stress (i.e., cortisol hormone).
It seems like this topic is seldom talked about, so I would love if the community can opine on this topic.
What are your thoughts on pornographic content debate?
Zoomer and Gen Alpha "Puriteens" are so fucking weird, man. Just be a normal person, look at porn if you need to get your rocks off alone, clean yourself up, and move on. It's not something to even think about, let alone obsess over. People have been looking at porn for millennia.
If you think porn is how you interact with real women or you get addicted to mashing your meat and can't stop watching, the issue isn't porn, it's you. Same with drugs, or booze, or gambling, or smoking, or overeating, or whatever your own personal weakness is. Just because you can't regulate yourself, doesn't mean you should impose your absolutism on other people. Stop blaming everyone except yourself and take control of your life.
This is the type of person who sees nothing wrong with 10s of 1000s of people walking around SF/Philly/NYC gacked out of their minds and thinks everyone should live "to enjoy themselves". It's not as simple as "just use it normally" any more than it's that simple for people with alcohol/fentanyl/any other addiction. It starts out perfectly fine and non-invasive and gradually snowballs. Porn warps your own perception of sex and wreaks havoc on your dopamine system. Just don't do it.
Ah yes, Harry Potter & Heroin. Quite similar in their addictive properties.
Porn warps your own perception of sex and wreaks havoc on your dopamine system if you are an absolute fucking loser.
That is an important distinction.
A well-adjusted, normal human being can beat off to the most deranged porn clip and then go on an interact with a woman like a gentleman and still get off during sex with her, because they recognize that porn isn't real human interactions and the inside of a vagina will always feel better than the calluses of your own right hand.
People incapable of that distinction are just telling on themselves. They blame things like "porn" or "Harry Potter" (?) because they can't separate fantasy from reality or intrusive thoughts from proper behavior. It's easier to point a finger at someone else than it is acknowledge their own failures.
And I get it, personal growth is painful. But the answer is still to do it, not pretend like absolutism against titties is the solution.
The problem is that kids were exposed to it at a very young, formative age. The sheer amount of pornography you can access for free now is unprecedented.
This to me is the key. Our poor generation was shown and our parents uneducated on how to equip the inifinite access to hardcore pornography once you’re on the internet (for me, 11 years old). Idk if there are better guardrails now. But yeah, you could argue it was en masse child molestation. I really wish it didn’t happen to me/us
To the mod (Vipulji): this comment has nothing hateful, nothing racist, and is respectful rational discourse on the subject.
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"People have been looking at porn for millennia"
Are you trying to argue that a curvy looking cave drawing or a lascivious 17th century painting is remotely similar to the vast amount of high-definition pornographic video content available today that is able to cater to your most niche, unspeakable depraved desire? Such content is far more addictive than anything the human brain is meant to handle- like saying that since wine has been around for millennia, if you get addicted to heroin you are a loser.
"the inside of a vagina will always feel better than the calluses of your own right hand"
Right- but how much harder do you have to work to find a woman? How much more money do you have to spend? Surely there are chads who can get whatever woman they want and uggos who will never get a woman- but the guys in the middle who could only get a woman with great effort will surely give it up if porn is satisfying their needs. And by "give it up" I mean they lose the drive to become desirable- get into shape, become interesting, be able to provide, do all the things that make them a good citizen and neighbor. These people are worth saving.
"A well-adjusted, normal human being can beat off to the most deranged porn clip and then go on an interact with a woman like a gentleman"
Some can. Where did this whole epidemic of ED come from, especially in what should be virulent young men? Many go onto view harder and harder porn, often culminating in illegal pornography, which has seen huge increases.
"It's easier to point a finger at someone else than it is acknowledge their own failures."
Sure, if you get rid of the drug dealers some people will just drink themselves to death instead. But some people only fell into drugs because the drugs were there. Those people are worth saving.
Chads? Uggos? Losing the drive to get laid?
Like I said, objections are people telling on themselves. If you can’t leave the basement to talk to a woman because you’re mainlining Jordan Peterson podcasts and Andrew Tate videos instead of being a person, or you think that unless you have the jawline or inheritance to pull an 11/10 you may as well give up on life entirely, that’s on you. Has nothing to do with porn.
The solution continues to be “be normal.” If you can’t jerk off and go back to whatever it is you’re doing, your jerk off material isn’t the problem. You are.
I mean, you really shouldn't open your mouth if you don't know what you're talking about. Which I guess means you would never speak again, so maybe your desire to make obviously false claims is just a reflection of your own need to be heard.
Of course there is and has been pornography throughout history. To take one single example, go look at what was found in Pompeii. To list just a few of the topics of out and out pornography depicted - anal sex, group sex, lesbian sex, fellatio, even bestiality (though admittedly the human subject is meant to be a "god")! Read any contemporary Roman history and it's chock full of disreputable Senators putting on the kinds of floor shows that would fit right in the seedy underbelly of Bangkok or Tijuana.
If you are making the argument that porn is more accessible thanks to modern mass media and the internet, I guess that's fine... but that's a completely different argument than what you're trying to make.
Right, but wine has been around for millenia and so have alcoholics. Not sure what heroin has to do with it: if you want to talk about opioid addiction, then we can discuss that. Since, you know, that's been a thing for literally thousands of years too. Sumerian tablets mention opium use. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus sails to the land of the Poppy Eaters, where everyone is addicted to, you guessed it, opiates!
It's almost like you consciously decided to choose a list of arguments to make that you knew were wrong. Even the village idiot couldn't possibly consistently pick the exact wrong argument, every time. That requires a specific genius
Based on the most helpful WSO content, the debate around pornography is multifaceted and touches on ethical, societal, and scientific dimensions. Here are some key points to consider:
Ethical and Societal Concerns:
Regulatory Challenges:
Scientific Perspectives:
Cultural and Economic Shifts:
This topic is indeed complex and polarizing, with valid arguments on both sides. It’s essential to approach the conversation with nuance, considering the ethical, scientific, and regulatory implications while respecting diverse perspectives.
Sources: How to View The World... or Which Way is the Right Way to Think, The incel shit on this website is out of control, Info on LionTree’s Pornography IB group?, Like Randy Marsh Says | The Daily Peel | 6/9/2023, Why the focus on exit opps?
I'm actually very grateful for porn - it helped me with understanding sociology/races/and science behind sexual attraction. I am Indian - but not culturally. I grew up in Cali culture as a brown guy so naturally Latina body types is what I gr my gravitated to. When I reconcile that with why my ethnic counterparts I don't find attractive (Indian females) - it helps me understand my thesis on sociology and human evolution better.
East Asian females do not accumulate fat in waists or glutes.
White females are stockier, taller, more robust and well built, but incapable of above too mostly.
Black females are also stockier, taller, more robust and well built, but capable of above the famous derriere.
Hispanic females are also stockier, taller, more robust and well built, but capable of above the famous derriere.
What this proves is as much as tend to deny it a humans are just like dog breeds. And dating mating sociology is affected by sexuality.
Dark skin is taboo in East Asia. And many men are incapable of meeting the physical needs of a white female due to height discrepancies.
You need a lot of help. And you certainly need to stop drawing sociological conclusions from porn stars. Did it ever occur to you that the porn industry plays to stereotypes, instead of representing an actual sample of what human beings look like?
I know it's stupid of me, since it's basically a truism, but it always shocks me how dumb bigots are.
Jesus Christ go outside dude
Bro you are seriously weird. Also, stop having such an inferiority complex.
You're playing into bay area brown guys being weird. Getting your analyses from porn is not conducive I promise you.
Bro what
jail
This is deranged. Did you type this on a typewriter?
Lets talk about this, because you conflate two slightly different things here.
Regulating the sex work industry is a little different from regulating the people who view it. Allowing people to be employed in sex work in the same kind of safe environment in which almost every other profession does is a good thing, full stop. Making sure that minors do not view pornography is a good thing in my opinion, but obviously there is some scope of discussion about what age constitutes a minor or not.
It's very possible that mandating age verification crimps the ability of the porn industry to make money. Not allowing chemical manufacturers to dump waste into the water system hurts their business, too, and yet we've agreed as a society that it is not the responsibility of the public to get sick and die so that the chemical plant has an easier time turning a profit. Ditto with porn. No one is entitled to make a living as a pornographic actor.
I'd argue that further regulation would lead to further acceptance, so people will be less unwilling to share information when viewing porn. However, the solution to this is easy. Set some standards and enforce the law for people who break it. Fine, random middle aged man in Texas doesn't want to share his personal information in order to view porn? That's his business. But if he's caught viewing unregulated porn, he should be punished. Deport his ass or something
I disagree with this take (or at least they way it's presented). Regulating the creator industry makes sense to me to ensure safe conditions (e.g. maybe a verified badge). However, I think age verification is a slippery slope. Is this a government issue? Or is this a parental issue? I don't see why I should need to sign-in and upload my government ID just to...
It's overboard. I think the comparison to chemical waste is just not appropriate here. It's not remotely to the same proportion.
That's my opinion. The last part was the most disturbing of all: why should people be punished for viewing unregulated content?? Now, THAT'S a slippery slope, and I'm no longer talking about pornographic content anymore. So if I watch some content on Reddit, I'm on the hook? It's very totalitarian. In fact, even in China, using a VPN is NOT illegal, only hosting one without authorization is. It makes no sense to punish the end user.
Maybe you can make a case for suing websites that don't ensure all content is verified, but that's also a very slippery slope (i.e., it sets a precedent for websites being responsible for all content, which dramatically the way the web operates right now and principles of free speech).
Wy should you have to show a government ID to vote? To drive? To enter public buildings? To drink alcohol or buy cigarettes? Why is porn a right to which you're entitled and the rest of them are privileges you must prove you're worthy of?
We as a society have decided that there are some things minors are not allowed to do (e.g. drink or smoke or drive). Pornography is one of them. If you think that shouldn't be the case, all well and good, but make a case for why minors should be able to view porn and not on the merits of affirming you're not a minor, because we make if very clear that certain activities require proof of adulthood, so that isn't a logically consistent argument to make here.
Fine. Mining regulations demand certain safety protocols for the benefit of people who work in the industry, because historically companies have exploited desperate people by sending them into awful conditions for basically no pay because they had no choice. Sounds a little like an unregulated porn industry!
It's not a question of what the content is, but making sure that if we want to criminalize or otherwise prohibit something, that we enforce it. Why should people be punished for fleeing their country of origin to come to the United States?
At some point we have to acknowledge that for many "illicit" activities, the problem is not suppliers but customers/demand. People don't smuggle fentanyl into the country for laughs and then people happen to buy it and get high. People don't go into porn, for the most part, because they enjoy getting railed by 100 people in 24 hours. In both cases they do it because there is a customer for their product, and we cannot stop people from providing that service or good unless we curtail the demand for it.
The fact that you are ashamed you watch porn but don't want to stop doesn't mean you shouldn't face consequences for skirting the law if the law says you need to prove you aren't a minor.
I mean, I do think websites should be responsible for the content and speech they host if it leads to a crime. Hold Reddit or anything else to the same standard to which you'd hold any traditional journalistic outlet. Again, just because it is expensive for Facebook or Reddit to monitor content doesn't mean we shouldn't demand it. If they cannot ensure complicity with the law and still make money, they aren't a worthwhile going concern.
Huh? You need to present ID to purchase alcohol online. You need to have ID to exercise your 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms if you want to buy a gun. Your use of the term "slippery slope" makes zero sense in this context.
Yes, porn is bad.
No, daddy government shouldn't step in and ban it.
I made a well laid-out comment answering the core points of the "best comment" above, and a mod deleted it. I even broke my more spicy takes into a second comment to keep the first free from moderation.. But no, both taken down. Ridiculous.
You just got auto-modded because you’re talking about porn. It’s not some grand conspiracy. You got caught by keywords.
Notice how annoying censorship is though.
Really strong argument against censorship, actually.
If you message the mod team or reply to the message you received when it was deleted, they usually put it back up. Auto-mod / some censor-happy mod used to be worse and I had several upvoted comments deleted before but they added them back
Thank you. People like @CRE just don't get it.
I, however, do get it, unlike most of the absolute dorks in this thread.
Which is why I have a normal, well-adjusted relationship with both women and sexuality.
Ban it. It’s antisocial and disgusting. Most importantly, a lot of men can’t control themselves and become addicted to it physically and mentally. If you need your kicks, use your imagination.
I'm in favor of a total ban. Porn is incredibly destructive to society and to the participants in it. Men and women would both be much happier if porn were very difficult to obtain (it will never be impossible, of course). The point of a republic is for the people to form together for the betterment of their society--seems like the perfect issue that would materially improve the quality of life for tens of millions of people.
Can you evidence the first part of this claim, at all? Porn has been around for millenia. If you think it's always been harmful, then discuss that. If you think something is particularly more harmful about it now versus 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, back that up. Otherwise stop asserting your thoughtless, puritanical opinions as objective truth. Pornography, prostitution... these things evolved alongside human civilization. If anything it's your attitude which is new, and thus arguably more corrosive to society.
I think we can all agree that religious attitudes towards sex and sex work have made participating in it dangerous, but again, the reason it is bad to be in sex/porn work is because of attitudes like yours, and not because of anything inherently evil in the act itself.
And if you are right (hint: you aren't) then why stop there? Why even allow people out of the house? After all, it's not pornography you're worried about but sexuality, since the line between them is essentially nonexistent.
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