Bashing the P0rnz

[thedeathscythe]

I could go on to talk about the effect of the industry on the actors and actresses involved, but i'm sure we can all agree that we would definitely not wish for anybody we care about to be involved in this business for their own good. What with all the chances of diseases, unwanted pregnancy, physical and emotional turmoil, and such. Right? :]

Aren't you mixing up "porn" with "prostitution?"

Getting paid to have sex. Usually unprotected.

I think there are actually pretty strict regulations with porn. I saw a documentary on it once, it was crazy. Now, all the amateur stuff some random guy makes in his basement, that's not controlled, but any big company has several rules and tests done to both actors in the film. Most girls are usually on the pill and porn stars do use condoms. Not sure about the emotional turmoil, I mean it isn't like it's rape, everyones consenting. And physical turmoil? Um...what does that even mean?

 

[Seneschal]

EDIT: Omg, runaway post found!

 

[Seneschal]

My weird case of "post disappearing into thin air" led me to repost this. If anyone finds my other runaway post, please contact the authorities or something:

Violent crime is down. People are waiting longer to get pregnant. Condoms are more available than ever.

Sex is the most natural thing in the world. Wanting to fuck as much as you can as often as you can is in our DNA.

There is no problem here.

It is a problem when it becomes outdated. We should be moving towards a society where our population is controlled through artificial reproduction. Sex drives are a relic of a time before technology. And it is quickly going out of date.

From what I can tell, the pregnancy thing is actually a result of societal change. As having children is more of a personal hobby rather than a necessity as it used to be. A very expensive hobby at that. People are starting to realize just what the hell they are getting themselves into.

I don't mean to alarm you, but that that sounds insane. I'm all population control, but what you seem to want is a world devoid of sex. Am I reading that right?

Correct.

Without sex drives, it isn't something that you would ever miss. My first plan was just sterilization. But that proved to be extremely problematic with sex drives in place.(Protests would arise out of personal body chemistry)

Wealth is what you do not need. And when people do not need sex, their lives become significantly less stressful.

You are going at it like a supervillain, but I'd say you're on the right track. Human natural instincts aren't getting any stronger, especially since most of them are useless now that we've removed the dangers/stimuli that cause them. In time, it's reasonable to assume that we will become a genderless species that reproduces through more efficient and controllable means.

But that's REALLY far off in the future, maybe a millennia from now. Currently, and certainly for the next few centuries, sex drives are a completely immaterial concern. The OP is probably going on against porn because of his upbringing and cultural climate, unwilling to look at it from a clearly rational standpoint.

Sex/masturbation is one of the most productive means of stress-relief since basically nothing but a human body needs to be produced for it to work. It's the basis of reproduction for all complex organisms, entirely ubiquitous, simple, cheap and almost completely harmless for any individuals involved (most STDs in a controlled environment like the Western world are more of a nuisance and easily treated. We aren't in any danger of dying from sex anytime soon).

So the only reason anybody would object to what is basically free and unlimited pleasure is that it "adversely affects overall morality" or something. One can surely notice that the modern human being has enough worries and problems to challenge him so he doesn't become complacent, so it doesn't seem likely that sex will turn us all into orgasm-addicts or anything. In fact, excessive sex drives are rather rare and classified as a mental disorder. And even with it, it's merely a quirk that can be worked around with.

Anyone's "moral" concerns on the matter are therefore completely unsubstantiated. Citing "abortus" as a problem is a sign of lacking reason because an arbitrary "soul distribution"-moment when the fetus is created isn't scientific fact and should not be affecting the material world or be acted upon. "Spiritual concerns" are also a weak reason, completely ignoring the hundreds of millions of people that indulge in sex and are still valuable members of society, and also applying one's mentality (one based on magical thinking) onto other people's values.

I tend not to trust anyone who has vested interests in a topic to be objective about it, for a very important reason: they are driven by what they want to believe, not by wanting to know the truth. For example, the OP insists on treating the millions working in the porn industry as victims with "permanent physical and emotional damages", regardless of whether they feel the same. As he understands, "they cannot be anything less than permanently damaged if they are getting knocked up for a living!" - this is a telltale sign of cultural myopia and a narrow worldview.

His good intentions are irrelevant, his cause is thoroughly distructive and motivated by religious masochism, a very ubiquitous concept born from hundreds of years of irrational anti-carnal propaganda that has been dying (for good reason) since the 1960s in the West. It leads to a sort of cultural backtracking into the wonderful, moral, and totally more wholesome golden era of non-sex known as the Middle Ages.

And since this is the Escapist and people like him are a ridiculously rare breed on the Escapist, his trolldom is almost certain. Still, don't think for a second that there aren't people out there that think like him.

 

[Korolev]

You're not going to get rid of porn - it's human nature to want to watch that sort of thing.

Not everyone watches porn, and not everyone watches the same amount. I rarely watch porn, because it's just not that interesting. I know of people who are however, pornography addicts. They weren't exactly my friends, but I have had to work with some of them and strangely enough, they were a bit too enthusiastic about sharing their.... uh, hobby.

Is Porn psychologically damaging for the viewer? It can be. It depends on how you view it, what you view and how often. I would imagine that it would eventually deaden some emotional centres of the brain.

Is it bad for the people involved? Honestly, I don't know, I've never been in a porn film. I would hazard a guess that it would be harmful psychological in the long run, however, for a lot of the, hm, "actors" and "actresses". But again, I don't know.

You're not going to get rid of Porn. I would however, like to see less sex in day to day life. Seriously, the way some people go on and on about sex is bizarre. Frankly, I care more about professional success and travelling. Give me the choice between a lot of sex and a vacation to the US or a trip to the Antarctic, I would take the travel option every time.

Sex is just sex. It's not THAT special.

 

[AgDr_ODST]

I curse myself for having ever visited a porn website...Its thrown out of kilter my ability to appreciate how good women look without also imagining having sex with them...among other things

 

[feycreature]

A lot of porn is distinctly distasteful to me.

There are studios, casting directors and producers who manipulate and generally emotionally abuse their actors, with women of colour often getting a particularly raw deal. It's actually a lot like regular showbiz used to be. You fit very narrow qualifications or you're willing to tolerate situations you find degrading for the sake of getting work. As with any industry that no one wants to really look at or acknowledge, there's a greater opportunity for abuse of power. There's definitely more work to be done there.

However: pornography period is not the problem. Fetishes and fantasies? Not the problem. Masturbation? The opposite of a problem. If little Jimmy is whackin' it in his room, he's not out getting his girlfriend pregnant. And someone who's just gotten off is not going to be a bother to anyone. Lack of education and larger trends such as racism, violence and sexism are the problem. Their emergence in porn is a symptom. Not one to ignore, but not something to blame on the messenger.

Don't get me wrong, people have always been and will always be messed up. Gods know I am. There will always be fetishes and fantasies that will squick you out. But as with many scary parts of ourselves, it's all in how you express it, and you're never going to find a respectful way to do that if you just lock the door on the whole thing. Do we need changes to the porn industry and the standards to which we hold pornography? Probably. I swear, I have seen on more than one occasion stuff designed to get off to but which isn't a giggling vacuum. WTB more of that, plz.

And yes, some kids are that dumb. But for the kids who are that dumb, unwise sexual adventures are the LEAST of their problems. Besides, kids too young to feel sexual urges themselves, often as not look on the whole thing as unspeakably gross. I am pretty much always a proponent of education over censorship, because censorship only works if you can maintain it, but a lesson lasts ages with only the occasional refresher. I can put on a condom in my sleep. I know what birth control methods are more and less effective. I know that I can and should set boundaries when I have to. I know that it's important to get tested regularly once you become active. I'm glad people taught me all those things before it got complicated by drives and emotions.

TLDR: Some fantasies weird out even me, there are issues with exploitation in the industry, we could use some more quality in porn. That said, watching people have sex is not the problem, not even weird sex, not even kinds you don't like. P.S. The kids are not being warped by watching someone put a condom on a banana.

P.P.S. Does someone know a good doctor to go to for wall-of-textitis. I do my best, honest...

 

[IBlackKiteI]

My weird case of "post disappearing into thin air" led me to repost this. If anyone finds my other runaway post, please contact the authorities or something:

Violent crime is down. People are waiting longer to get pregnant. Condoms are more available than ever.

Sex is the most natural thing in the world. Wanting to fuck as much as you can as often as you can is in our DNA.

There is no problem here.

It is a problem when it becomes outdated. We should be moving towards a society where our population is controlled through artificial reproduction. Sex drives are a relic of a time before technology. And it is quickly going out of date.

From what I can tell, the pregnancy thing is actually a result of societal change. As having children is more of a personal hobby rather than a necessity as it used to be. A very expensive hobby at that. People are starting to realize just what the hell they are getting themselves into.

I don't mean to alarm you, but that that sounds insane. I'm all population control, but what you seem to want is a world devoid of sex. Am I reading that right?

Correct.

Without sex drives, it isn't something that you would ever miss. My first plan was just sterilization. But that proved to be extremely problematic with sex drives in place.(Protests would arise out of personal body chemistry)

Wealth is what you do not need. And when people do not need sex, their lives become significantly less stressful.

SNIP...And since this is the Escapist and people like him are a ridiculously rare breed on the Escapist, his trolldom is almost certain. Still, don't think for a second that there aren't people out there that think like him.

I found your post really...interesting, but dont ya think its a bit harsh to consider this guy trolling for having a different point of view?

 

[QuantumT]

I found your post really...interesting, but dont ya think its a bit harsh to consider this guy trolling for having a different point of view?

It's not having a different point of view that makes him a troll, it's his incredibly inflammatory way of talking about it.

 

[Direwolf750]

Firstly, teenagers find porn when they want to. odds are, if you are looking for it, you're going to find it, and if you aren't, then you probably won't. And I'm not talking about accidentally seeing some erotic image in a pop up, I mean porn.

Secondly, the only thing that porn really does, as far as a casual observer can tell, is that it incredibly confuses many, many, many pubescent males into thinking something that isn't true. It simply doesn't work in real life like it does in pornos.

Thirdly, a huge problem with our current society is simply that sex is made into something taboo. Half of the allure behind finding it is that it is simply curiosity to go find that which they are specifically told not to. It seems by unintentional reverse psychology that young adults are not only encouraged to find it, they are driven to find it.

Religions aside, personal ethics aside, sex is a COMPLETELY NATURAL part of life. It and death are about the only things that are nowadays. People will find it when they want to, one way or another it will happen. Yeah, we all know it is breaking the law, and yeah, WE DON'T CARE. I don't see a good reason to hide it. Teaching it more in it's complexity would be better. Teaching it in depth and appropriately would be the best thing to do.

This is all from the perspective of a childless, half-informed probably partially naive male college student, but still. I think I only managed to address part of the problem, but I really don't have enough room to go into detail, nor the drive to try and sort out my own views.

 

[Seneschal]

My weird case of "post disappearing into thin air" led me to repost this. If anyone finds my other runaway post, please contact the authorities or something:

Violent crime is down. People are waiting longer to get pregnant. Condoms are more available than ever.

Sex is the most natural thing in the world. Wanting to fuck as much as you can as often as you can is in our DNA.

There is no problem here.

It is a problem when it becomes outdated. We should be moving towards a society where our population is controlled through artificial reproduction. Sex drives are a relic of a time before technology. And it is quickly going out of date.

From what I can tell, the pregnancy thing is actually a result of societal change. As having children is more of a personal hobby rather than a necessity as it used to be. A very expensive hobby at that. People are starting to realize just what the hell they are getting themselves into.

I don't mean to alarm you, but that that sounds insane. I'm all population control, but what you seem to want is a world devoid of sex. Am I reading that right?

Correct.

Without sex drives, it isn't something that you would ever miss. My first plan was just sterilization. But that proved to be extremely problematic with sex drives in place.(Protests would arise out of personal body chemistry)

Wealth is what you do not need. And when people do not need sex, their lives become significantly less stressful.

SNIP...And since this is the Escapist and people like him are a ridiculously rare breed on the Escapist, his trolldom is almost certain. Still, don't think for a second that there aren't people out there that think like him.

I found your post really...interesting, but dont ya think its a bit harsh to consider this guy trolling for having a different point of view?

It would be harsh if it wasn't backed up by him actively flame-baiting for some sweet internet drama. And the fact that he registered and posted just for this topic. Why would an anti-porn demonstrator register to a video-game forum for reasons other than video-games?

There is a chance that he's honest, and that's why my post isn't just "don't feed the troll!" I'm not one to ignore a juicy discussion.

 

[Sheinen]

I remember hunting for porn in the woods, parks, alleys and Daily Star when I was a pre-teen.

Kids are curious critters and although the internet has made it FAR easier to see naked people it doesn't mean they wouldn't if it wasn't there. They'd find another way. A frankly disgusting, dangerous and far less satisfying way.

Parents of young children should take the responsibility to block certain sites, monitor their kids activities and more importantly, remain open and honest with them about the process. The more questions they have and the more obscure your answers, the more likely they'll be to go all out on their quest for information.

 

[Teh_Dave]

If Stephen Fry says 1% its 1% fact.

 

[Denamic]

Reminds me of when I used to bribe people to buy porn for me from a convenience store.
Good times.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I remember hunting for porn in the woods, parks, alleys and Daily Star when I was a pre-teen.

Kids are curious critters and although the internet has made it FAR easier to see naked people it doesn't mean they wouldn't if it wasn't there. They'd find another way. A frankly disgusting, dangerous and far less satisfying way.

Parents of young children should take the responsibility to block certain sites, monitor their kids activities and more importantly, remain open and honest with them about the process. The more questions they have and the more obscure your answers, the more likely they'll be to go all out on their quest for information.

This, yes, a hundred times Yes!

Firstly, I'm in agreement with the stereootypical 'finding top shelf magazines in the woods' thing, it happened to me and happened to friends too, and they were prized possessions back in the way. I'll be amazed if we ever go back to a time where a kid of 14 would be seeing his first photo of a naked woman. Hardcore stuff came years later, when a kid sneaked a video from his dad and we all sat around pretty much just going 'ew', but still with a cushion pressed across our laps, heh.

Seriously tho, parents need to understand that the internet has EVERYTHING. In so many ways this is a truly great thing, it means you have a library the size of a planet accessible at home, you can watch videos from decades past, from other countries and languages, but it also means that there's a sizable amount of materials not suitable for everyone.

Simply engage with your kids, try not to build a culture of shame, so they can come and talk about things they see, or hear about from friends, and maybe we'll have less people psychologically screwed up in the next generation.

I do wish there was some way to make sure that, and I know this is one of those 'wouldn't it be nice if' thoughts, but, if there was a way to make sure that people didn't get into doing porn just because they were desperate for money. I'm sure there are people out there who can seperate sex and emotion and just genuinely enjoy doing porn and earning a good wage doing it, but I do feel like the industry more than many craves fresh meat and uses people and spits em out pretty damn quickly.

After all, if you're an actor, and you appear in a crappy B movie, then never get another job, it's not going to affect your future life, however, if you make one porn movie where you just blow a dozen guys, and it resurfaces 10 years later, it could screw your current career (no pun intended). I don't think that's right, but it's how it is, people are way too happy to moralise about the past.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

There is of course the misinformation problem too, which is why sex education is even more important now, and I think it's wrong to let parents 'opt out' of having their children taught about sex and relationships. Note I don't mean just sex, but emotions, the human side as well as just the IKEA based put tab A in slot B, slot C if she's drunk or it's your birthday and she's in a good mood.

(a momentary side step here, why do so many men who live in terror of being in the same room as a gay man, obsess about anal sex, when it's essentially going to feel like sex with a man, at least in one way?)

We need to make sure kids know, before puberty, that unprotected sex not only spreads disease, including the worst and most dangerous disease of all, more kids, but that it can affect your life in many ways, and that maybe whacking off is a sin, but there's far worse ones out there

Reminds me of the tale of the young couple 10 years in the future visiting the doctor, because they can't get pregnant, and the doctor asks them about how they're having sex. The guy says 'Oh the usual way like in the online videos, I make sure that at the vital moment I pull out of her butt and aim it at her face. I just can't understand what we're doing wrong.'

Just as a personal note, my month had no problem with me owning soft porn mags, but drew a line at hardcore stuff as she felt the women were being used, and I still tend to agree at some level, at least in some cases.

 

[v3n0mat3]

12%... went up 2% in almost 6 years. Hmm... I'm a bit disappointed.

 

[JackKrauserFtw]

Women porn actresses have the right to ask for any past medical health before they have sex with anyone, and after that they have the right to inspect the penis of the man, and if it isn't up to snuff, then she has all the right to say no, she gets paid a tonne of money per shoot, and one shoot isn't going to take a chunk out of her salary, and toward your "sex is emotional" no, it's just not, it simply exists to pass genes from one person to another to continue the cycle, people have simply stamped it with the pretense that it is 'intimate' and 'loving' when all your doing is making millions of sperm fight each other to live. No discussion here...

 

[randomsix]

Only $89.oo a second? I'm surprised.

 

[thahat]

Porn only makes up 12% of the internet?

probably in text, in megabtes, prolly about 90 % XD

 

[thahat]

I remember hunting for porn in the woods, parks, alleys and Daily Star when I was a pre-teen.

Kids are curious critters and although the internet has made it FAR easier to see naked people it doesn't mean they wouldn't if it wasn't there. They'd find another way. A frankly disgusting, dangerous and far less satisfying way.

Parents of young children should take the responsibility to block certain sites, monitor their kids activities and more importantly, remain open and honest with them about the process. The more questions they have and the more obscure your answers, the more likely they'll be to go all out on their quest for information.

most parents i know are to a-technical to follow their kids online, hell, i could elude my eniter famaly, including my uncle who's good with pc's by the age of 8...