Pornography

[AcrobatMan]

Good or bad..

What are your views on it ?

AcrobatMan

 

[DrTeeth]

This belongs in Bang & Clatter; it's one of the best albums The Cure has ever made.

Seriously, as long as it involves consenting adults I'm fine with it, even though lots of the women are ugly and the storylines are cheesy. Besides, how would we finance the internet without porn?

 

[nbcrusader]

Most ignore the destructive nature of pornography. In many ways, it is worse than addictive drugs. Pornographic images create an impression of relationships that do not translate into reality.

 

[DrTeeth]

Pornographic images create an impression of relationships that do not translate into reality.

A bit like Martha Stewart.

 

[kobayashi]

Most ignore the destructive nature of pornography. In many ways, it is worse than addictive drugs. Pornographic images create an impression of relationships that do not translate into reality.

in your view, what characteristics of pornography cause its depiction of relationships to be more destructive than other forms of modern 'entertainment' or maybe 'stimulation' is a better term, say action films or edited war footage?

 

[nbcrusader]

I think it is fair to say that most close, personal relationships (spouse, significant other, etc.) includes an element of sex. How such intimate relationships develop between individuals is far more complex that what is depicted in pornography.

Action films or war footage does not focus on aspects of relationships.

 

[kobayashi]

Action films or war footage does not focus on aspects of relationships.

sure they are. obviously significantly different actors but relationships are still depicted.

my point is that, imo, all these things glorify, amplify and compartmentalize acts in a distortionary fashion which seperates these stimulative exhibits from their occurrances present in 'normal' life in varying degrees of frequency (some more enjoyable than others. )

 

[nbcrusader]

All types of media include relationships in some form or another. I would suggest that the degree an action film can impact an individuals ability to develop or maintain a relationship is by no means comparable to the degree pornography can impact an individuals ability to develop or maintain a relationship.

 

[pub crawler]

Porn is an industry built on the degradation of women. Virtually every porn star I've ever heard/read interviewed has said they were abused/molested as a child. That tells you all you need to know about porn.

 

[Klaus]

Action films or war footage does not focus on aspects of relationships.

They show a way of "solving" conflicts which can have horrible consequences (violence solves problems) to some people who watched too much "bad television".

 

[joyfulgirl]

Porn is an industry built on the degradation of women. Virtually every porn star I've ever heard/read interviewed has said they were abused/molested as a child. That tells you all you need to know about porn.

This might be true but they have to work through those issues some way. Perhaps porn makes them feel empowered through sex whereas it used to make them feel like victims.

And don't forget about gay porn. I don't know a gay man who doesn't love gay porn in what seems to me to be a healthy way.

 

[Liesje]

If you need to use porn to get off, there must be something missing in the relationship.

 

[BAW]

If you need to use porn to get off, there must be something missing in the relationship.

Used on a regular basis or as a substitute for intimacy...probably. IMO, if a stable, loving couple wants to watch porn on occasion, its no different than spicing things up with sex toys or role playing.

As long as its not used in place of real life intimacy, why does it have to mean there is a problem?

 

[Chizip]

i think its funny thats illegal to pay a woman to have sex with you

but it is legal to pay a woman to have sex with you if you videotape it and sell it

 

[joyfulgirl]

Used on a regular basis or as a substitute for intimacy...probably. IMO, if a stable, loving couple wants to watch porn on occasion, its no different than spicing things up with sex toys or role playing.

As long as its not used in place of real life intimacy, why does it have to mean there is a problem?

I see it as just an extension of the imagination. I don't really care for porn myself but I understand why other people do.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i think its funny thats illegal to pay a woman to have sex with you

but it is legal to pay a woman to have sex with you if you videotape it and sell it

i actually used this argument to get out of my last solicitation charge

 

[nbcrusader]

Used on a regular basis or as a substitute for intimacy...probably. IMO, if a stable, loving couple wants to watch porn on occasion, its no different than spicing things up with sex toys or role playing.

This is a good example of where a strong relationship exists before pornography is introduced.

Unfortunately, this probably happens in a extremely small percentage of all pornography viewing.

Despite the strenghth of the relationship, however, there may be unintended or unforeseen consequences of the experience with pornography.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

how come no feminists ever stand up and defend male porn stars who appear in bondage or gay porn? aren't they being "degradated" also?

 

[DrTeeth]

How such intimate relationships develop between individuals is far more complex that what is depicted in pornography.

I've heard a lot of talk about porn, but I've never heard anybody refer to it as a source for relationship guidelines. As for it being degrading to women, the argument is getting a bit old. I've seen my share of documentaries and interviews and you would be surprised to see how many women are actually running these businesses. Besides, why would it be more degrading to women than to men?

 

[pax]

I say this in absolute honesty: I do not "get" pornography. I've looked at dirty movies and magazines, even ones featuring good-looking men, and I just don't get turned on, I guess.

I know I'm the freak here--obviously porn wouldn't be a multibillion-dollar industry if everyone were like me--but maybe some people can explain what it "does" for them? I'm much more turned on by the fully-clothed Gap ads featuring Peter Krause, for example, than I am by some of the shots from Sweet Action (a newish porn mag that caters to young, straight, "hipster" women).

 

[Zoocoustic]

Porn is an addiction, a disease, that destroys people's well-being and sense of worth. There is no justification for it other than the love of money...

Fire away...

 

[nbcrusader]

I've heard a lot of talk about porn, but I've never heard anybody refer to it as a source for relationship guidelines.

Please, be serious. I am not suggesting that people look for pornography to learn about relationships. Quite the opposite. It is watched, at it influences how they develop or maintain relationships. I doubt that porno films depict a relationship with women the way most women want an honest relationship.

As for it being degrading to women, the argument is getting a bit old. I've seen my share of documentaries and interviews and you would be surprised to see how many women are actually running these businesses. Besides, why would it be more degrading to women than to men?

Is the argument old because it is consistently shown as untrue across the board, or just that you are tired of hearing it?

For every business "success" story, there are likely hundreds, if not thousands who have been abused, degraded, raped or simply taken advantage of by the industry. Not exactly the field you want to promote for the opportunities it presents for women (or men).

 

[DrTeeth]

Mind you, I included in my first post that I'm okay with porn as long as it involves consenting adults. When people are getting raped or abused it of course becomes a different story. It should also be realized that porn rarely presents itself as being about anything else than sex and entertainment. I really don't understand why its role in relationships is being discussed when a relationship is more the responsibility of the people watching than that of the people you see on tv.

 

[nbcrusader]

The question simply posed was pornography: good or bad.


I say it has a bad affect on relationships, whether intended or not.

As for what constitutes concent, BVS has made some thought-provoking posts on the subject.

 

[DrTeeth]

NBC you said it has a "destructive nature" which sounds a lot more harsh than "a bad effect". I do hope you leave open the possibility of it having a good effect on relationships or, like I suspect in most cases, no effect at all. People are responsible for themselves, if you suspect porn has a bad influence on your relationship, don't watch it.

 

[nbcrusader]

I'll stick by my "destructive nature" comment.

As for keeping my comments relative to my relationship, that is not the subject of this thread. I don't do relativism.

You may say you are fine with pornography, but you may not realize its impact today, tomorrow or five years from now. But it will have an impact. You can't simply erase it away.

 

[LoveTown]

consenting adults...just fine with me.

 

[deep]

You may say you are fine with McDonald's fast food, but you may not realize its impact today, tomorrow or five years from now. But it will have an impact. You can't simply erase it away.

 

[nbcrusader]

Actually, you can reverse the affect of fast foods. But if we want to marginalize the topic with silly analogies, we can turn this into a humorous thread.

 

[Klaus]

nbc:
well i still think that violence in videos/on tv has the same quality of influence on the social environment like porn movies.
For some reason liberal europeans tend to be more afraid of violence, conservative americans are afraid of porn.