Why is pornography bad?

[Qymaen]

Assuming that those who participate in porn do so willingly, why should porn be demonized or at least condemned?

If you claim that it provokes lust please explain why lust is necessarily bad, AND THEN be prepared to back up your contention that porn actually provokes lust with facts.

It's a religious taboo. Throughout history, most peoples (whether Chinese, Arabic, or German) have had their women wear long clothing that sufficiently covers certain features of the body. Many of the reasons behind the wearing of long clothing was provided by religion. Considering most major religions believe in monogamous relationships and modest dress, the idea of one getting naked then sharing their more intimate parts with other men...well such a thing is one of the biggest taboos in most human societies.

Also the reason why prostitution is considered taboo.

 

[nnmartin]

I imagine prostitution is a growth industry these days due to the global recession.

Quite a good time to consider legalising and taxing it.

 

[Qymaen]

I imagine prostitution is a growth industry these days due to the global recession.

Quite a good time to consider legalising and taxing it.

First if there is a recession why would someone pay people to have sex with them when it can't be to hard to find some loose, free, girl.

Second, how can you accurately tax a prostitute or the prostitution industry. At least with pornography it, usually, takes place on a set like in a movie.

 

[nnmartin]

if there is a recession there will be more poverty, thus more people willing/needing to work in the sex trade.

could be taxed like any other business, either by self-employed tax forms or from taxing the brothel/bar etc..

 

[Qymaen]

if there is a recession there will be more poverty, thus more people willing/needing to work in the sex trade.

But if there's more poverty then less people, mostly men, would be able to pay for a prostitute.

could be taxed like any other business, either by self-employed tax forms or from taxing the brothel/bar etc..

I don't think you understand. How would you track prostitutes so they could be taxed?

 

[McBell]

I don't think you understand. How would you track prostitutes so they could be taxed?

The same way they track sub-contractors and other self-employed persons.

 

[Sunstone]

I think the main reason porn is so bad is poor photography. In most cases, the photographers don't know a damn thing about camera work.

 

[nnmartin]

But if there's more poverty then less people, mostly men, would be able to pay for a prostitute.

well no, not really, because normal supply and demand would take over here.

The supply of prostitutes would go up thus their wages down therefore the demand would stay constant, if not increase even.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I wouldn't say that porn is especially bad but it does provoke lust for sure. No facts at this moment but it's fairly obvious that if you look at pictures of naked women it is likely that you are going to want some of the real thing more.

Human nature I believe.

It's more of a culturally conditioned response. When a nudist sees a nude body they aren't seeing a sexual object, but nothing more than a human body. And lots of others, that are not nudist, see nudity the same way.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think the main reason porn is so bad is poor photography. In most cases, the photographers don't know a damn thing about camera work.

I agree. But not only poor camera work, but often the people in them turn them from sexual stimulating to a cheesy comedy. I haven't found anything to be more of a turn off than a woman who is overdoing the moaning. And some of them really over do it.

 

[nnmartin]

It's more of a culturally conditioned response. When a nudist sees a nude body they aren't seeing a sexual object, but nothing more than a human body. And lots of others, that are not nudist, see nudity the same way.

nudists aren't usually parading themselves in a provocative manner or having blatant sex with other people in front of you.

That normally happens in porn films, so I don't think the resultant lust obtained from watching is just a case of cultural conditioning...

 

[McBell]

nudists aren't usually parading themselves in a provocative manner or having blatant sex with other people in front of you.

That normally happens in porn films, so I don't think the resultant lust obtained from watching is just a case of cultural conditioning...

Yet to a culture that believes eating in public is a really bad thing, McDonald's is worse than porn...

 

[Koldo]

I haven't found anything to be more of a turn off than a woman who is overdoing the moaning.

Then you are lucky...

One weird thing that comes to my mind is the spitting machine men.
Some guys think their spit is the sexiest thing in the world.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

One weird thing that comes to my mind is the spitting machine men.
Some guys think their spit is the sexiest thing in the world.

Come to think of it, that's pretty gross too. But I have to somehow managed to only click on a few videos where a guy spits on his partner to have a makeshift and probably poor quality lube before anal.

 

[Dezzie]

While interesting, stories like these are hardly convincing enough to damn an industry.


From the piece

"13) Looking at porn helps you start to believe the lies it promotes. Example lies include:

• Perverted sex (homosexual sex, incest,. . . . ."

This tells me enough about the writer's prejudices to dismiss the whole thing.

Not a single source is cited, which means it's all worthless.

While it may be worthless to you, it may mean a little something to someone else. It makes complete sense to me. Either I think with a more rational mind, or I'm just blind and can't see the good in what porn causes in society. I was just adding the things I found. I felt they were extremely resourceful, especially when all of the interviews I have actually seen, were legitimate. Ex-porn stars have seen it first hand. The woman in the first story, the one on the stage, may be extremely religious now, but that doesn't make something she says wrong. We are all right in our own minds. She believes in what she believes in because she SAW it first hand. I assume you weren't an ex-porn star? Maybe if you saw the industry yourself, you might understand the negativity it causes. Or... maybe not. What you believe, in your own mind, is the right belief to you... but to me, it may not be. That's the way life works. People are all different in the ways they think. Some people may think more rationally than others... some may just be blind. It's all based on opinion.

 

[Drolefille]

While it may be worthless to you, it may mean a little something to someone else. It makes complete sense to me. Either I think with a more rational mind, or I'm just blind and can't see the good in what porn causes in society. I was just adding the things I found. I felt they were extremely resourceful, especially when all of the interviews I have actually seen, were legitimate. Ex-porn stars have seen it first hand. The woman in the first story, the one on the stage, may be extremely religious now, but that doesn't make something she says wrong. We are all right in our own minds. She believes in what she believes in because she SAW it first hand. I assume you weren't an ex-porn star? Maybe if you saw the industry yourself, you might understand the negativity it causes. Or... maybe not. What you believe, in your own mind, is the right belief to you... but to me, it may not be. That's the way life works. People are all different in the ways they think. Some people may think more rationally than others... some may just be blind. It's all based on opinion.

If all former porn actresses felt the same way that'd be one thing. But while individual experiences are important and can have influence, they're not necessarily representative of everything.

I have no doubt that the mainstream porn industry has plenty of problems. I'm going to leave it there. However there are also companies run by women that make porn for women for example. And, there are also porn actresses with really positive stories about their careers.
An Interview with Christi Lake » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names (Unfortunately the original source changed their website and this is a bit poorly formatted.)
You might find The Naked Feminist to be an interesting watch as well.

But personally the article you posted with the anti-gay views is not a former porn actor, it's a former porn consumer. And there are many porn consumers with differing opinions as well. Once anti-gay views are posted, to me, that's an immediate disregard of the individual's opinion on sex - and probably about quite a few other things as well.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Reasons Why Porn is Bad
Now... this may come off a certain way to some of you BUT... I want you to just think for a moment about what it is saying... Not all of it may be true for people who watch porn but most, if not all of it, still HAPPENS... Another thing that is interesting to me is the "porn statistics" link at the bottom of the page.

What if I showed you a real, academic journal that show the availability of porn reduces the number of sex crimes?
http://anthonydamato.law.northwestern.edu/Adobefiles/porn.pdf

Porn Addiction Help, Pornography Addiction, Sex Addiction, Catholic Church - Interview with Jennifer Case
This is an interview with another ex-porn star who looked up to Shelley Lubben (the woman in the top two videos...) and got out of the industry.

Some people have a bad experience, some don't. Some enjoy doing what they do, some don't. And like with any other industry, there are good companies and bad ones.

14 SHOCKING Pornography Statistics « The United Families International Blog
This is just interesting.

But it doesn't have any sources. Even if those statistics are true (and I'm sure many of them aren't), so what?

My husband came across these things actually... All he did was look up "Amazing stories" on youtube and he got the second video I provided for you guys. He told me he also read an article about all the mental and physical problems people can have from being addicted to and just viewing pornography. I can't find that one on my own so I am going to have to ask him for it. I'll try to remember to put it up later...

:areyoucraI can assure you, nothing bad will happen just from viewing pornography. Some people do become addicted, but the typical viewer will have no mental or physical ailments. They will find something that floats their boat, view, gratify themselves, and go on with their life.

 

[Skwim]

While it may be worthless to you, it may mean a little something to someone else. It makes complete sense to me.

It shouldn't.
If someone says "14 SHOCKING Pornography Statistics" and then fails to list a single source, large type and graphics just don't make up for it. Plain and simple, the stats could just as well be made up as not, which is one reason why legitimate writers always reference their sources.

Either I think with a more rational mind, or I'm just blind and can't see the good in what porn causes in society.

The good or bad of porn aside, the stats simply aren't worth anyone's time, even if they do support your position.

Ex-porn stars have seen it first hand. The woman in the first story, the one on the stage, may be extremely religious now, but that doesn't make something she says wrong. We are all right in our own minds. She believes in what she believes in because she SAW it first hand. I assume you weren't an ex-porn star? Maybe if you saw the industry yourself, you might understand the negativity it causes. Or... maybe not.

Not saying the stories are false, just that I know they aren't representative of the industry. As Drolefilie pointed out, other porn workers have very different stories. Cherry-picked anecdotes are no more impressive than unsourced statistics.

And I agree with Drolefilie that anyone who regards homosexual sex as perverted sex is just not worth listening to.

So, you've presented

1) Worthless statistics
2) Cherry-picked anecdotes
3) bigoted opinion
​

That's three strikes. Go back to the bench.

 

[Drolefille]

It shouldn't.
Not saying the stories are false, just that I know they aren't representative of the industry. As Drolefilie pointed out, other porn workers have very different stories. Cherry-picked anecdotes are no more impressive than unsourced statistics.

And I agree with Drolefilie that anyone who regards homosexual sex as perverted sex is just not worth listening to.

So, you've presented

1) Worthless statistics
2) Cherry-picked anecdotes
3) bigoted opinion
​

That's three strikes. Go back to the bench.

Teensy weensy point... It's Drolefille

I'm neither a drolefile nor a drolefilie which i think might be a funny horse.

 

[Skwim]

Teensy weensy point... It's Drolefille

I'm neither a drolefile nor a drolefilie which i think might be a funny horse.

So sorry
​