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What's Wrong With Pornography?

Skwim

Veteran Member
I came up with this question after watching the following video. Watch it. . . . . Don't watch it. :shrug:



Whatever the case, it defines porn as depictions or descriptions of sexuality intended to arouse---to turn you on! Now if you find this is an unworthy goal you may as well stop reading. However, if you feel there's merit in sexual arousal please stick with me.

Taken as defined above, I see no real downside to porn. However, this assumes that all those involved; the actors, producers, camera people, and viewer are all of legal age and have consented to be part of the porn operation. (Don't know if it's against the law for a minor to view porn, but I don't think so.)

Unfortunately, porn is often accused of treating women as objects. Granted there is next to no development of the other aspects of women, but the same can be said for the men appearing in porn. They are just as shallowly developed as the women. Yet for the most part women are very commonly depicted as getting as much sexual pleasure, sometimes even more, as are the men. So, is there truly any down side to focusing on one aspect of a person rather than showing a more rounded individual? In answer, I've yet to hear of people complaining that we only get to see one side of musicians when they perform. That we treat them as mere objects of aural pleasure. So I view the "woman as sexual objects in porn complaint" as a phony holdover from the womens lib movement---something I do support, btw.

Of course, there are some cautionary aspects to porn that need to be kept in mind. First of all, almost all porn is acting. Some of the activities depicted are rarely done in real life, and many of the reactions are terribly phony, so one shouldn't expect the same activities and responses in ones own life. That said, more and more online porn is made by amateurs, some even married to each other, and who often seem to exhibit more genuine reactions. Then there are the unsafe activities one has to be aware of. As mentioned in the video, putting a penis in the anus and then into the vagina (or mouth) is unsafe.

So, when I ask what's wrong with pornography I'm not including any porn that not entirely legal and consensual. If you don't like what you see, do as you would with any other such thing. don't watch it. But don't condemn it simply because it's not up your moral standards.


Now, if you still feel pornography as I've described it is wrong, I can only ask, What?

.
 
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Firemorphic

Activist Membrane
It's boring and filmed by incompetent dumbasses who don't know how to hold a damn camera. Also too much exposure to it causes mental disorders. Aside from that, who the hell knows?
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
I came up with this question after watching the following video. Watch it. . . . . Don't watch it. :shrug:



Whatever the case, it defines porn as depictions or descriptions of sexuality intended to arouse---to turn you on! Now if you find this is an unworthy goal you may as well stop reading any further. However, if you feel there's merit in sexual arousal please stick with me.

Taken as defined above, I see no real downside to porn. However, this assumes that all those involved; the actors, producers, camera people, and viewer are all of legal age and have consented to be part of the porn operation. (Don't know if it's against the law for a minor to view porn, but I don't think so.)

Unfortunately, porn is often accused of treating women as objects. Granted there is next to no development of the other aspects of women, but the same can be said for the men appearing in porn. They are just as shallowly developed as the women. Yet for the most part women are very commonly depicted as getting as much sexual pleasure, sometimes even more, as are the men. So, is there truly any down side to focusing on one aspect of a person rather than showing a more rounded individual? In answer, I've yet to hear of people complaining that we only get to see one side of musicians when they perform. That we treat them as mere objects of aural pleasure. So I view the "woman as sexual objects in porn complaint" as a phony holdover from the womens lib movement---something I do support, btw.

Of course, there are some cautionary aspects to porn that need to be kept in mind. First of all, almost all porn is acting. Some of the activities depicted are rarely done in real life, and many of the reactions are terribly phony, so one shouldn't expect the same activities and responses in ones own life. That said, more and more online porn is made by amateurs, some even married to each other, and who often seem to exhibit more genuine reactions. Then there are the unsafe activities one has to be aware of. As mentioned in the video, putting a penis in the anus and then into the vagina (or mouth) is unsafe.

So, when I ask what's wrong with pornography I'm not including any porn that not entirely legal and consensual. If you don't like what you see, do as you would with any other such thing. don't watch it. But don't condemn it simply because it's not up your moral standards.


Now, if you still feel pornography as I've described it is wrong, I can only ask, What?

.

Pornography might be a sexually self gratifying instrument for a lonely, and sexually frustrated man who needs to relieve himself of excessive sperm cells; but a happily married man would rather save his libido for satisfying himself as well as his sexual partner rather than expending his sexual energy upon himself alone.

99edebb3b15b4e2506db5e87cad3a634.jpg
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Pornography might be a sexually self gratifying instrument for a lonely, and sexually frustrated man who needs to relieve himself of excessive sperm cells; but a happily married man would rather save his libido for satisfying himself as well as his sexual partner rather than expending his sexual energy upon himself alone.
99edebb3b15b4e2506db5e87cad3a634.jpg

How about a married man who is horny and whose wife isn't in the mood? For that matter, how about a married woman who is horny and wants some fantasy?

At least when I was younger, I had plenty of 'sexual energy' for both my wife and myself.

And 'excessive sperm cells'??? Sorry, but I *never* masturbated simply to get rid of sperm cells. I did it because it feels good and relieves stress.
 
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Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
There's an old Lily Tomlin quote to the effect that after 5 minutes of watching porn she wants to have sex, but after 30 minutes she never wants to have sex again.
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Pornography treats intimacy like trash.

Sex is a very personal thing.

Without genuine love its hollow and abusive.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
How about a married man who is horny and whose wife isn't in the mood? For that matter, how about a married woman who is horny and wants some fantasy?

At least when I was younger, I had plenty of 'sexual energy' for both my wife and myself.

And 'excessive sperm cells'??? Sorry, but I *never* masturbated simply to get rid of sperm cells. I did it because it feels good and relives stress.

Self-ejaculation does feels good to me, also. However, I don't like the feeling of guilt afterwards.

Once in my marriage, I felt really guilty because I was alone and horny while my wife was away. Soo...I went on-line and looked at some naughty pictures that aroused me into self-pleasuring myself. Shortly, afterwards, my wife came home unexpectedly from her trip that had been cut short. She was in the mood for sexual intercourse with me and she was being super horny, while I wasn't. I really disappointed her then. So ever since then, I've always steered away from naughty pictures that could arouse me into ejaculating outside of my wife.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Self-ejaculation does feels good to me, also. However, I don't like the feeling of guilt afterwards.

Once in my marriage, I felt really guilty because I was alone and horny while my wife was away. Soo...I went on-line and looked at some naughty pictures that aroused me into self-pleasuring myself. Shortly, afterwards, my wife came home unexpectedly from her trip that had been cut short. She was in the mode and super horny, while I wasn't. I really disappointed her then. So ever since then, I've always steered away from naughty pictures that could arouse me into ejaculating outside of my wife.

I've never felt particularly guilty about self-pleasuring or, for that matter, sex. As for your wife coming home early, did she ever tell you 'no' because she wasn't in the mood? What's the difference?
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Pornography treats intimacy like trash.

Sex is a very personal thing.

Without genuine love its hollow and abusive.

Well, the point isn't to have a relationship. It's to get off. Sex inside of a relationship is a *completely* different thing.

And I fail to see how it is abusive if nobody else is involved. Hollow, maybe. Lonely, usually. But abusive? As they say, not unless you're doing it wrong.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
I came up with this question after watching the following video. Watch it. . . . . Don't watch it. :shrug:



Whatever the case, it defines porn as depictions or descriptions of sexuality intended to arouse---to turn you on! Now if you find this is an unworthy goal you may as well stop reading any further. However, if you feel there's merit in sexual arousal please stick with me.

Taken as defined above, I see no real downside to porn. However, this assumes that all those involved; the actors, producers, camera people, and viewer are all of legal age and have consented to be part of the porn operation. (Don't know if it's against the law for a minor to view porn, but I don't think so.)

Unfortunately, porn is often accused of treating women as objects. Granted there is next to no development of the other aspects of women, but the same can be said for the men appearing in porn. They are just as shallowly developed as the women. Yet for the most part women are very commonly depicted as getting as much sexual pleasure, sometimes even more, as are the men. So, is there truly any down side to focusing on one aspect of a person rather than showing a more rounded individual? In answer, I've yet to hear of people complaining that we only get to see one side of musicians when they perform. That we treat them as mere objects of aural pleasure. So I view the "woman as sexual objects in porn complaint" as a phony holdover from the womens lib movement---something I do support, btw.

Of course, there are some cautionary aspects to porn that need to be kept in mind. First of all, almost all porn is acting. Some of the activities depicted are rarely done in real life, and many of the reactions are terribly phony, so one shouldn't expect the same activities and responses in ones own life. That said, more and more online porn is made by amateurs, some even married to each other, and who often seem to exhibit more genuine reactions. Then there are the unsafe activities one has to be aware of. As mentioned in the video, putting a penis in the anus and then into the vagina (or mouth) is unsafe.

So, when I ask what's wrong with pornography I'm not including any porn that not entirely legal and consensual. If you don't like what you see, do as you would with any other such thing. don't watch it. But don't condemn it simply because it's not up your moral standards.


Now, if you still feel pornography as I've described it is wrong, I can only ask, What?

.

A lot of girls are forced into prostitution and pornography.
If you are good with supporting slavery, go ahead.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Which mental disorders?

Addiction to pornography is not currently officially recognized as a "mental disorder", because "when the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was being drafted, experts considered a proposed diagnostic addiction called hypersexual disorder, which also included a pornography subtype. But in the end, reviewers determined that there wasn't enough evidence to include hypersexual disorder or its subtypes in the 2013 edition."
Reference: Weir, Kirsten (April 2014). "Is pornography addictive?". Monitor on Psychology. Washington, D.C. 45 (4): 46. ISSN 1529-4978. OCLC 612512821. Archived from the original on 2014-04-05.

"The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes a new section for behavioral addictions, but includes only one disorder: pathological gambling. One other behavioral addiction, internet gaming disorder, appears in the conditions proposed for further study in DSM-5. Psychiatrists cited a lack of research support for refusing to include other behavioral disorders at this time."

Reference:

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. pp. 481, 797–798. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8. In addition to the substance-related disorders, this chapter also includes gambling disorder, reflecting evidence that gambling behaviors activate reward systems similar to those activated by drugs of abuse and produce some behavioral symptoms that appear comparable to those produced by the substance use disorders. Other excessive behavioral patterns, such as Internet gaming, have also been described, but the research on these and other behavioral syndromes is less clear. Thus, groups of repetitive behaviors, which some term behavioral addictions, with such subcategories as "sex addiction," "exercise addiction," or "shopping addiction," are not included because at this time there is insufficient peer-reviewed evidence to establish the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions needed to identify these behaviors as mental disorders. ... Excessive use of the Internet not involving playing of online games (e.g., excessive use of social media, such as Facebook; viewing pornography online) is not considered analogous to Internet gaming disorder, and future research on other excessive uses of the Internet would need to follow similar guidelines as suggested herein. Excessive gambling online may qualify for a separate diagnosis of gambling disorder.."

"A number of studies have found neurological markers of addiction in internet porn users,..."

Reference:

Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"...which is consistent with a large body of research finding similar markers in other kinds of problematic internet users."

References:

Brand, Matthias; Young, Kimberly S.; Laier, Christian; Wölfling, Klaus; Potenza, Marc N. (2016-12-01). "Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 71: 252–266. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033.

Kühn, S.; Gallinat, J. (2016-01-01). Peterson, Natalie M. Zahr and Eric T., ed. International Review of Neurobiology. Imaging the Addicted Brain. 129. Academic Press. pp. 67–83.


Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"The International Classification of Disorders 11 (ICD-11) rejected "pornography addiction". Specifically, the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote: "Based on the limited current data, it would therefore seem premature to include [pornography viewing] in ICD-11."

Reference:

Grant, J. (2014). "Impulse control disorders and "behavioural addictions" in the ICD‐11". World Psychiatry. 13: 125–127.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
A lot of girls are forced into prostitution and pornography.
If you are good with supporting slavery, go ahead.

Watching pictures or video of nude girls, who are under the age of 18 and who are posed in sexually explicit or compromising positions, is illegal. So then, I'd highly urge Skwim or anybody else to stay away from child pornography.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Addiction to pornography is not currently officially recognized as a "mental disorder", because "when the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was being drafted, experts considered a proposed diagnostic addiction called hypersexual disorder, which also included a pornography subtype. But in the end, reviewers determined that there wasn't enough evidence to include hypersexual disorder or its subtypes in the 2013 edition."
Reference: Weir, Kirsten (April 2014). "Is pornography addictive?". Monitor on Psychology. Washington, D.C. 45 (4): 46. ISSN 1529-4978. OCLC 612512821. Archived from the original on 2014-04-05.

"The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes a new section for behavioral addictions, but includes only one disorder: pathological gambling. One other behavioral addiction, internet gaming disorder, appears in the conditions proposed for further study in DSM-5. Psychiatrists cited a lack of research support for refusing to include other behavioral disorders at this time."

Reference:

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. pp. 481, 797–798. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8. In addition to the substance-related disorders, this chapter also includes gambling disorder, reflecting evidence that gambling behaviors activate reward systems similar to those activated by drugs of abuse and produce some behavioral symptoms that appear comparable to those produced by the substance use disorders. Other excessive behavioral patterns, such as Internet gaming, have also been described, but the research on these and other behavioral syndromes is less clear. Thus, groups of repetitive behaviors, which some term behavioral addictions, with such subcategories as "sex addiction," "exercise addiction," or "shopping addiction," are not included because at this time there is insufficient peer-reviewed evidence to establish the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions needed to identify these behaviors as mental disorders. ... Excessive use of the Internet not involving playing of online games (e.g., excessive use of social media, such as Facebook; viewing pornography online) is not considered analogous to Internet gaming disorder, and future research on other excessive uses of the Internet would need to follow similar guidelines as suggested herein. Excessive gambling online may qualify for a separate diagnosis of gambling disorder.."

"A number of studies have found neurological markers of addiction in internet porn users,..."

Reference:

Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"...which is consistent with a large body of research finding similar markers in other kinds of problematic internet users."

References:

Brand, Matthias; Young, Kimberly S.; Laier, Christian; Wölfling, Klaus; Potenza, Marc N. (2016-12-01). "Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 71: 252–266. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033.

Kühn, S.; Gallinat, J. (2016-01-01). Peterson, Natalie M. Zahr and Eric T., ed. International Review of Neurobiology. Imaging the Addicted Brain. 129. Academic Press. pp. 67–83.


Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"The International Classification of Disorders 11 (ICD-11) rejected "pornography addiction". Specifically, the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote: "Based on the limited current data, it would therefore seem premature to include [pornography viewing] in ICD-11."

Reference:

Grant, J. (2014). "Impulse control disorders and "behavioural addictions" in the ICD‐11". World Psychiatry. 13: 125–127.

Hmmm...it seems that this is more pointing to it *not* being an issue in the way online gambling is, for example. To the extent that they *don't* classify it as a mental disorder.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Watching pictures or video of nude girls, who are under the age of 18 and who are posed in sexually explicit or compromising positions, is illegal. So then, I'd highly urge Skwim or anybody else to stay away from child pornography.

Agreed. And what about adult women posing nude? As *everyone*, including the woman in the video has pointed out, we are talking about *consensual* pornography, which does NOT include children (for example).
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Agreed. And what about adult women posing nude? As *everyone*, including the woman in the video has pointed out, we are talking about *consensual* pornography, which does NOT include children (for example).

When Audie used the term "girls", I thought she might have been referring to females who'd be under the age of 18; that's based on how I define the word "girls". I refer to females, who are older than 18, as ladies.
 

David T

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Addiction to pornography is not currently officially recognized as a "mental disorder", because "when the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was being drafted, experts considered a proposed diagnostic addiction called hypersexual disorder, which also included a pornography subtype. But in the end, reviewers determined that there wasn't enough evidence to include hypersexual disorder or its subtypes in the 2013 edition."
Reference: Weir, Kirsten (April 2014). "Is pornography addictive?". Monitor on Psychology. Washington, D.C. 45 (4): 46. ISSN 1529-4978. OCLC 612512821. Archived from the original on 2014-04-05.

"The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes a new section for behavioral addictions, but includes only one disorder: pathological gambling. One other behavioral addiction, internet gaming disorder, appears in the conditions proposed for further study in DSM-5. Psychiatrists cited a lack of research support for refusing to include other behavioral disorders at this time."

Reference:

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. pp. 481, 797–798. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8. In addition to the substance-related disorders, this chapter also includes gambling disorder, reflecting evidence that gambling behaviors activate reward systems similar to those activated by drugs of abuse and produce some behavioral symptoms that appear comparable to those produced by the substance use disorders. Other excessive behavioral patterns, such as Internet gaming, have also been described, but the research on these and other behavioral syndromes is less clear. Thus, groups of repetitive behaviors, which some term behavioral addictions, with such subcategories as "sex addiction," "exercise addiction," or "shopping addiction," are not included because at this time there is insufficient peer-reviewed evidence to establish the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions needed to identify these behaviors as mental disorders. ... Excessive use of the Internet not involving playing of online games (e.g., excessive use of social media, such as Facebook; viewing pornography online) is not considered analogous to Internet gaming disorder, and future research on other excessive uses of the Internet would need to follow similar guidelines as suggested herein. Excessive gambling online may qualify for a separate diagnosis of gambling disorder.."

"A number of studies have found neurological markers of addiction in internet porn users,..."

Reference:

Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"...which is consistent with a large body of research finding similar markers in other kinds of problematic internet users."

References:

Brand, Matthias; Young, Kimberly S.; Laier, Christian; Wölfling, Klaus; Potenza, Marc N. (2016-12-01). "Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 71: 252–266. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033.

Kühn, S.; Gallinat, J. (2016-01-01). Peterson, Natalie M. Zahr and Eric T., ed. International Review of Neurobiology. Imaging the Addicted Brain. 129. Academic Press. pp. 67–83.


Kraus, Shane W; Voon, Valerie; Potenza, Marc N (2015-09-22). "Neurobiology of Compulsive Sexual Behavior: Emerging Science". Neuropsychopharmacology. 41 (1): 385–386. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.300. ISSN 0893-133X. PMC 4677151. PMID 26657963.

"The International Classification of Disorders 11 (ICD-11) rejected "pornography addiction". Specifically, the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote: "Based on the limited current data, it would therefore seem premature to include [pornography viewing] in ICD-11."

Reference:

Grant, J. (2014). "Impulse control disorders and "behavioural addictions" in the ICD‐11". World Psychiatry. 13: 125–127.
Oh the same publication that deemed homosexuality as a mental disorder until the 1974!!!!! You do know the DSM its a bit of hocus pocus by pretty clueless group of half wits right? Or did they suddenly get brillant with dsm 4?
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
A lot of girls are forced into prostitution and pornography.
If you are good with supporting slavery, go ahead.


Fortunately, today this is a very small part of the porn industry. Stay with reputable pornographers who get consent and maintain decent working conditions. Again, the video is good on pointing this out.
 
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