Porn: The New Crack?
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">An interesting article on Wired...</div>preface: I considered whether or not to post this here, but decided to go ahead because well, its Wired for pete's sake. If it can be on the pages of wired's page I don't see how it could be so bad...
There's an interesting article on Wired titled <a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65772,00.html' target='_blank'>Internet Porn: Worse Than Crack?</a> that is well worth a read. It's a little bit scary too when you listen to their arguments.
I know nobody here on these forums would ever download pornography, and not a one of you would have any of the problems they mention. ;)
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"The internet is a perfect drug delivery system because you are anonymous, aroused and have role models for these behaviors," Layden said. "To have drug pumped into your house 24/7, free, and children know how to use it better than grown-ups know how to use it -- it's a perfect delivery system if we want to have a whole generation of young addicts who will never have the drug out of their mind."
Pornography addicts have a more difficult time recovering from their addiction than cocaine addicts, since coke users can get the drug out of their system, but pornographic images stay in the brain forever, Layden said.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether you agree it is a "bad thing" or not, the statement is not inaccurate. Especially the last sentance.
What all do you guys think? Have we finally cross the point of having too much porn?
There's an interesting article on Wired titled <a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65772,00.html' target='_blank'>Internet Porn: Worse Than Crack?</a> that is well worth a read. It's a little bit scary too when you listen to their arguments.
I know nobody here on these forums would ever download pornography, and not a one of you would have any of the problems they mention. ;)
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"The internet is a perfect drug delivery system because you are anonymous, aroused and have role models for these behaviors," Layden said. "To have drug pumped into your house 24/7, free, and children know how to use it better than grown-ups know how to use it -- it's a perfect delivery system if we want to have a whole generation of young addicts who will never have the drug out of their mind."
Pornography addicts have a more difficult time recovering from their addiction than cocaine addicts, since coke users can get the drug out of their system, but pornographic images stay in the brain forever, Layden said.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether you agree it is a "bad thing" or not, the statement is not inaccurate. Especially the last sentance.
What all do you guys think? Have we finally cross the point of having too much porn?
Comments
I just couldn't help but laugh when I read this. This applies to any other form of sexual harrasment or rape. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
NEVVVVVAAAARRRRRR!!!!
To be honest, I think people blow the problems created by pornography way out of proportion. I think a much healthier attitude would consist of being more open with our sexual natures.
As an example of this, I'd like to point to the Dutch culture. When I lived in Holland, the central bus depot had a 40-foot sign with a topless woman on it. That may or may not be earth-shattering, but it reflects the Dutch attitude to sex: it's a natural and beautiful thing. And you know what? The dutch were and are some of the nicest people I have ever met in any culture, anywhere. They aren't all porn freaks, or lust-driven animals ,etc. etc.... - they are like anybody else (just nicer).
They also have a similar policy on drugs - and they have some of the lowest addiction rates in the civilized world for drugs like marijuana. (Another little known fact is that they have stiffer penalties for harder drugs like heroin than the good old USA.)
And here is what I have learnt from my own evil. Perhaps I am unique in my depravity, but I'm going to assume it works this way for everyone. My first experiences were with accidental stumblings upon various sites. Initial revulsion eventually turned, after several such accidents, to curiosity and sexual excitement. The first concious decision to visit a site involved basic skin - but very quickly upgraded to more the more hardcore. But like any addiction, the thrill pales, and you start looking for variety to maintain the feeling. I wont inflict on you the details of where it went from there - but it graduated to unspeakable interests.
About a year after I began my moral decay, I read a study that pretty much confirmed that few people just start out with deviant sexual desires - they start out with soft core porn, then move up the chain, with pedophelia being the last level. The researchers feared that once having exhausted all possible excitement available via web based material, they would start looking for physical manifestations.... etc....
This kind of thing festers, it grows, and before you know it you are considering things that would have previously had you hurling your lunch into the gutter. I dont not trust myself as far as I can pull myself up by my own boot straps (which is zero), and I do not trust this man, especially with the minds children.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Three steps ahead of these wired kids - that was my little confession from a while ago. And it doesnt leave you alone, ever. You stop using it, and its like a pressure cooker. The longer you go without it, the more you want it. With crack, eventually you can get it out of your system, but there will always be enough in mine for me to want it like crazy. I'm a sick bastard, and there is absolutely no way out - and unless you are a conservative Christian like me, you probably arent going to recognise how horrific that feels.
Personally, I've never looked at porn or seen anything like it [honest, mum], but it would be interesting to know if a teenager not exposed to pornography is more or less sexually.. rampant [I couldn't think of a more appropriate word, sorry <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->] than someone who has grown up around porn and knows exactly what it is and what it means.
NEVVVVVAAAARRRRRR!!!!
To be honest, I think people blow the problems created by pornography way out of proportion. I think a much healthier attitude would consist of being more open with our sexual natures.
As an example of this, I'd like to point to the Dutch culture. When I lived in Holland, the central bus depot had a 40-foot sign with a topless woman on it. That may or may not be earth-shattering, but it reflects the Dutch attitude to sex: it's a natural and beautiful thing. And you know what? The dutch were and are some of the nicest people I have ever met in any culture, anywhere. They aren't all porn freaks, or lust-driven animals ,etc. etc.... - they are like anybody else (just nicer).
They also have a similar policy on drugs - and they have some of the lowest addiction rates in the civilized world for drugs like marijuana. (Another little known fact is that they have stiffer penalties for harder drugs like heroin than the good old USA.) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's interesting that you mention the dutch as an example... I've been going out of my way to avoid that issue altogether, since the whole thing isn't really something that interests me, but alot of experts and people who think they know what they are talking about have many nasty things to say about present day Holland and it's culture...
Don't expect me to quote anyone since like I say, I personally considered the issues of the dutch to be one of the least relevent things to my life I could have studied, but I just want to throw out the fact that they have thier critics too.
"RACIAL EQUALITY? BUT I DONT WANT THOSE DIRTY -racial slurs- LIVING IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD AND MIXING WITH MY PURE BLOOD!!"
Care to elaborate on the Dutch criticism, Swiftspear? Or is it just religious types moaning on about social depravity and whatnot?
"RACIAL EQUALITY? BUT I DONT WANT THOSE DIRTY -racial slurs- LIVING IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD AND MIXING WITH MY PURE BLOOD!!"
Care to elaborate on the Dutch criticism, Swiftspear? Or is it just religious types moaning on about social depravity and whatnot? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Quite possible, but I didn't acctually attend the lecture so I can't say for sure...
I only really am reminded of the issue because my university ran a lecture last simeister called "the decay of dutch society" which mentioned several of the libralities of dutch culture in the description...
And here is what I have learnt from my own evil. Perhaps I am unique in my depravity, but I'm going to assume it works this way for everyone. My first experiences were with accidental stumblings upon various sites. Initial revulsion eventually turned, after several such accidents, to curiosity and sexual excitement. The first concious decision to visit a site involved basic skin - but very quickly upgraded to more the more hardcore. But like any addiction, the thrill pales, and you start looking for variety to maintain the feeling. I wont inflict on you the details of where it went from there - but it graduated to unspeakable interests.
About a year after I began my moral decay, I read a study that pretty much confirmed that few people just start out with deviant sexual desires - they start out with soft core porn, then move up the chain, with pedophelia being the last level. The researchers feared that once having exhausted all possible excitement available via web based material, they would start looking for physical manifestations.... etc....
This kind of thing festers, it grows, and before you know it you are considering things that would have previously had you hurling your lunch into the gutter. I dont not trust myself as far as I can pull myself up by my own boot straps (which is zero), and I do not trust this man, especially with the minds children.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Three steps ahead of these wired kids - that was my little confession from a while ago. And it doesnt leave you alone, ever. You stop using it, and its like a pressure cooker. The longer you go without it, the more you want it. With crack, eventually you can get it out of your system, but there will always be enough in mine for me to want it like crazy. I'm a sick bastard, and there is absolutely no way out - and unless you are a conservative Christian like me, you probably arent going to recognise how horrific that feels. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You posted that in the <a href='http://s4.invisionfree.com/Final_Hope_Faith/index.php?act=idx' target='_blank'>FHF</a> forums monthes ago... I remember disagreeing with that sentiment back then.
I still don't really agree with the whole "cycle of pornography" thing, but alot of what you say about the addiction itself runs very very true... From personal experiance, one of the hardest possible things to give up.
You posted that in the <a href='http://s4.invisionfree.com/Final_Hope_Faith/index.php?act=idx' target='_blank'>FHF</a> forums monthes ago... I remember disagreeing with that sentiment back then.
I still don't really agree with the whole "cycle of pornography" thing, but alot of what you say about the addiction itself runs very very true... From personal experiance, one of the hardest possible things to give up. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Phwoar - I'd completely forgotten about those forums. I should go back and see what advice I got <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> Thanks swift
Personally, I've never looked at porn or seen anything like it [honest, mum], but it would be interesting to know if a teenager not exposed to pornography is more or less sexually.. rampant [I couldn't think of a more appropriate word, sorry <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->] than someone who has grown up around porn and knows exactly what it is and what it means. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sexually rampant?? I think it's the other way, why the hell do they look at it in the first place <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'm hoping thats sarcasm. If its not, then I'm going to have to ask this: Because I look at porn, I will become incapable of truely loving a (wo)man?
That doesn't make any sense. Its pornography. I know its just images. Pornography is no more than normal sexual fantasies but with better graphics. I'm a hopeless romantic, but I also look at porn. Why? Because I know that there is a difference between romantic sex and purely physical sex.
Now, I'm going to argue that pornography does not make someone immoral. Of course, that kind of depends on your opinion of what is and isn't moral. If bisexuality and a budding interest in BDSM is immoral to you, then I can't make that arguement. If you, however, choose to acknoweledge that those are simply parts of human sexaulity that are not necessarily shared by all people, then there isn't really a problem there.
i saw my first 'porn image' (aka popup/picture) at the age of 12... on the computer that sits directally behind me. i was strongly mormon at the time and prayed and repented like the good little christian boy. it wasn't as traumatizing as people said it was.
In time (like 30 mins) i had forgotten about the details of the image, all i knew is that some naked lady was on my screen, and i had closed it.
flash forward to today, i have porn on my coputer, and i have an 18+ adult-ONLY sectino on my forums, i see some almost 2/3 times a day, i have become used to seeing porn, it is no longer a big deal to me.
I have been with my G/F for 4 years, we have not had sex, we will not have sex until marrige. my adjustment to porn does not effect our relationship. i do the same things with her that i did with all of my pre-adjustment to porn. (eg, kiss, heavy petting, cuddle, shower with swimsuits on...) More so than we don't have sex, we cover eachother's eyes when there is kissing in a movie. how more respectful can you get?
I have seen child pornography, but i have not gone out of my way to download/keep it. In fact, i notified the website's service provider and noticed that the site was no longer there the next week (it's good to check up on things you want done)
Pornography is there for me, on my system, and on the net (yes, i have memorized some websites that i enjoy) for when i AM horny and need a release. I do not focus on it, and do not require it.
Porn on the internet is a problem, and the only solution i have found for it (for my future children) is lynx, the text based web browser. it's the only way to be 100% sure their eyes are clean.
edit - my real point:
I have a friend, he is even more into porn than i am (if you knew him, you'd understand immediatly)
This friend, has confused Porn, and Real Life... i don't know how or when that line was crossed, but it has been crossed, and will forever ruin his relationships. His case is what all of these people are trying to protect us from.
and now, for a little anecdote regarding drug use and porn:
I remember attending a christian youth group meeting once (god knows why, I'm an bloody atheist, for christ's sake), and some guy got up and gave this ridiculous 15 minute sermon on masturbation, pornography, and how this all ties in with whether we go to heaven or heck or get served by 15 virgins. You could almost imagine some equally ridiculous juxtaposition of head banging, metal clashing, piano slamming, and ghoulish screeching in what might be called "Christian Rock" playing in the background, but as everyone was high on endorphins (i mean their love for the all powerful Lord almighty great art thou in your wholly throne, thou art my ford all righty), no one bothered. So basically this guy that everybody knows does crack and is a member of some local gang called "We Be G" (not homosexually g, i mean g as in metrosexual g, he's christian) starts apologising to the Lord and Moses and Christopher Rock about how he be disrespectin' the bible in recent times, and how white folk be dissin', and after like 10 minutes, he finally tells us what it is that he's been doing that's gonna send him to purgatory for two millenia.
"ben doin' sum ov tat shizzle in the compizzle my bro nizzles, kizzle wizzle dizzle pizzle..."
at this point he fizzled out and started throwing up blizzle (blood mixed with chunks of heroin) and we didn't find out until next week that they'd found a few gigs of kizzle pizzle nizzle (pictures of naked children) on his computer. end of story.
---
sorry, I couldn't help myself. apologies if you found this offensive -- i'm not a bigot, fear not.
---
Porn has always been accessible - the proverbial Playboy that teenage boys find and treasure, no? The internet just made it that much more accessible, easy to store and hide, and a broader range, because the anonymous aspect brought so much more 'underground' porn into play.
If you can't control an addiction to a form of entertainment to the point where you're having problems keeping up with your life, you have a problem. If you can't differentiate between reality and fantasy to the point where you blur the lines, or mimic what you see in media, then you have a problem.
I know there are virgins that watch porn and get a different idea of what sex may be like, but none of them were silly enough to treat women differently because of the porn they'd seen. Granted, there are guys that treat women like sex objects anyway, but they certainly didn't need porn to get to that position.
I'm pretty sure crack damages the mind.
How does porn damage the mind as much as hard drugs? I haven't really seen much porn, so I don't know. I find it hard to believe that normal people will see women as objects due to porn, the same way I find it hard to believe normal people will go mental and kill people after playing Grand Theft Auto or watching an action movie.
I'm more concerned with TV adverts pushing the envelope further and further. Sure, it's not at porn's level and won't be for a long while, but I <i>really, really</i> don't want to see people nude or smooching it up when eating my dinner.
Porn has always been accessible - the proverbial Playboy that teenage boys find and treasure, no? The internet just made it that much more accessible, easy to store and hide, and a broader range, because the anonymous aspect brought so much more 'underground' porn into play.
If you can't control an addiction to a form of entertainment to the point where you're having problems keeping up with your life, you have a problem. If you can't differentiate between reality and fantasy to the point where you blur the lines, or mimic what you see in media, then you have a problem.
I know there are virgins that watch porn and get a different idea of what sex may be like, but none of them were silly enough to treat women differently because of the porn they'd seen. Granted, there are guys that treat women like sex objects anyway, but they certainly didn't need porn to get to that position. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Almost everyone these days starts out with porn before sex... It's just WAY too easy to access...
Is that the way we want to bring up our children in to the world? I don't know, but I think at least some regulation of internet pornography is in order, at very least to ease the minds of parents who don't want thier kinds to be brought up that way.
Currently any kid who is half decent with a computer (which probably means he is alot better then his parents are) can access vast ammounts of free pornography even through most of the internet guards that exist to attempt to combat that type of thing.
I personally love the free internet, and it was tonnes of fun while it lasted, but there comes a point where we are going to have to be able to hold people accountable for thier actions over the internet, or sociaty is at risk.
Epidemic: That really depends on the actors, I think. I've had friends that were in porn, and emotionally they're all doing just fine. On the other hand, I've read about how some girls wind up emotionally scarred and with a horrible self-esteem - so I think it *really* depends on the person and how they view it. I for one consider sex a commodity like anything else, so I don't really see it as such a negative thing.
Is that the way we want to bring up our children in to the world? I don't know, but I think at least some regulation of internet pornography is in order, at very least to ease the minds of parents who don't want thier kinds to be brought up that way.
Currently any kid who is half decent with a computer (which probably means he is alot better then his parents are) can access vast ammounts of free pornography even through most of the internet guards that exist to attempt to combat that type of thing.
I personally love the free internet, and it was tonnes of fun while it lasted, but there comes a point where we are going to have to be able to hold people accountable for thier actions over the internet, or sociaty is at risk. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok, for one thing, ain't no kid gonna gonna find himself lots and lots o' free porn unless he wants to, in which case there's no way you're gonna stop 'em. Kids have always gotten their hands on porn, and hey, a little bit of closeup sex education isn't so bad, you gotta take a look at that stuff closeup sometime before your wedding night, right? And no matter how easy it is for kids to see people doin' it, it's about 3 million times easier for kids to see peopel shooting each other, on tv, in movies etc. Which do you think would be more healthy, watching 2 people have orgasms, or watching someome cause someone else to die.
And also, if porn had any affect on how people viewed sex, then every guy in the world would want to be a pizza delivery guy.
Why is ignorance always seen as the best path? I've seen my share of porn, and, in terms of development, I'm fine. Then again, all the people around me see me as having the mind of a 45 year old and an 85 year old, depending on my mood...
Exactly. My parents were the same way with me - open, honest and not hiding anything. I may view pornography on a regular basis, but I still have the occasional romantic interest, for reasons other than the purely physical. ^_^
Ooo - my B6 has just finished D/Ling. See you consties/PTs on the servers!
<b>1) Which can be considered addictive?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>2) Which gives a generally unrealistic view of the subject matter?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>3) Which has been said to attack morals?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>4) Which has been made widely available and easily used because of the Internet?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>5) Which has been accused of being the reason why some individual(s) performed some taboo act in real life?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>6) Which is said to be too graphic?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>7) Which is said to be destroying our society?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>8) Which can be fun? For you and your friends?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>9) Which industry makes brings in billions of dollars a year?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>10) What should we all partake of?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
Agreed.
I read an interesting essay about this that I think put it pretty well - a lot of the time, media is blamed because adults in society fail to teach their kids the difference between reality and fantasy - the adults don't want to admit that they're at least partially to blame, and slap the responsibility on media. I'm not saying this IS the case, but it's an interesting perspective.
<b>1) Which can be considered addictive?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>2) Which gives a generally unrealistic view of the subject matter?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>3) Which has been said to attack morals?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>4) Which has been made widely available and easily used because of the Internet?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>5) Which has been accused of being the reason why some individual(s) performed some taboo act in real life?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>6) Which is said to be too graphic?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>7) Which is said to be destroying our society?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>8) Which can be fun? For you and your friends?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>9) Which industry makes brings in billions of dollars a year?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above
<b>10) What should we all partake of?</b>
a) Video Games
b) Pornography
c) All of the above <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
1) a
2) a
3) b
4) c
5) b
6) b
7) b
8) a
9) c
10) a