Is Porn Dangerous?

Okay, so we all know how common pornography is on the Internet.
It's practically everywhere you turn.

Now, porn isn't something I've ever looked into very far...it was mostly background noise.
At times pornography was something to laugh at between a few teenagers, like myself, growing up in an interesting environment, so what do I know about porn? Maybe I'm missing the romance in it...but I kindly doubt it.
I would never have thought about how dangerous pornography could be to human morals and standards till I did some research.

This is not meant to offend regular porn users.
Grown men and women may do whatever they want for that same reason; they're grown. So I couldn't care less as long they keep it to themselves and don't act on it.
This is more geared towards the immature and addicted.

For those people, it is the most dangerous.
I'm just pointing out some awful flaws and I will much appreciate your opinion at the end.
Now, whether you have an addiction to it or not, this is good to analyze:
It has become obvious that porn has affected several parts of the world and is way too over rated.
But it's harmless, right?
I don't know, let's think about this:

Kids, still in mental development, are bringing their sexual confusion to all new lengths.
Porn makes people look at their partners differently and over time, porn takes out any possible romance or sensitivity throughout the act. It's bound to wear off on a few people eventually, especially the kids. Growing up, what you are surrounded with is a big part of shaping your character.
There are different scenarios in porn, different things meant for "harmless fun" while rape in America has shot up over the years. As has the population, so it might be hard to blame it on porn...but let's face it, you know that there are sick people, gullible people who really want to act on what they saw in a movie.

Yes, I'm implying that pornography is a large problem in poisoning minds.
It may not be the cause of all rape, and it may not cause every person to rape someone, but let's keep reading on. There is, indeed, a problem with it.
Now, let's just sit and think for a second...
not only is there porn to encourage this, but there are several things in modern culture to encourage insensitivity towards women, towards sex, such as music videos, lyrics...which are as common and easy to get as pornography,
but I'm going to put my money on pornography being the biggest part of this ongoing terror in the world.

PLEASE READ ON:

In the United States, 1.3 women are raped every minute. That results in 78 rapes each hour, 1872 rapes each day, 56160 rapes each month, and 683,280 rapes each year.

1 out of every 3 American women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
The United States has the world's highest rape rate of the countries that publish such statistics. It's 4 times higher than Germany, 13 times higher than England, and 20 times higher than Japan.
1 in 7 women will be raped by her husband.
83% of rape cases are ages 24 or under.

1 in 4 college women have either been raped or suffered attempted rape.
1 in 12 males students surveyed had committed acts that met the legal definition of rape. Furthermore, 84% of the men who had committed such acts said what they had done was definitely not rape.
75% of male students and 55% of female students involved in acquaintance rape had been drinking or using drugs.
Only 16% of rapes are ever reported to the police.

These are kids, kids getting raped, kids raping other kids, babies.
Obviously this is not healthy. There is a cause, and it isn't just over population(although I wouldn't mind the world being nuked and taking care of all of us and the entire population problem), pornography poses a very big threat.

I don't know about you, but I'm sickened and angry from this.
Please feel free to express your own disgust or happiness from this.
Share some information with me, if you'd like(for instance, how much money pornography pulls in).
Your opinion matters and it is what could change the world.


If you would like to read about a few other studies, here are some links to a couple authors:
www.pamelapaul.com...

blog.beliefnet.com...

To each their own.. Personally never understood the appeal of it... The problems seem to arise when the religious nuts start forcing their morality on everyone else...

reply to post by Expat888


So you're saying the religious nuts caused porn to cause poisoned minds?
I'm not following you.

Your confusing porn with rape. Rape is an act of violence. Porn is good clean sex.

Doesn't matter what the porn is, it doesn't increase violence. Only violent acts increase violence.

Pornography is neither good nor bad. Just like a gun or a Bible are neither good or bad. Pornography can be very useful in a number of ways. How do young people learn the mechanics of sex? Most likely not from their parents. So pornography serves an very important educational function. It may also help young people recognize and define their own sexuality. Some studies have argued that pornography keeps the most dangerous deviants safely at home, rather than prowling the streets looking for victims.

The same thing can be said for anything that creates stimulation. It's what people do with it that matters. Some people are stimulated mentally and even physically by the Bible. They're driven to do all kinds of things as a result. It could be bake cookies, or collect clothing for the poor. It could be to lock themselves away and beat themselves with whips. Or it could be to go to the local gay bar and bash somebody's head in.

Pornography, the Bible, a gun, whatever. It's people and their crazy ways who are dangerous.

I find porn "problemmatic" for several reasons:

First, let me state that I have nothing whatsoever against any adult's personal decision to view legal porn. It really doesn't bother me and its none of my business. I am also not sure about the OP's idea of porn as leading to violence. Might it not also be a release for ugly instincts that might otherwise get out of hand? I can't say either way but just a thought. Nevertheless, consider the following:

1) In many cases the people on the film are not there by consent, or they have been forced into desperate situations by substance abuse, psychological problems, etc. There is certainly porn that is made by consenting adults, and this is fine as far as I'm concerned, but when you are taking advantage of mentally unstable or desperate people, it is unethical. And consumers feed the demand, so they cannot be absolved based on being mere spectators.

2) I feel that there are several personally "psychospiritually unhealthy" aspects to compulsive porn use. Now, I'm not parsing this as a "sin" or "immoral" -- that's not what I mean. Its more like a matter good mental/spiritual health...to me, porn seems a little like "junk food" while real sex with a loving human partner is a "healthy meal." One way of thinking of it: When you have actual sex with a real person, nerves are stimulated all along the body, sweat is exchanged with various hormones that cause bonding, and you bond neurologically with your partner through eye-contact, psychological exchange, etc. All of this depth is missing in porn. There are more spiritual ways to phrase this but I'll stick with a straightfoward psychological/somatic frame of reference because the result is the same. It is a substitute that keeps some people from pursuing a much richer and more rewarding reality of engagement with a real human. Now, if people want to make that choice, fine, that's their choice.

Porn like any other media can be safe and dangerous. Porn while on its own isn't really anything all that harmful depending on what degree it is. An example would be say a Playboy vs. middle aged gangbangers magazines. Playboy tends to take a more artistic approach to their layouts. The films are the same way the softcore porn on cinemax is a bit different than hardcore porn at your local porn mart. One of the things that amazes me is that people do fail to realize how much media does shape your minds and thoughts. Watch some Springer or Maury for a year or two and then look at how your viewpoints have changed, how easy it is to think that everyone is lying and cheating on their significant others. Or maybe you look at your pregnant wife and wonder if maybe just maybe you should have a DNA test done just to be safe.

It is all perfectly safe to view and if it isn't your brand of entertainment your always free to turn it off. But don't lie to yourself and say it hasn't made an impact at all. Everything you subject yourself to, while you may not agree with it at first has this way of getting filed away and as the file gets bigger the more it starts to appear in your thoughts. The more it is in your thoughts the more twisted and outragous it needs to be to satisfy your craving for it.We have to be ever vigilant to what we take in and process, and strive to understand why it is it appeals to you.

Porn can be dangerous to a relationship for several reasons. It can make you feel physically inadequate yourself. it can make your spouse feel inadequate physically. It can change your view of her if she doesn't perform up to standards. It can change her perception of your adequacy.

But on the other hand in limited doses it can be a fun and stimulating activity. If you communicate to each other how you felt while indulging in it.

Originally posted by hinky
Your confusing porn with rape. Rape is an act of violence. Porn is good clean sex.

Doesn't matter what the porn is, it doesn't increase violence. Only violent acts increase violence.

Uhh..no, not really. I think you didn't read enough of it. The point of the topic is to point out that pornography is unhealthy and is very influential on our only world.

And rape statistics have even gone up since then. That's the point...that porn could be encouraging it.

I want your opinions, but I also want you to know what it is that I posted.

Originally posted by LimbicSystem

Originally posted by hinky
Your confusing porn with rape. Rape is an act of violence. Porn is good clean sex.

Doesn't matter what the porn is, it doesn't increase violence. Only violent acts increase violence.

Uhh..no, not really. I think you didn't read enough of it. The point of the topic is to point out that pornography is unhealthy and is very influential on our only world.

And rape statistics have even gone up since then. That's the point...that porn could be encouraging it.

I want your opinions, but I also want you to know what it is that I posted.

Can you please provide the statistics to show that rape has gone up since porn has come into existance. Rape has been around since the begining of time - so I would like to see the facts and figures on this.

reply to post by LimbicSystem

How is it unhealthy ?
I don't get it.

Originally posted by silent thunder
1) In many cases the people on the film are not there by consent, or they have been forced into desperate situations by substance abuse, psychological problems, etc.

Maybe. But you could say that about people working hazardous jobs cleaning up toxic waste, or working in a fast food place, or marrying somebody who is abusive but supportive. People get desperate and do what they can.

2) I feel that there are several personally "psychospiritually unhealthy" aspects to compulsive porn use.

It's not good to be compulsive about anything. People can collect too many damned stuffed animals. Or become infatuated with somebody they'll never be able to have a good relationship with. There are lots of different things in life that are psychospiritually unhealthy.

The question is, are you going to feel responsible for other people making choices? And if you are, which people are you going to do that with? Because people make all kinds of bad choices that result in bad things happening to them personally and to others. And if you're going to make yourself responsible, then you're going to have a very heavy load to carry. From everybody who watches porn, to every kid who doesn't study enough to get into college, to every college student who picks the wrong program, to everybody who falls in love and marries somebody they shouldn't, and on and on and on.

Good luck with that. But count me out. I have a hard enough time deciding what I'm supposed to do, much less guide a lot of other stupid people.

Are 2 or 3 Wild Turkeys of an afternoon dangerous?
No
What about a bottle of Wild Turkey?
Yes you'll pay for that.

Everything in moderation.

Cant say Im a fan of the German urinating and defecating on each other videos nor sex with animals
or dwarves and the production of Child Pornography should be a minimum non-parole period of say 10 years.

reply to post by Blue Shift


Alright, I don't mean to treat someone's opinion this way, but you're terribly wrong.
You actually believe that it's a good thing for kids to watch porn? And that it helps the learn the mechanics? LOL

Keeps them off the streets? So them sitting off in their rooms, masturbating is a good alternative to being outside?

I think that's going a little too far.

See what you can find on the psychology behind this and the way it damages mental growth. It doesn't cause sexual clarity...porn is a very confused sport, if you will.
Go and see what you can find out about just what faked, insensitive, raw sex can do to someone after a while.


I need a few off the wall, opposite responses for people people to analyze properly, so in a way, I don't mind your interesting post.
But again, I remind you that this is not attacking porn addicts.

reply to post by Jovi1


Yeah...uhh, well I agree that it has a huge impact on people.
I'm not really going to "indulge" in watching pretend sex with my spouse.

I'll leave that one for someone who really needs it.

Thank you.

reply to post by silent thunder


Thank you,

you used basic psychology there and also sugar coated it enough to not be offensive.
I just hope that people realize that we aren't talking about a race or a sexual orientation....
so I guess if anyone is offended by this, they were just looking for something to bicker about.

reply to post by anglodemonicmatrix


How about the defacing ones?
Big nasty mess.
Sort of appears to symbolize destroying something pretty. A lot of men have the want to destroy something because it is pretty.

It can grow and grow.

You make a lot of sense in your comprehensive wording, but I think healthy moderation applies to foods and drinks, not so much porn.

Rape HAS gone up, and yes, not every porn addict is a rapist, but you can bet that rape hasn't gone up for no reason.
Maybe you, yourself are harmless when you do your thing, but it does do something to your mind over a period of time.
Maybe you'll end up taking your fantasy only as far as cheating on your spouse...and then no one would be harmed.
Whatever the person's situation, porn is a problem.

The authors I linked you to actually explain it more thorough than I do.

Originally posted by LimbicSystem
reply to post by Blue Shift

 

Alright, I don't mean to treat someone's opinion this way, but you're terribly wrong.
You actually believe that it's a good thing for kids to watch porn? And that it helps the learn the mechanics? LOL

You don't think it's necessary for people to be educated to a point where they can have a good, satisfying sexual relationship with a spouse? Where do you think people should get the information they need? From romance novels? Government pamphlets? The Bible? At some point, kids become adults, and they need to know things.

Keeps them off the streets? So them sitting off in their rooms, masturbating is a good alternative to being outside?

It's a difficult thing to quantify because if somebody's staying inside, they're not adding to the statistics. But, yes, don't you think it's a better alternative?

See what you can find on the psychology behind this and the way it damages mental growth. It doesn't cause sexual clarity...porn is a very confused sport, if you will. Go and see what you can find out about just what faked, insensitive, raw sex can do to someone after a while.

I actually have a degree in Sociology, so believe me, I know a thing or two about human sexuality and how pornography fits into the mix. I know that a lot of people, as a result of their upbringing, have problems looking at it rationally. I don't know you personally, but I suspect that might be true in your case.

I need a few off the wall, opposite responses for people to analyze properly, so in a way, I don't mind your interesting post. But again, I remind you that this is not attacking porn addicts.

I suggest you study the real scientific literature, and not the propaganda. Pornography is about physiological arousal. But arousal by itself is not a bad thing. It's what people do with it that counts. Pornography has been around since hominids first drew a pair of boobs in the ground with a stick. It is what it is, and people are what they are. Whatever value judgments you choose to make about it are coming from inside your own head, nowhere else.

reply to post by LimbicSystem

My exposure to porn has generally been after a football game or such with a few friends and pizza and beer more of a male bonding experience not gawking by myself,I can take it or leave it but the authors at the link are right there are many that develop major problems from it.As for using a credit card to look at porn Id rather use it on the real deal at the local girlie bar.

Porn can make you gay.

Excessive straight porn could in theory turn someone gay, based on simple archetypal associations. The culprit is the classic "money shot", which almost all pornos end with. The target receiving the money shot varies, be it the breasts, face, mouth, boobs, back, butt, ect. The point I'm trying to make is that the female parts at this moment of maximum stimulation become little more than variables, whereas the only constant is the male member ejaculating.

That constant makes a stronger and more persistent association in the mind than the variables do, and someone could conceivably rewire their brains to become excited by the male parts rather than the female ones.

Just a theory I have.

Originally posted by greeneyedleo

Originally posted by LimbicSystem

Originally posted by hinky
Your confusing porn with rape. Rape is an act of violence. Porn is good clean sex.

Doesn't matter what the porn is, it doesn't increase violence. Only violent acts increase violence.

Uhh..no, not really. I think you didn't read enough of it. The point of the topic is to point out that pornography is unhealthy and is very influential on our only world.

And rape statistics have even gone up since then. That's the point...that porn could be encouraging it.

I want your opinions, but I also want you to know what it is that I posted.

Can you please provide the statistics to show that rape has gone up since porn has come into existance. Rape has been around since the begining of time - so I would like to see the facts and figures on this.

Yes, uhh...I put a lot of statistics. Linking them to pornography would be a little more difficult. But thank you for telling me that rape isn't new...That's almost informative in the sense that I now know that people aren't going to really take this the way I portrayed it.

Meh...whatever. It's a discussion. Say what you'd like. It doesn't take long to connect 2 and 2 to get 4.

Whatever provokes one to force them self onto another, whatever drives that, porn helps it, even reenacts it in some cases. Rape is literally a known fetish.

Draw your own conclusion, but again, I'm going to say that I don't care what an adult watches.
Do your thing...