Porn is degrading and obscene
 Obscene and Degrading? |
Well, doh! Of course porn is degrading and obscene, isn't that's the point? But does that make it (a) bad (b) bad enough to ban or censor?
I've spent many years arguing that porn is not necessarily degrading or obscene, but I think I've missed the point. We can argue until hell freezes over, just how degrading and obscene, but I think that the only conclusion we can reach is that we all have a different view of how degrading and obscene.
Sure, people often consider some porn to be artistic, educational, have high production values, etc etc. But for argument sake, let's accept that but since sex brings us all down to the same level of equality, then it sounds reasonable to say that it degrades. And porn is obscene by definition.
The discussion I think we should be having, is: COMPARED to other areas of our lives, how degrading and obscene is porn.
I think we should be consistent in our criticisms, and it shouldn't matter what is degrading and obscene. Degrading and obscene is degrading and obscene.
If someone has too much to drink and throws up, that is degrading. Some people who lose their jobs consider it degrading, and those of them who take up cleaning toilets may find it degrading.
Alcohol and tobacco kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. That is obscene. Secondary effects of both vices kills too (secondary smoking and drink driving accidents). That is obscene in all senses of the word.
So it does seem that we readily tolerate degrading and obscene. And that doesn't mean that we accept it, like it, or don't do anything about it. But we do tolerate it.
So why do we single out pornography as being degrading and obscene? Personally I think it's snobbery: We all like to think that we "make love", rather than "shag". That we are connoisseurs of wines, not alcoholics, and that we can appreciate artistic erotica, and not porn.
A touch of hypocrisy perhaps?
12 Comments:
Maybe unlike the other things you listed, porn's the only one that's both degrading AND obscene.
Quite correct zandperl, though I'm sure we can contrive some other examples that also are both degrading and obscene, and which society tolerates.
I think the point I was trying to make is that degrading and obscene may well be objectionable, but is that reason enough to ban or censor?
A "bad" comedian can be both degrading and obscene with the wrong choice of words, and I expect very funny with it. But once again, we tolerate it.
Look no further than the one phenomenon that takes anything fun or interesting and turns it into something evil - religion.
Sex, Porn, Erotica, Colorful Language, you name it was a part of everyday life until some religious nuts turned it into something bad.
Remmeber porn or anything else wasn't degrading or obscene until someone said it was.
Porn is purely a subjective term.
What's happening in Darfur is obscene.
Being raped is degrading.
Everything else...well it depends.
Well...
I don't know much about porn, but I do know what I like!
I think it is almost a cultural thing...what we consider degrading or obscene by American standards may be considered closer to normal in another culture. And vice versa.
So many things sadly, get lost in interpretation. There are obviously many factors that influence how or whether a certain societal sentiment comes into being. In the US, sex is considered a taboo subject; therefore pornography (which ultimately glorifies sex) is frowned upon. I'd like to know we all got to be so damn uptight about sex in the first place! Was it because of the Victorians? Or the Puritans? Who is responsible for this madness, I implore!!
BTW, I think porn is a wonderful artistic medium. ;)
George Carlin summed it up by saying, "I'd rather have my children watching an adult movie with two people giving each other pleasure than a movie with two people trying to kill each other."
Marie said: I'd like to know we all got to be so damn uptight about sex in the first place! Was it because of the Victorians?
In June I saw an exhibit at the NYC Museum of Sex chronicling the history of the pin-up, and it turns out that Victorians had some remarkably graphic pornographic photography. Keep in mind that the photography technology was at a low level at the time, so that they had to hold the poses for hours.
So what would happen to our culture if all of a sudden pornography, sexuality, and the sheer beauty of the human body were no longer considered obscene or degrading? Would we be labeled heathens? Would we see the collapse of our socio-economical structure? Would volumes of law texts have to be rewritten on the chapters of sexual harrassment? More importantly, would we eventually see the reversal of our evolution and grunt our morning greetings? I think not.
Does acting like animals mean we are animals -- guess what Victorians -- we ARE animals! If any uptight dictators of current "acceptable" acts of discretion would pay attention they would notice that even a very expensive filet mignon is still cooked over an open flame like our chromagnum ancestors, and that pinot noir that is gracefully sipped with pinky out is made from fermenting grapes (a process that has been around for thousands of years).
Besides, many research articles can attest to the tolerance from individuals that are exposed to such stimulus on a continuous basis. For example, the more an individual is exposed to sexually explicit material, the less it ultimately stimulates them. In other words, it's just not a big deal anymore. The same with foul language, alcoholism, and changing the speed limit from 55 to 75.
I've also read arguments that a society that is looser with pornography restrictions sees a higher rate in sex crimes. Folks, lets be real. Crimes are going to be commited -- period! Anyone remember prohibition?
One thing that seems to stay consistent in any culture is its ability to manipulate its ethics and values to conform to current beliefs. We frown on abortion, until a homeless drug addict rapes and our daughters and gets them pregnant. We imprison one for killing another, but call him a hero for killing many in battle. We're intolerant of terrorism; instead we call it a counterstrike.
The human body is a remarkably beautiful thing. From my perspective, the only thing obscene is hiding such a work of art beneath clothing, and the only thing degrading about it is how we suppress its open expression.
So what would happen to our culture if all of a sudden pornography, sexuality, and the sheer beauty of the human body were no longer considered obscene or degrading? Would we be labeled heathens? Would we see the collapse of our socio-economical structure? Would volumes of law texts have to be rewritten on the chapters of sexual harrassment? More importantly, would we eventually see the reversal of our evolution and grunt our morning greetings? I think not.
Does acting like animals mean we are animals -- guess what Victorians -- we ARE animals! If any uptight dictators of current "acceptable" acts of discretion would pay attention they would notice that even a very expensive filet mignon is still cooked over an open flame like our chromagnum ancestors, and that pinot noir that is gracefully sipped with pinky out is made from fermenting grapes (a process that has been around for thousands of years).
Besides, many research articles can attest to the tolerance from individuals that are exposed to such stimulus on a continuous basis. For example, the more an individual is exposed to sexually explicit material, the less it ultimately stimulates them. In other words, it's just not a big deal anymore. The same with foul language, alcoholism, and changing the speed limit from 55 to 75.
I've also read arguments that a society that is looser with pornography restrictions sees a higher rate in sex crimes. Folks, lets be real. Crimes are going to be commited -- period! Anyone remember prohibition?
One thing that seems to stay consistent in any culture is its ability to manipulate its ethics and values to conform to current beliefs. We frown on abortion, until a homeless drug addict rapes and our daughters and gets them pregnant. We imprison one for killing another, but call him a hero for killing many in battle. We're intolerant of terrorism; instead we call it a counterstrike.
The human body is a remarkably beautiful thing. From my perspective, the only thing obscene is hiding such a work of art beneath clothing, and the only thing degrading about it is how we suppress its open expression.
sex is not obscene, in fact what would life be without sex? me and my wife have sex almost everyday she likes it in the pussy and she loves it when i let her suck my penis she is a really horney girl
Hi, good site!
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