Is pornography bad for society and should its sale and distribution be banned?
Porn is sick.
I used to be a porn addict (2 years ago) and I regret it greatly. My mind now has this false image of sex which I am still recovering from. Porn downright degrades women, not to mention how disturbing some of the acts are. I've seen bondage porn where women got raped and put in cages. Yes cages. I've come across pictures of women performing oral sex on dogs. I'd rather not continue. The flashbacks horribly depress me. Porn destroys marriages, self confidence, and encourages sexual crimes. I was lucky enough to get out of this mess. Don't let it ruin your life like it did mine.
Posted by: AnonymousIts lowering the human value of a women and men
Women who do pornography should just stop. They have no moral values and disrespect themselves continuously. They are disgusting and lusting is one of the seven deadly sins. God does not want men or women lusting over the human flesh and just keep in mind that pornography is satans way of overpowering the human mind and body. It is grotesque knowing that people watch and do porn because people shouldnt desire sex. Remember luzbel the angel that fell from heaven was the angel of lust and sexual desire now known as Lucifer or satan.
Posted by: Lilly01Opinion of a recovering porn addict
I am an addict who is trying to recover from porn. I was porn free for 3 months up until this week, and have had difficulty in avoiding it. It has ruined my understanding of what a relationship is like, has affected my current relationship with a beautiful woman, and has caused severe emotional, mental, and physical damage. I am nervous and destructive after watching porn, and use it as a means of escaping my own problems.
Just because people have the freedom to do what they wish doesn't mean that its right. Porn is a means of using people to lure others into lusting after men and women who are doing nothing but pleasing themselves. There is no real skill required in sexual intercourse - anyone can do it, but the fact is that not everybody has the confidence/self-esteem to have sex with whoever they want or wherever they want. People like me watch porn because we avoid being rejected. Secondly, we get to see a sexual act that would normally take time happen instantaneously. However, the women we desire and men we admire treat us as window shoppers. We aren't the ones having sex - they are. Instead we are in a small dark room, secretly masturbating to a woman whose financial difficulties led her to porn, and a man without aspiration having sex with her. We avoid the problems and issues we face because we're scared. The fear of being rejected isn't there. The reality of knowing you're second best is gone, and the fact that you don't have to actually pluck up the courage to develop a meaningful relationship with someone becomes a myth. All that matters is some sex scene with a boozy and drugged up guy and girl, most of whom have devoped mental health problems because of their jobs. At 29, having failed a law degree - even I don't have a probelem picking up rubbish as a steward, but I can't imagine telling my parents I'm a porn star. For me, porn has ruined my development. Picturing myself using it is degrading. It is also emasculating, since the entire time I did it I lost a part of me I can never get back. I hope that those who face the same problems as me realize that they aren't alone, and that the same problems they face about relationships and values isn't lostPosted by: musa.jnrMany of Us Speak From Experience
I first encountered pornography at the age of ten and have been unable usurp its control of my mind since. It has completely altered the way I view women and I often find myself completely objectifying them without considering their intrinsic value. The same can be even be said for relationships/friendships with other males. Pornography is just like any other addictive substance, in that it controls the release of endorphins. Your brain continually wants that instant release and keeps coming back to it and eventually that's all it thinks about. Sex isn't meant to be a drug, its meant to strengthen meaningful relationships. When I get that release of endorphins I don't want it to be from an often drug/alcohol addicted Barbie and Ken on the other end who suffer from mental problems who have socioeconomic problems of their own. I want those endorphins to result from a meaningful interaction with a woman I love and cherish.
Posted by: AnonymousDisgrace to humanity
It is a Disgrace to humanity! Degrading to woman and it is completely backward in an age of supposed equality (gender). Women should be respected and treated as equal to men. Patriarchy is completely socially constructed and could be the other way round! Ban porn it is disgusting and is dangerous.
Posted by: AnonymousIT'S JUST TOO ANIMAL!!
I have heard that porn was made legal to help develop better sexual skills amongst married couples. But it's hell! I think its not only developing the skills amongst needful(if so) couples but even amongst school going kids and teens- is it at all necessary? Triggered by the sex corticoides & androgens (hormones) two lovers gaped by a small column of warm breath naturally learns to shower french kisses,even if they are inhabitants of some distant island never watched the sexy Angelina on TV. Its just filthying the young society. Being a High School pass out i know the taste of present generation-we are rotten beyond adjectives. In fact i was curious about porns and so watched it on my mobile when i was in XII, with a mixed feeling of lust and disgust I kept on drinking it for weeks. It has lowered me morally and mentally i really wanna check. Can this animal business be ever banned?
Posted by: AnonymousPorn is so degrading to human beings, especially women, and it should be banned.
Of course, porn is bad for society. The degradation and objectifying of women as mere sex objects, instead of valuable emotional and intellectual human beings, is wrong. With serial killers, child molesters, rapists, wife beaters, and such, on the rise, our society does not need to provide an easy stimulus for such perpetrators and abusers of innocent people.
Posted by: NettN355It's not real...
Pornography is not real sex. Sexual tension used to be fun at times. We've all been young and felt the electricity when someone touched you for the first time, kissed you for the first time, aroused you for the first time. I am a young woman, and one of my biggest complaints is that it seems men do not want to take the time to even get a woman aroused (mentally or physically). They have this idea that the awkward poses shown in pornography (meant to get a view for the camera) is how women want to have sex. Get a woman, listen to her, explore her, and find out what we really want. I honestly find real sex between real couples much more of a turn on than the fake sounds and scenes of pornography.
Posted by: AnonymousPorn should not be so easily available
Look at the facts people!!! It is so scary that our society has allowed the porn industry to become so available!! Anyone who owns a phone or a computer can look at this junk no matter what their age! It makes husbands not want be intimate with their wives and it makes women look so superficial. It is a sin for men and women to lust over this smut! There should be a bigger protection set to who is allowed to watch it and there should be a warning on the facts of damage and destruction that it brings. This is a huge addiction that does nothing but destroy peoples lives and up the crime rate.
Posted by: AnonymousI do believe that pornography is bad for society, and I do think it should be illegal.
Pornography contributes to sexism, racism, and exploitation by desensitizing people to the degradation presented in the movies. It skews what sex is, and the laws on the books in relation to pornography are not enforced. Porn stars are at severe health risks, and many performers are beaten and abused on set. This is all very bad for society, and while I believe it should be illegal as is, because it exploits people, I don't think that banning it will solve the problem. The key to stopping porn's affect is to cease the demand. We must address the society which encourages men to view women in this way, and for women and men to both accept it as human nature, as opposed to exploitation on the part of participants and consumers by directors and higher ups only interested in making money.
Posted by: XglossyWyndIt should be banned
It ruins lives and corrupts the adolescents and adults minds. Like explained in the description pornography gives the wrong idea of sex. The adult videos and magazines make something beautiful that should be shared with a love one to a shady and vile act. It also too easy to access children are already learning about the wrong ideas of sex at a young enough age without the help of pornography. It's just making their innocence disappear and a much faster rate
Posted by: david102394Pornography should be banned because it often depicts violence against women and leads to a callousness in men towards women.
Pornography often shows violence against women, the situations are often totally ridiculous and non-realistic, and it devalues women overall by treating them as possessions rather than equal people. Women have not reached a true equality with men in our society and anything that depicts them as objects rather than smart, thinking people should be banned.
Posted by: Nik0InteriorIf you have a daughter... ?
thing of this Man, if you have a daughter, do you want your daughter to grew in society where women are viwewed as mere sex object and the mens only sees women from their physical appearance instead of their intelligence and well being ?
Do you want your daughter to be a porn star or prostitutes ?Posted by: AnonymousInternet is information highway, Not Nude-Way !
It's bad because internet is information highway and you do not have nude people on a freeway or highway, nudity and sex should be in your bedroom. At least unpaid porn and unauthenticated porn should be totally banned, why should a user have to protect himself or herself by spending money on Netnanny-like software to ensure that they do not run into nudity accidentally or at the spur of moment.
Posted by: AnonymousPorn is so damaging
Suppose there is no heaven or hell, every individual should know that it is damaging for healthy families and societies. There are so many porn stars that have lost their lives either by aids or suicide in the last 30 years. It's frightening to see what happens in the porn industry among the real “heroes”. Now think about how many fans of theirs there must be, that have lost their lives the same way. They just did not tell anybody what was bothering them to death. But the truth is: God has demonstrated another way of love, by showing how one must die to love others, not by taking everything we want, which is harming these beautiful creatures of God (the woman). Let's face it, they are to valuable to use for sex toys, to fulfill our dirty desire’s, and by that destroying their entire mental and sentimental dignity. Don’t be a coward, let us be real men and protect them.
Posted by: TocayoDangerous
It hurts families and your career. If you think about it you spend 40 hours a month searching and another 40 for the deed. That's 80 hours. You detract value from your relationship with everyone. While it may not be the only cause for violence toward women it certainly doesn't help the cause. Imagination was never meant for guessing what a woman's body parts look like under her clothes but I'm sure that an avid porn watcher says when he see's a woman " I wonder what her breasts look like?" Or "I bet she looks amazing in a thong." If you do this and don't find it disturbing you may want to seek help immediately.
Posted by: AnonymousI think pornography is very bad for society, anything involving pornography's distribution should be banned.
I think pornography's distribution should be banned because it is very detrimental to a person's emotional well being. It is well known that when a child is shown pornography the image stays in their mind forever, porn is all over the internet for everyone to see. It is very degrading to human beings, especially women. I think it destroys the soul of a person if it is watched long enough. Porn is a great contributor to the destruction of the moral fiber of our civilization. It destroys healthy relationships between men and women. I also believe it promotes pedophilia.
Posted by: TaFielViolence, abuse and porn
Lack of restriction means porn is often thrown at people who may otherwise not seek it, including children and teenager who then think it represents normal sex. the massive spread of "hardcore" means that even if they are just curious and google "sex", disturbing images are often thrown at them including gang rape, bestiality or other violent acts. My second reason is related, in that I wonder how many of the porn involves willing consentment from the part of the "actors". there is so much nasty stuff i'm not even sure the regulators can actually sanction the illegal stuff. Frankly this abuse of people and animals make me wonder how someone can look at this without crying rather than find enjoyment, perhaps they don't think about what's behind the scene. as other people said, I can't see where choice the way all this is aggressively marketed.
Posted by: YanzPornography should be banned
It degrades women, ruins relationships, ruins people. It exploits the most base human desires and instincts. The industry that profiteering on the destruction of human souls and this is tragedy that otherwise a good person that could be encouraged into higher venues stuns in their development by being a mere consumer of sex and money. It's a very very sad thing.
Posted by: AnonymousPornography is degrading
Pornography often depicts women who come from bad backgrounds and home lives. It shows women who have silicon breasts, and does not create realistic expectations. It leaves the viewer wanting more. If a partner is watching pornography while in a committed relationship it is wrong because he or she is exploring other people and not sexually satisfied. Porn often leads to men having heightened expectations for their partners look and performance wise. It objectifies women, and shows men who are average having sex with women who look like they spent about 5 days getting ready for the film. It is degrading, and it should be limited.
Posted by: AnonymousScrews society in many ways
More than ever, people have a great source of information...The internet. But it is not regulated properly (in my personal case I watched pornography at the age of 10 for the first time, because it was so easy and I was just a kid, I just had to click accept in the 18 year old tab and that is it). Nowadays some porn sites dont even have that tab anymore. And the problem with young people watching porn is the same problem that happened to me, when you get a girlfriend you practice some of the things you watched. And now you perverted her, and it is a circle that never stops.
Posted by: AnonymousThere is too much porn
According to a study conducted in 2005, approximately 85% of the internet is now dedicated to pornographic imagery. It is so common now that you can go onto google images and look up 'cat' and I can guarantee that there will be at least 5 pornographic images in there. It is sickening, sinful, and should be banned. Whats worse, the websites have made no effort to keep underage watchers out. All you do is find a pornography site, and it will ask if you are legally allowed to or not. Have these people heard of this thing called lieing? Well, at least some of them even bother to ask, because most of them dont. It is disgusting, depressing, and is just plain bad for the culture of the internet.
Posted by: AnonymousPornography is dangerous and denigrating
This proposal is two different questions. The first is whether or not pornography is bad for society. The answer to this is unequivocally yes. Pornography hurts relationships, denigrates women, and ruins families. It is an addiction, and like any addiction, it has left casualties. The other half of the question is whether or not we should ban pornography. We also shouldn't read bad literature or eat twinkies, but that doesn't mean that we should ban them. Part of a free society is letting people do what they want, even if it's bad for them.
Posted by: Iuk45GrinderPornography can destroy your life.
It only takes one look for you to be hooked. Once you're hooked, it takes a whole lot of therapy and psychiatry to get you back on a healthy track. Pornography makes you feel things and do things that you would never had thought previously possible, in the worst way that could ever happen. Why take that risk?
Posted by: AnonymousPornography IS degrading.
Pornography is a harmful tool that, just like drugs, you always will need more. This will lead to men raping woman and children. The television, internet, and magazines are a leading cause of this problem. Girls who see the way these women dress then will also feel a need to look that way in order to be pretty which by their dress will make them a more likely victim of rape or sex trafficking.
Posted by: AnonymousSome things need to end and porn is one of them.
It seems that people have normalized porn in the last 20 years because of its easy access. Anyone can watch it now because of the internet. Pornography sexualizes the viewer's mindset. It warps and perverts their perspective such that sex is unnaturally elevated in their thoughts. Porn's images are stamped into viewer's brain with the aid of hormones released during sexual arousal. Even if a person decides to stop looking at porn, the past images can remain for years or even a lifetime. I don't care how many people say this is not true, but every almost every Porn actress is the corpse of a woman. I read once, that a big time porn actress first stared in the industry because she was gang-raped. She continued to make gang raping films even though her initial choice was to go into law. She confided that she felt worthless. Furthermore, Pornography promotes destructive practices and can lead to progressive addiction. For example, porn sites routinely link viewers to depictions of every type of sexual perversion imaginable, such as child porn, bestiality, necrophilia (sexual interest in corpses), masochism (pleasure from abuse or suffering), rape and sadism (gratification from inflicting physical or mental pain on others). The viewer's exposure to such themes naturally increases the likelihood that they may attempt to act out what they've viewed. If it becomes an obsession people will get tired of the simple porn and will start to look at more terrible forms of it. It also objectifies men and women and turns sex just into something lustful and not something filled with pure love. In my opinion sex with out love is as empty as glass.
Posted by: AnonymousIt can destroy relationships.
I have seen for myself that it can destroy a marriage and it can destroy your job. It destroys your thoughts by making you constantly think of it. The pictures are burned into your mind. There is terrible conviction of sin when looking at porn. I do not for one minute believe that man was made to look at porn or have multiple partners to satisfy his or her needs. God has instructed what our lives are to be like in a document we call the Bible. I am begging each American to think of their marriage. Think of your children. Think of your life and what path you are heading on. This only leads to more and more problems. Please consider a pornography ban!
Posted by: AnonymousMarriage ended because of it
He had no compassion to try to see how I might feel insecure with him wanting to imagine having sex with beautiful women. He focused on MY having a problem. Feelings of insecurity are normal. We're all human and everyone has felt insecure at some time. Isn't it obvious how someone might feel a little insecure if your spouse is always craving other women for sex, which is the most intimate thing a couple can share and the act where you let go of all your insecurities and become completely vulnerable. It is the one thing that can make me feel special to him, but if he claims he craves me and beautiful women that society shoves in our faces to remind women of their shortcomings, I feel worthless. That's not an abnormal reaction. That's a human reaction. And yet, women have to go through those feelings every single day just from sexualized commercials and ads around us. I'm tired of being reminded of what I don't have. When he insisted that it must be a part of his life that is separate from me, it hurt so much. It had nothing to do with control. It was about wanting to feel special to my husband. He chose porn over me. I now have to work to find worth in what's left of me.
Posted by: AnonymousPorn, even in its less Extreme Forms, is Highly Addictive and Ruins Relationships.
I was a porn addict for too many years. Even though I had a moral compass as to what I looked at, it drew me in and isolated me from the world. It has caused me to see women as sexual objects, in fact, to see sex everywhere and in everything. It has hooked me to the point of lying to and deceiving the people I love. It has wasted so much of my time when I could have been doing productive and creative things. Don't fool yourself-it is a clever beast that will seduce you and literally grab you by the balls and won't let go.
Posted by: AnonymousCan hurt relationships and affect what a man thinks of real women
It can be highly addictive and I have seen the science at work. He expected me to look like and do the things he saw, but I look like I do and can't change myself. He couldn't orgasm without thinking of porn images while he was with me. This made me feel bad about how I looked and as though I wasn't enough even though I agreed to anything and everything. My esteem decreased and then I was told I was insecure. He was moving toward more aggressive wants, as reflected in what he was looking at. He didn't care about my feelings. Fantasy and masturbation are fine if you use your imagination. But to turn to other women is very hurtful, especially when I have made definite sacrifices for him to have other things he wanted. Young girls are bombarded with pressure from ads, movies and the clothes sold to them to be sexual. As younger boys and girls are exposed to things, it is obvious that they are affected by what they see. What about the boys in the UK who recently raped a girl because of the porn they were watching? And young girls admit doing sexual things because they won't be popular if they don't. Porn is not on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Why can't people just use their imagination or focus more on their partner?
Posted by: AnonymousYes it should be banned, porn is killing society.
It's basically our choice of what we want to do whether it's going to the movies, smoking, doing drugs, buying a new car, etc. We live in a free society and we make our own decisions. Now the same thing goes with porn. The adult entertainment industry doesn't force us to watch, but we choose to watch it and we choose to pay for it. Now that said, I think it should be banned for a couple of reasons: 1) women get a bad impression on sex and men look at women as sex objects only ( especially attractive ones); 2) porn does lie about sex and the sex isn't the same as opposed to pornography; 3) Ok sure it's free speech, but the adult industry does a great job in luring people into porn. It's like putting unhealthy food on the buffet table and knowing the consequences about the health hazards, us humans fall for it. That's how weak the average person is. Sure we choose to watch it but because the adult industry puts it in front of our face and makes it easy for us to watch, it only gets worse; and 4) Children watch this stuff at a early age.
Ok I'm a Christian but I would have to agree with the Islam culture, there totally against sexual conduct outside the marriage; whether its adultery, dancing, escorting, prostitution, etc, and they take it very seriously. I'm a Christian but sometimes I look at the western society and I laugh.Posted by: AnonymousIt turns people into porn addicts
I know this because of high school and peer pressure. It's to easy to access and dangerous for any underage viewers. It turns people into masturbation addicts and rapist.Bottom line, it should not be distributed or viewed. You won't learn anything about romance if your watching some woman getting strangled/having intercourse/or just any lustfull activity
Posted by: Arthurblue3God says no
It dehumanizes women involved and has only negative effects on society. God intended for sexual intimacy to take place between one man and one woman, and only within the sacred bond of marriage. All other sexual activities are forbidden in God's law. Jesus even said that just looking at a woman and having impure thoughts about her is a sin-and that sums up pornography pretty well.
Posted by: AnonymousPornography is bad for society and should be banned as it promotes abnormal sexual behaviors.
Pornography is bad for society and it's sale should be banned for the fundamental reason that it promotes abnormal sexual behaviors, especially in young people. Pornography promotes promiscuity, the transmission of sexual disease and it degrades women in nearly every incident of viewing. It can be addictive and can lead some men to sexual abuse and rape.
Posted by: ThegaXenPorn Culture: a danger to every body.
As a self-realised porn addict, I understand the dangers of pornography in modern society. At first we're led to believe that "porn-masturbation" is normal in our early teenage years, this is reinforced by the way that society objectifies people for commercial interest, and how we learn from this and see people and ourselves as objects of desire. It's also reinforced by encouragement from our young peers and sparked by our curiosity. It continues similarly to a drug addiction, when we're tired of the relatively weak high we get from nude images for example, we search for something more intense or morally corrupt / damaging each time, with the exception of when we look for something that we've already formed an emotional attachment to. Eventually this leads to minor but increasing internal feelings of guilt, emptiness or fatigue post-masturbation. If banning it entirely isn't the solution, then it needs regulating. Violent or obscene porn needs to be filtered from the web, and porn filmmakers need to be encouraged to make porn that is less derogatory to women. I believe with regards to porn there should be a form of censorship to ensure equality, as most porn is phallocentric. Stronger measures also need to be made to keep children away from it, perhaps an "opt-in" service with ISPs. However, banning porn will inevitably decrease its' availability and will help steer us away from a culture of voyeurism. Ultimately, there is no such thing as a free society, because freedom is the opposite of society and porn is a freedom we don't need.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Dangerous Addiction of Pornography!
First of all, what good can come out of pornography? It ruins marriages, increases crime, degrades women, makes sex appear to be dirty, and it is too accessible to children! If you do not want to do drugs then at least you have a choice. When it comes to pornography, people are exposed to it even if they do not want the temptations that it brings. This is particularly true with correctional officers. Porn is allowed in some counties, and that is just another debate in itself!
Posted by: Anonymous
Porn is a useful masturbation aid, nothing more nothing less.
I am not a rapist or a pedophile but I look at porn about 5 times a week for 5-30min a session. I don't think there is anything wrong with masturbation, as a mater of fact I believe just the opposite masturbation is a natural healthy part of life for men and women. Where as a woman might like to read a steamy romance novel imagine some big dumb farm hand doing her while she flicks her bean or uses a toy, I like to watch some adult material and from time to time enjoy a little lube in my palm. None of this is bad.
The idea that this is bad and will lead to something horrible is just funny to me, at this point in my life. I am convinced that majority of the 49% that are porn haters, are women who don't understand that male sexuality works differently than their own, or men who have an archaic sense of morality probably passed onto them from their family and/or church. I was that way until I got into my 20s and learned how to think for myself.
Posted by: AnonymousThe importance and the effects of pornography are often overrated.
Let me begin by saying that I am strongly opposed to child pornography. It is criminal to make or show pictures of children or adolescents under 18 who are naked or performing sexual acts. People who make or publish such pictures should be prosecuted. My opinion is based on the assumption that minors are regularly forced to pose for pornography and would not perform in it voluntarily. Minors cannot properly oversee the consequences of their participation in pornographic movies or pictures. On the same grounds, I think that there is nothing wrong with the making and publishing of nude pictures as long as it is done with the free consent of the (adult) persons pictured. I disagree with those who oppose pornography on religious grounds, for I believe that religion has other goals than to fight pornography. Also, I do not think that pornography is degrading to adults who pose for nude pictures. Being a 'normal' heterosexual, I rather admire those female beauties for I can imagine how much it may take them to free themselves from their natural reluctance towards nudity. I see no link between pornography and sex-related crimes like rape. As far as I know, sexual offenders do not stimulate or encourage themselves with pornography before they commit their crimes. They are driven by other circumstances such as mental or emotional troubles which cannot be aggravated or influenced in any other way by pornography. Whether we like pornography or not, we must admit that it brought many sex-related topics to the forum of public discussion where those same topics had been tabooed before. And useful or not, pornography constitutes a new freedom: it used to be widely prohibited, but those bans have been suspended--with a few reservations such as those pertaining to child pornography--in many modern states. Much to the surprise of this liberalization's opponents, its feared ill-consequences have failed to materialize. Finally, let me ask all heterosexual males if we would really turn down a relationship with a beautiful lady only because she may have posed nude in public. Isn't it after all a question of tolerance?
Posted by: AnonymousI do not feel that pornography is bad for society.
I do not think pornography is bad for society. I also do not feel that the sale and distribution of it should be banned. I do not see what type of harm pornography can contribute to society in general. If you are into it so be it. If not, do not watch it. As long as it is only adults in the pornography, I see no problem with it.
Posted by: TickoCa22Pornography should not be banned, but should be regulated.
Adults should be able to buy pornography if they want it for personal use. This is their First Amendment right.
Posted by: gilipunkBanning communication does not stop communication, it merely renders the people and conversation outside of the protection of law, aiding criminals.
Pornography is addicting, acting on the most powerful and basic pain and pleasure parts of the brain. It's as possible to remove pornography from society and have it remain alive as it would be to remove those parts of the brain from a person and expect that they would remain alive. What you would want from a person whose brain was overwhelmed by pornography and damaging sexuality would be transparency and social support -- sunlight is the best disinfectant. Sexually deviant behavior becomes far worse when hidden, in the same way that alcohol abuse became much worse during Prohibition. The problems porn brings are real, dealing with them openly treats the real issue with the respect it needs, which making it illegal can only prevent.
Posted by: groovyboxLet people make their own choices. This is a free country, they have the right.
Woman should be allowed to do what they want with their bodies. These womans rights groups fight for woman to have as many rights as men do, yet they feel as though woman should not be allowed to choose that career path. Their argument is that nobody in their right mind would sign up to be a porn star, and even though the woman fill out all assortments of paper work to do so, that they should still have no right to make that decision. Also, they claim that pornography increses violence against women, when in fact there is no proof that this is the case. If anything, it keeps men content in their home, and takes away the urge to take advantage of women. And not only men use porn, women do as well. So these women's rights activists, also want to take that away from fellow women. Also, children are going to learn about sex sooner or later. I'd rather have chilren and teens satisfying these urges with porn, rather than with other children and teens. Doesn't it make sense? People, it's sex. It's natural and people are going to find access to it one way or another. When did the topic of sex become such a taboo? If you don't want to watch it, don't. But don't take these rights away from other people. Thank you.
Posted by: AnonymousLack of evidence to suggest that pornography is harmful
There is no substantial evidence to back-up the claim that pornography is harmful to society, unless the material mentioned is that of the illegal kind. No direct link between pornography and moral degeneration has been established, and attempts to do so have been unsuccessful or biased. Therefore there is no reason to to ban its sale and distribution unless a fully-formed, well-reasoned argument, backed-up by clear facts is presented. I think that to try and ban the sale and distribution of such material without such evidence is an attempt to enforce your own moral beliefs onto others; which is wrong.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, pornography is a safe and legal way for adults to get access to the excitement they need.
Even people in a loving relationship can find a need to use pornography to spice up their love life. Pornography is also a great way for single people to blow off some sexual tension without breaking any laws. The need will always be there; without a legal way to deal with the need, people would turn to illegal methods.
Posted by: H_BairdPornography makes up one small part of human expression
Just as I have the right to speak my mind on political matters, eat junk food until I get fat, study to become a lawyer, travel, party, form relationships, and so on, I have the right to see nudity and/or film my own nudity. While it's important to ensure children grow up with a balanced and intelligent view of human sexuality, as adults we are completely autonomous. As long as you don't harm anyone, there is no damage done. And porn actors consent to their activities, it's not as if they're all forced into the industry.
Posted by: AnonymousIs porn harmful to me? Well if my girlfriend catches me watching it then yes!
Is porn causing psychological damage to my mind? I don't consider beautiful women doing wonderfully pleasurable things as a bad or damaging. Yes I know most women can't look like the women in the videos. I am able to discern the difference. I'm also able to discern love from sex. They are not mutually exclusive, although they can be intertwined.
Our culture is so sexually oppressed, we have a hard time looking at the smaller pieces of the picture. Individual people need different sexual outlets. I for one will never base my sexuality on what "moral society" tells me I should do. Long live free speech.Posted by: AnonymousThis is... shocking...
I don't see how anyone could say all these things about what is a harmless thing. People get to get paid to have sex and be filmed, so it helps both them and the economy. If they want people to see, why should we take that away from them? Anyone who claims to have been "addicted" has simply tricked themselves into a rut of low self-esteem. Why anybody would consider pornography "obscene" or wrong is beyond me. It's people enjoying their bodies and doing what they love. Pornography is no different than any other kind of movie.
Posted by: UndersoulNo, banning the sale and distribution of pornography is likely to criminalize and make more widespread a behavior that seems ingrained in human nature.
The creation, sale and distribution of pornography is morally and ethically wrong given its reification (making things) of human beings and its use of human beings as ends in themselves. (See Kant for the logic of this claim.) However, we know from the history of the prohibition of alcohol, and many of us claim from the present history of illegal drug use, that banning things that are likely to be highly desired leads to criminalization and a more demonic problem than the thing itself posed to begin with. Monitor, control and tax the use of such things -- it's more socially productive (and less expensive) in the long run.
Posted by: baltutePornography is not bad for society, as people should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way they feel.
I believe that pornography is not at all bad for society. Sex is a part of human nature, and to view the naked body is something that man has shunned for no good reason, as it is perfectly natural. People have sex all the time, and I don't see what the big deal is with putting it on film.
Posted by: WiseEllsworthWhile I believe pornography is bad for society, I also believe you can legislate morality; therefore, it should not be banned.
Pornography leads to the degradation of men and women is very subtle ways. Women just become objects of desire to men and that is costly for women everywhere. But as I stated, morality cannot and should not try to be controlled by laws. People will make choices regardless of what the law states.
Posted by: CaIvN0tIt is a form of entertainment that seems to be needed in our society.
Why should it be banned as long as children are not used or watch it. Pornography is for adult entertainment and I see nothing wrong with adults who want to watch this in the privacy of their own homes. Sex is a healthily activity that some need visual stimulation to help them enjoy it. No one forces any one to buy or make these films so why not have them?
Posted by: 5h4rkEmarBanning porn is like banning eating.
If someone wants porn they wont stop just because its illegal, the same is true for eating. All this 'porn is degrading to women' is laughable. It is equally degrading to both men and women (And others if you feel the person your viewing doesn't fit into either). It is degrading to the viewer and the viewed. This does not stop them however. To a large number of people (perhaps not the majority) porn is an inescapable part of life. Even a man or woman with a hot and heavy sex life may still need some release when their partner is unavailable.
Next time your listening to some man shouting the N word over and over calling it a song maybe you should remember that not everyone shares your views and opinions. This is not a bad thing. Someone who requires porn for whatever reason is unlikely to show or mention it to you. If your against porn simply because its against your moral values then there isn't much I can say to convince you. I personally believe murder is wrong but abortions are still legal. We can't all win.Posted by: AnonymousNo, because porn is a phenomenon with complex effects that certainly shouldn't be banned.
Porn can serve to promote a narrow, dehumanizing view of relationships and gender roles. But it can also disrupt a narrow, dehumanizing view of relationships rooted in fear of female sexuality, and a fundamentally dishonest public standard of propriety in the face of sexual tension that is routinely violated in private. It's a standard that leaves men less accountable for their behavior, and tends to divide women into cruel, spurious categories of "good", chaste, or discreetly sexual women and "bad", sexually over-expressive ones. An effort to ban pornography would not only violate our long-standing commitment to freedom of speech (and speech, including visual expression, about sexuality, is arguably thoroughly political and quite near the core of First Amendment protection, given that gender roles and how the culture treats sexuality are politically contested matters), but would also drive our conflicts about sexuality underground, which is the place where all sorts of pathologies thrive most fully.
Posted by: M4I4cFeIineAre you kidding me?
No, porn is used as a stress relief. Sex is used in the same way by couples but since not everyone can 'get it' when they want, porn is "pressure valve". Ban this and it will make the alcohol prohibition look like a child's prank in comparison as angry young men become more violent due to unreleased sexual tension. Mark my words!
Posted by: AnonymousAlthough I personally find pornography abhorrent, Freedom of Speech should not be restricted.
As a Christian and parent, I believe pornography is disgusting and immoral and not good for society. However, restricting the freedom of speech for one segment of society is a slippery slope towards government controlled speech. Pornography needs to have controls that limit the access of minors, but consenting adults who choose to participate in pornography, or view pornography should not have restrictions. Adults and only adults should be involved with pornography. Any pornography involving children is and should remain illegal.
Posted by: KourtneyBPornography is not bad for society because it does no harm.
Pornography's sale and distribution should not be banned and it is not bad for society. Pornography is simply something that some people use to get away from it all and enjoy themselves. It's not thrown into the public to offend those who don't like it so I don't see the problem. What would banning pornography accomplish at all? Would it stop people from masturbating? No. Would it stop people from having sex? No; in fact I think you could make the argument that pornography might help people not to have unnecessary sex. There's nothing at all wrong with pornography.
Posted by: TwoVicI believe pornography is an expression of natural urges and isn't shameful, so doesn't need to be banned.
The drive to reproduce is a biological imperative for all living things. But when those living things reach certain intelligence levels, what was once biological becomes a social construct as well. Sex, and the viewing of it's many forms for pleasure, is something we can't and shouldn't try to escape. By repressing it we create a toxic society where those natural urges are put into a dark place and can be exploited horribly. By keeping those desires in the light and allowing them to be seen, we make it accepted and take the dark element out of the industry.
Posted by: R0II4IcyI do not think pornography, in and of itself, is bad for society, as long as it does not involve violence.
While I do not think that all pornography should be banned, I do think that the government should ban violent pornography. I also feel that it is past time for the government to start regulating online pornography more thoroughly.
Posted by: ToughEfrain26The facts are, porn is not harmful
Increased spread of porn has been correlated with a decrease in sexual assault rates in every country. All controlled studies showing a link between porn and increased attitudes of violence towards women were shown to be deeply flawed by confirmation bias in a 2009 meta-analysis. The fact is, there is no reason to think porn is harmful, thus there is no reason to ban it.
Posted by: AnonymousPornography is not inherently bad for society and it shouldn't be banned because there's nothing wrong with it.
Pornography is not inherently bad for society and it shouldn't be banned because there's nothing wrong with it. Some women and minor are exploited, but banning it wouldn't stop people who are already criminals. When it's done with consenting adults, it's a private matter and government should stay out. It would also be a waste of time and resources because so much of it already exists, the cat is out of that bag.
Posted by: H0bi3InvaderPornography is a tasteless and despicable right afforded to every citizen.
You may not like it or spend half your paycheck subscribing to smut
on-line but it is pretty much the same as saying too much violence on
television breeds violence in society. Pornography is a form of
entertainment and probably affords more pleasure than it breeds bad
guys. I think it is mostly dumb and gross, but have no right to take
it away from somebody else, any more than they can take my Vivaldi, whom
a lot of people cannot bear.Posted by: MarsBIuePorn relieves sexual tension.
It relieves sexual tension in young teens that otherwise would be more prone to go out and have sex. Standard porn is does not objectify women. Why do people always overlook the fact that porn is a way to release excess hormones in young adults? It also helps us know what to do. All the girls and guys I know have watched porn at least once. Violent or sadistic porn should be banned, but normal porn should be legal.
Posted by: Anonymous