Do you support the war on pornography? (heroin, serial killers, marijuana)

[citigirl]

Originally Posted by burdell

So you're proposing bringing Taliban values to the US?

I don't think anyone is suggesting that but unfortunately the internet has made it possible for predators to organize share information and techniques to obtain victims. I am sure you could still get your porn at the local strip joint, adult bookstore or in the mail box in a brown paper wrapper.

[mhouse2001]

Originally Posted by burdell

Uh...........who argued that they weren't?

I just thought the comparison to Taliban-like thinking was a stretch, so I took some of the more extreme thinking our current government has and linked the two to argue that extremism isn't just the domain of our purported enemies. I agree, as I said, they're both extremist views. I guess I saw a rather lame attack on Muslims and couldn't let it go. Sorry to confuse.

[Amavel]

Originally Posted by kJKINVARA

My guy is addicted to porn. He is addicted to the thought that all these young girls are ready to roll with any one. Maybe even him!

Look. Porn can fixate a person through the pleasure center of the brain. Variety, availability and whatever guilty fantasy one has is reinforced through brain chemicals. Being rewarded by sexual gradification is secondary only to meth. Anyone remember how addictive that is?

What is a wife or lover when a person's pleasure center only needs the drug? When one's guy prefers the ease and pleasure of his hand and relations actually fail in real life? When does it become a problem? When it interfers with one's life and relationships. I can't compete with porn, 18 yos, hot youth doing it all. I am just a 45 yo woman in a 1 year old relationship gone scary. Those that are unsatisfied or needing the fix of porn will succumb. Most will try to make it real. Rough sex with their partner, porn positions that are only worth doing for lots of money or they will look outside the relationship.

I have come to despise cable TV, sex and nudity in film and most of all the internet. Tell me, where are the young, hot men shown for woman? The movies are all dumpy guys with hot, young girls, or worst of all, old men with young girls. Big money alright! Leading to cosmetic surgery, age creams, eyelash extensions, boob jobs and NOW, revirgining! Oh, yeah. Divorce, children of divorce, eating disorders....

The answers to the questions questions you've posed are not found in the pornography industry, but in the history of human society and civilization. Men have ruled (and still do) the world for thousands of years, and for thousands of years women were treated as lesser beings, only recently gaining education and nearer equal status via the women's suffrage movement. Women only make about 70 cents on the dollar, so it doesn't surprise me that the entertainment industry still panders to heterosexual males and their likes or dislikes.

[mhouse2001]

Originally Posted by citigirl

I don't think anyone is suggesting that but unfortunately the internet has made it possible for predators to organize share information and techniques to obtain victims. I am sure you could still get your porn at the local strip joint, adult bookstore or in the mail box in a brown paper wrapper.

I agree, even the war on drugs hasn't kept people from inventing ways of obtaining them. When the need for pornography (as it exists in its exploitative form today) is addressed, the market for it will diminish, just like drugs. What psychological need is not being addressed that results in people wasting time, money, and their lives on damaging their minds and diminishing their life energy? Is life really that bad? What does that say about our country? (Oh, sorry, that's a whole other thread!)

[irwin]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

I agree, even the war on drugs hasn't kept people from inventing ways of obtaining them. When the need for pornography (as it exists in its exploitative form today) is addressed, the market for it will diminish, just like drugs. What psychological need is not being addressed that results in people wasting time, money, and their lives on damaging their minds and diminishing their life energy? Is life really that bad? What does that say about our country? (Oh, sorry, that's a whole other thread!)

Plenty of people in other countries watch pornography. I think they have a much healthier attitude toward sex in general and are much more open about pornography and nudity. We are still very Puritan over here.

[Hawkeye48]

The Internet is definitely part of free speech, porn included. It's covered by the first amendment. But like all of freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, the rights and freedoms are not absolute. You can't yell fire in a crowded movie theater when there is no fire. The government can restrict who owns guns. For each freedom we have, including the free speech associated with the Internet, there will always be certain restrictions.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by mhouse2001

I just thought the comparison to Taliban-like thinking was a stretch, so I took some of the more extreme thinking our current government has and linked the two to argue that extremism isn't just the domain of our purported enemies. I agree, as I said, they're both extremist views. I guess I saw a rather lame attack on Muslims and couldn't let it go. Sorry to confuse.

Sorry for the confusion, I meant nothing referencing Muslims at all, I was only referring to the attempt of a government to mandate public taste and what they're allowed to read, drink, eat, speak, etc.

We should have learned from prohibition that it's an effective way of generating crime. Making something 'forbidden fruit' often increases the desire for it.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by Manhattan-ite

Give me a break! I love porn. Don't take it away.

Porn is like gaming or alcohol: bad only if you abuse it. Would you ban wine, beer and casinos? I don't think so.

Also, don't forget porn is one of the BIGGEST and most profitable businesses in America. You kill porn and you kill a vital portion of our nation's riches.

Wow! If one were to ban all of those vices, Las Vegas would turn back in to a town of tumbleweeds (or the 2nd largest Mormon city in America) almost overnight! Plus the San Fernando Valley housing market would probably go bust!

But seriously... I've seen my share of adult movies for sure. I actually think some movies can be educational. I certainly would have been (even more) clueless when I lost my if it wasn't for porn. It can add spice to a relationship... or tide you over if you're in-between partners. However, adding onto what Manhattan-ite said, it helps to be a reasonably well-adjusted person who is not prone to addictive behavior. Some of the stuff out there can be disrespectful of women and exploitative of anyone that is not a straight white male. And many of the "actors" and "actresses", despite regular checkups, often do not use protection which can be a risk.

In short, I don't support the war on pornography. I do support keeping it from kids and encouraging the "stars" to protect themselves.

[dennis s]

Originally Posted by jco

YES!!!!!!!!!!! My MIL shows a video in her Sociology class, and the most shocking thing to me was that at the time the video was made (probably the 90's) every single serial killer in prison had two things in common: they abused animals as children and they were into pornography. Now, cleary pornography doesn't cause killing, but it does desensitize people to the value of humanity (especially women... why isn't NOW going after this?).

Not only this, but it's a major contributing factor to the rise of pedophilia. Then again, I'm also opposed to legalizing marijuana for the same reason. Not everyone that uses it goes on to using more addictive and destructive drugs, but it leads the way to it.

so you're saying that when a man is attracted to a woman and wants to "date" her that means he wants to denigrate and disrespect her?

A sociopath watches porn because he (or she) can't assimilate into society.
This inability to socialize makes it impossible to satisfy the most basic instinct of human existence.

Pedophilia has been occurring since the beginning of homosapien occupancy on earth. The only reason it seems more prevalent now is because of media focusing on the problem, increased prosecution and victims finally speaking out.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by kJKINVARA

My guy is addicted to porn. He is addicted to the thought that all these young girls are ready to roll with any one. Maybe even him!

Look. Porn can fixate a person through the pleasure center of the brain. Variety, availability and whatever guilty fantasy one has is reinforced through brain chemicals. Being rewarded by sexual gradification is secondary only to meth. Anyone remember how addictive that is?

What is a wife or lover when a person's pleasure center only needs the drug? When one's guy prefers the ease and pleasure of his hand and relations actually fail in real life? When does it become a problem? When it interfers with one's life and relationships. I can't compete with porn, 18 yos, hot youth doing it all. I am just a 45 yo woman in a 1 year old relationship gone scary. Those that are unsatisfied or needing the fix of porn will succumb. Most will try to make it real. Rough sex with their partner, porn positions that are only worth doing for lots of money or they will look outside the relationship.

I have come to despise cable TV, sex and nudity in film and most of all the internet. Tell me, where are the young, hot men shown for woman? The movies are all dumpy guys with hot, young girls, or worst of all, old men with young girls. Big money alright! Leading to cosmetic surgery, age creams, eyelash extensions, boob jobs and NOW, revirgining! Oh, yeah. Divorce, children of divorce, eating disorders....

The adult studios that have the highest production values - especially those that make relatively romantic "couples" videos - tend to feature "hot guys". You may be surprised to know that there are also videos out there that feature ladies of the Baby Boomer generation. Some of their male partners are of similar age, many are younger.

Nonetheless, I can respect your thoughts based on your personal experience. Your boyfriend appears to be an example of addictive behavior. If he's aware of the options I mentioned above and fails to try to incorporate you in a positive way, then it does indeed look like you have a challenge ahead of you.