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The rest of us have been doubling in net worth, with regularity. The Virtuous Ones, however, have a string of failed corporations behind them, and only survive because of a few good patents they've managed to defend.
So by your faulty logic, people who are hedonistic (to wit, your lengthy post) end up more prosperous and happy than those who aren't?
So by your faulty logic, people who are hedonistic (to wit, your lengthy post) end up more prosperous and happy than those who aren't?
Um...... NO. I made an 'A' in Logic ('Philosophy 101'), at Millsaps (The Most difficult and expensive school in my old home state). I thought it was going to be a breeze - an easy 'A', to bolster my GPA, before moving on to a doctorate from Tulane. But that course took work - lots of work.
So, I can easily see where your logic went awry.
Anyway, my post was more about observations, than about conclusions.
I think that there is a reason you posted this in psychology and referred to it as "addiction."
This isn't really about porn. This is about your mental health. I think you know that it's not good. And I think that you need to begin the process, if you haven't yet, of finding some help for that. Not just the old standard of therapy, but possibly group therapy, psychiatry (meds)...something more than what you've been doing. The issues you have sound to me like they are more than just this one thing by far. You complain about being "broke"... If mental health is part of that, or drugs, or...whatever... You could maybe benefit from help.
Because all of this feedback you're getting specifically about porn, sex and masturbation, fails to see where it is FOR YOU (a few posters understand this, several don't.) Your problem is not objectively any of those things. It's that when you are in a bad place mental health wise, every part of your routine life is a SYMPTOM. If you're spinning your wheels and going nowhere and nothing is fulfilling and everything is depressing, then something has to change. Maybe everything. But it's what's in your mind that is the root cause. Wherever you go, there YOU are.
Ever feel painfully bored? Like nothing you could possibly do appeals to you? You've got food in the fridge but none of it sounds good to eat, you have books and movies and games but none sound enjoyable to read, watch or play. You want to talk to a friend but you talk yourself out of it...they are busy, you think. They don't want to talk to you. Probably they hate you and don't admit it anyways. Do you, in addition to sometimes engaging in the activity you consider an addiction, perhaps sleep too much just because it kills the time? Do you stop caring if your home or your body is clean, only to become disgusted with the state you're in?
Is it not just this one thing, but kinda...everything? And this just gives you a point to focus the feelings of shame?
Am I close to describing your day to day life, OP? In the ballpark?
Because things that can manifest like this, can be anything from clinical depression (with or without accompanying anxiety) or untreated adult ADHD, or even more severe things like schizo-affective disorder (though that requires accompanying delusions, paranoia, and/or disorganized thoughts & speech)... If you have a cannabis or alcohol habit, those can exacerbate this kind of stuff.
It is possible that meds could really help you. Of course finding the right one and getting the dose worked out is a matter of trial and error, and a process to get through. Finding good therapy is usually not an instant or easy task, either. But if it could change your life...? Would you try?
Personally I don't believe that porn is terrible or that there is objectively a reason for you to feel shame or disgust, but if you do, then YOU DO. It doesn't matter one bit what I or anyone else here thinks about it. What matters is how YOU feel, and if you feel miserable, distressed, depressed, dysfunctional and unhappy in your current mode of existence, then you have every right and obligation to seek solutions. Maybe for you that is moving away from the use of porn and/or getting your masturbation habits to where they feel more under your control or aren't causing you negative feelings. Maybe that means stopping the behavior, if that's what it means for YOU, then that's what it means for you.
I will say that although I don't believe it to be arbitrarily unhealthy, I also don't buy that men (or anyone) MUST have "release" in order to be healthy and have a perfectly fine life...there are people who medically end up not able to have a "release" who function in life and feel just fine, not everything actually has to be about sex and there are rare individuals out there who lead lives they'd describe as fulfilling without it even in the picture at all. That's not common but the fact that it's possible means that this, "humans/men need this and require that" talk... Nah. And only one person can work out what YOU need or how you could live and feel alright with yourself and your life, and yeah, that'd be you.
You can't really escape pornography. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, movies, tv shows, magazines, etc. There are now various forms of porn that slip into social media since they are not hard-core.
OP - why not speak to a sex counselor?
Also, if want to give up a hobby (porn) you need to replace it with something else. (exercise, biking, volunteering, etc)
The years of my addiction to pornography were the hardest of my life, but walking out of the bishop's office and feeling clean felt wonderful. It was as if I had shed the heavy burden that had weighed on my shoulders for years. I was glad that I could now receive my patriarchal blessing, receive Communion with dignity, and feel the influence of the Spirit again. I felt like a new person. Even those around me noticed that I had changed a lot and now it was as if I was radiating light. I felt much happier and my attitude toward the world changed for the better. I know that with the Lord's help, we can be better and get rid of our addictions. We don't have to be afraid to talk to a bishop, because he will help us to repent so that we can feel clean again through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Same can be said about social media, smart-phone usage, etc.
Pornography is somewhat complex as there are various forms of it. There is the old fashion hardcore porn that you can find in various paid or free Youtube link sites. Back in the old days, you had to buy this type of porn but in our day and age it is accessible for FREE (I am talking about high quality, brand new, etc porn.) You can find it for free on social media sites - Twitter, Instagram, Redditt, etc.
You also have soft-core which again is easily accessible via the internet, social media, tv shows, movies, etc. I feel that this type of porn is increasing and it is becoming more subliminal as it is now being sold as the guised of "art" or a woman "expressing herself", etc. Think Emily Ratajkowski.
Porn is just another form of "Bread and circuses" for the masses. Pornography with the internet and social media has become a grey area.
I would say social media and smartphones are a net negative for society. Online porn is classic bread and curcuses. Social media and snartphones are even worse. They're about tracking, monitoring, and controlling everything we say and do. They are the stuff George Orwell warned us about, to no avail, unfortunately.
I think of energy flow. Masturbation is a one-way flow, a loss of energy. A chronic masturbator may attract a parasite, something that feeds on that energy flow, which may then reinforce the habit to keep the energy flowing. Maybe that is too woo woo for the psych forum, but a ritual of banishing a parasite could work as a placebo effect. If you can kick the addiction, then you could work on a next step of becoming more attractive, or adjusting your standards to match women in your league.
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