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> Faced with the choice between an energy-intensive, highly competitive dating environment and the low-effort rewards of porn, young men appear to be taking the

> Faced with the choice between an energy-intensive, highly competitive dating environment and the low-effort rewards of porn, young men appear to be taking the path of least resistance. Why would they? And for thousandth time: porn addiction is a symptom, not a cause.

AltruisticGapHN 4y ago
We have to be careful and not fall in reductivism with the "is a symptom not a cause" line of thinking. It could hold you back your whole life. I think it is more helpful to think of it as A and B are linked somehow. Otherwise you're holding up an abstract, imaginary, "true cause¨ that someday/maybe we will find. And of course no such thing exists. If we know anything about the body is that it is a complex ORGANISM where there is no single cause to anything. Besides, if drinking before driving is NOT the cause of an accident (could be a myriad of other things like the state of the car, the conditions of the road, the weather, etc). End of the day, we know drinking and driving don't go well together - and a wise man will act accordingly.
- luckylion 4y ago
  Drug addiction is an illness, but it's not like you randomly get the drug-addiction-virus because you didn't wash your hands after touching something in the super market. Drug addiction usually follows drug abuse, and drug abuse often has a reason. That reason is what leads to drug addiction, in other words: drug addiction is a symptom. You can get people into rehab, but unless the reason for their drug abuse is fixed, they'll have a hard time getting & staying clean. If someone limps because their leg is broken, you'll try to fix their leg, not teach them to walk differently so the limp isn't as visible.
Bancakes 4y ago
I agree. We've had sex toys and prostitutes for thousands of years. Blaming porn is a weak band-aid on a deeper cut.
- igetspam 4y ago
  Prostitution is high risk and expensive. Porn is zero risk and basically free because we all have Internet access already. Porn is not the problem but it is a serious crutch for those unwilling to address the actual problem, which is generations of teaching men and boys that intimacy isn't important. I have male friends I hug and cry with. I have deep feelings of loss for my pet pig, who challenged my world view on "love animals" and made me rethink how and what I eat. I have a successful marriage with a wonderful, intelligent, beautiful women because I'm not afraid of emotional and psychological intimacy. What sex toys exist for men that aren't just gross receptacles for semen? (I'm not into butt stuff, personally.)
  - red-iron-pine 4y ago
    > Prostitution is high risk and expensive Only where it is illegal. Plenty of legal countries with rules & regs regarding behavior, STD testing, protection, etc. > I have male friends I hug and cry with. I have deep feelings of loss for my pet pig, who challenged my world view on "love animals" and made me rethink how and what I eat. I have a successful marriage with a wonderful, intelligent, beautiful women because I'm not afraid of emotional and psychological intimacy. Cool story bro > What sex toys exist for men that aren't just gross receptacles for semen? (I'm not into butt stuff, personally.) why did you feel a need to include this, esp the part in parentheses?
    - jonfromsf 4y ago
      Because the best sex toys for men are prostate vibrators.
    - kcplate 4y ago
      > why did you feel a need to include this… That was at least somewhat on topic. The whole “rethinking how and what I eat” seemed way more out of place to me.
      - igetspam 4y ago

AltruisticGapHN 4y ago

We have to be careful and not fall in reductivism with the "is a symptom not a cause" line of thinking. It could hold you back your whole life. I think it is more helpful to think of it as A and B are linked somehow. Otherwise you're holding up an abstract, imaginary, "true cause¨ that someday/maybe we will find. And of course no such thing exists. If we know anything about the body is that it is a complex ORGANISM where there is no single cause to anything. Besides, if drinking before driving is NOT the cause of an accident (could be a myriad of other things like the state of the car, the conditions of the road, the weather, etc). End of the day, we know drinking and driving don't go well together - and a wise man will act accordingly.

luckylion 4y ago
Drug addiction is an illness, but it's not like you randomly get the drug-addiction-virus because you didn't wash your hands after touching something in the super market. Drug addiction usually follows drug abuse, and drug abuse often has a reason. That reason is what leads to drug addiction, in other words: drug addiction is a symptom. You can get people into rehab, but unless the reason for their drug abuse is fixed, they'll have a hard time getting & staying clean. If someone limps because their leg is broken, you'll try to fix their leg, not teach them to walk differently so the limp isn't as visible.

Bancakes 4y ago

I agree. We've had sex toys and prostitutes for thousands of years. Blaming porn is a weak band-aid on a deeper cut.

igetspam 4y ago
Prostitution is high risk and expensive. Porn is zero risk and basically free because we all have Internet access already. Porn is not the problem but it is a serious crutch for those unwilling to address the actual problem, which is generations of teaching men and boys that intimacy isn't important. I have male friends I hug and cry with. I have deep feelings of loss for my pet pig, who challenged my world view on "love animals" and made me rethink how and what I eat. I have a successful marriage with a wonderful, intelligent, beautiful women because I'm not afraid of emotional and psychological intimacy. What sex toys exist for men that aren't just gross receptacles for semen? (I'm not into butt stuff, personally.)
- red-iron-pine 4y ago
  > Prostitution is high risk and expensive Only where it is illegal. Plenty of legal countries with rules & regs regarding behavior, STD testing, protection, etc. > I have male friends I hug and cry with. I have deep feelings of loss for my pet pig, who challenged my world view on "love animals" and made me rethink how and what I eat. I have a successful marriage with a wonderful, intelligent, beautiful women because I'm not afraid of emotional and psychological intimacy. Cool story bro > What sex toys exist for men that aren't just gross receptacles for semen? (I'm not into butt stuff, personally.) why did you feel a need to include this, esp the part in parentheses?
  - jonfromsf 4y ago
    Because the best sex toys for men are prostate vibrators.
  - kcplate 4y ago
    > why did you feel a need to include this… That was at least somewhat on topic. The whole “rethinking how and what I eat” seemed way more out of place to me.
    - igetspam 4y ago