2 ms·

Widespread internet porn I think is an understudied sociological phenomenon. In the West, it is easily available to both minors and adults alike. Questions: 1.

Widespread internet porn I think is an understudied sociological phenomenon. In the West, it is easily available to both minors and adults alike. Questions: 1. Is porn addictive? There have been various recent studies pointing out similarities in the brains of internet addicts with drug addicts, but little focus specifically on porn to my knowledge. 2. What are the sociological effects of widespread regular porn use? I'm thinking in terms of motivation levels, risk-taking behavior, and any other psychological effects (for example as a positive effect some argue mass porn use explains the recent drop in rate of sex offenses). If porn is potentially the neurological equivalent of digital heroin, I think it definitely deserves more discussion than it currently receives.

VMG 14y ago
In the West, it is easily available to both minors and adults alike. I think it is easily available wherever there is unlimited internet access: http://www.google.com/trends/?q=porn http://www.google.com/trends/?q=porn
cantankerous 14y ago
Also, what is "regular porn use"?
darklajid 14y ago
I don't think it works this way. The neurological equivalent of digital heroin is not free access to YouPorn. The reward happens offline. And the lab rats you're looking at are enjoying this 'give me pleasure' button forever, with society swinging like a pendulum between (correct) ignorance and (crazy) ideas of imposed restrictions. Seriously - when I was a teen I had no internet porn. But certainly equal substitutes, ~just as readily available~. Maybe I couldn't really focus on specifics like 'give me a threesome of the following composition of sex, race and sexual preference, speaking in language x' - but that's a different kind of problem I guess. More like 'I had plenty of heroin, but nowadays I can order it online specifically from Redmond and add the fantasy that I shoot the same stuff Bill buys' [1]. 1: I've nothing against him and I highly doubt he has any experience with (these sorts of) drugs.
- TazeTSchnitzel 14y ago
  You have a valid point. Pornography is merely an aid in, er... sexually fantasising. Without it you still have the same problem.
zerostar07 14y ago
There is substantial research in porn addiction, some psychologists even define "stages" of this addiction. It may be included in future psychiatric disorder manuals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_addiction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_addiction However it seems like addiction is reinforced by the negative social attitudes towards sex (i want what is forbidden/taboo), which is really a vicious cycle. Rationally speaking, porn shouldn't even exist (a dog never has to pay for it).

VMG 14y ago

In the West, it is easily available to both minors and adults alike. I think it is easily available wherever there is unlimited internet access: http://www.google.com/trends/?q=porn http://www.google.com/trends/?q=porn

cantankerous 14y ago

Also, what is "regular porn use"?

darklajid 14y ago

I don't think it works this way. The neurological equivalent of digital heroin is not free access to YouPorn. The reward happens offline. And the lab rats you're looking at are enjoying this 'give me pleasure' button forever, with society swinging like a pendulum between (correct) ignorance and (crazy) ideas of imposed restrictions. Seriously - when I was a teen I had no internet porn. But certainly equal substitutes, ~just as readily available~. Maybe I couldn't really focus on specifics like 'give me a threesome of the following composition of sex, race and sexual preference, speaking in language x' - but that's a different kind of problem I guess. More like 'I had plenty of heroin, but nowadays I can order it online specifically from Redmond and add the fantasy that I shoot the same stuff Bill buys' [1]. 1: I've nothing against him and I highly doubt he has any experience with (these sorts of) drugs.

TazeTSchnitzel 14y ago
You have a valid point. Pornography is merely an aid in, er... sexually fantasising. Without it you still have the same problem.

zerostar07 14y ago

There is substantial research in porn addiction, some psychologists even define "stages" of this addiction. It may be included in future psychiatric disorder manuals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_addiction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_addiction However it seems like addiction is reinforced by the negative social attitudes towards sex (i want what is forbidden/taboo), which is really a vicious cycle. Rationally speaking, porn shouldn't even exist (a dog never has to pay for it).