Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Pornography: Sex or Subordination

Better Essays
2828 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Pornography: Sex or Subordination
Pornography
Introduction
My topic deals with the issue of whether or not all pornography should be illicit. I will defend the position that pornography should be kept lawful by arguing, first, that pornography is advantageous to society, and secondly, that any position to make pornography illegal would go against the rights of the first amendment. My argument is that pornography is beneficial to society. Pornography: aids as a sexual outlet.

Pornography Sex or Subordination
For potential sex crime offenders, provides pleasure for people who are unable to find carnal gratification, helps society be more open about the topic of sex, and aids in helping couples deal with problems in their sensual relationships. Many people have sexual fetishes that would go unfulfilled if pornography proscribed.
People with high sex drives who need to "get off" several times a day have an outlet through pornography. The number of violent sex crimes is reduced through the apt use of pornography. Even if one victim a year was saved, pornography would be useful to society.
Sexual gratification is a primal desire that everyone has the right to, if nobody involved gets hurt. Without pornography, many people would turn to whoredom, which already is illegal in most places.

People should not be ashamed of their sexual orientation or desires. Pornography can be used to start and kindle open discussions about sex. If parents would talk to their children about the topic of sex, everyone would be sexually educated. Society can only benefit if everyone became educated about sex.
Many couples cannot reach sexual fulfillment by themselves. Pornography is often used as therapy for couples with sex disorders, or couples who are not gratified with their sex lives. For many, a blissful sex life leads to a better relationship, which leads to better families.
It may even upsurge the number of vicious sex crimes committed by people who view pornography. People who find the most pleasure through pornography are either rapists or potential sex crime offenders.
It started by way of messengers and scribes, evolved through the presentation of newspapers and radio, brought us together with television, and now serves us world-wide via the ever-popular Internet. It is the mass media, and even from the earliest days of its existence, it has contributed greatly in ways that both enlighten and enrich society, and ways that deteriorate and baffle it. It is not a surprise to learn, then, that the mass media is the most powerful source of information we have.
Unfortunately, however, most of what is screen or transmitted in the news today is with reference to the chaotic condition of our planet, or something else that society as a whole sees as detrimental or damaging. But the news on television is not the only type of media taking the criticism of society. Other forms of mass media, specifically movies and television programs containing erotica and sadism have been heavily criticized. The underlining concept to be debated here is that society is negatively influenced, specifically, by these images of pornography and the result is augmented violence against women. This assumption, and it is indeed only an assumption, is completely fallacious, however, as no concrete and completely conclusive evidence has ever been formulated in support of the theory. The key premise here is that the mass media does not cause undesirable social behavior and in actuality, the media people should not be dubbed as the bad guys.

There are many reasons for this misinterpretation and through the following few points, an attempt will be made to show that pornography has very little to almost no correlation with violence against women (of course nothing is absolute in society). In order to demonstrate this, it must be made evident that pornography is not vice and does not cause undesirable social behavior by displaying stripped women in sexually explicit circumezces. Thus, it is important to indicate that women are not treated only as sexual objects through the media. This is done in an attempt to quash any traces of evil in pornography. Subsequently, a second point, that some may consider to be completely bizarre, can be addressed; that pornography actually reduces the amount of violence against women. For thousands of years, sex itself has been considered vice and revolting.

Contrary to the beliefs of many, the mass media did not generate these settings; society creates this image. In some societies, women have no reservations with regard to living their entire lives completely undressed, while in other societies, females cover themselves from head to toe, only revealing their eyes. The media has been bombarded with criticism, overwhelmingly from the female community, relative to the amount of sexually explicit material that is published in magazines and that appears on television and in the cinemas. A common argument against pornography is that the media portrays women as being nothing more than sexual playthings and objects to gratify male libido. As before, the media once again, is not to be held accountable for creating this image; these views are products of society. It would be downright absurd to assume that women in this society are treated as sexual objects only because the media releases or broadcasts erotica material. A magazine associated with make-up and skin care, for example, will quite obviously not be concentrating on much else. Such a magazine would not put on show pictures of women who mountain-climb or women who water-ski; only images of make-up and text referring to skin care would be relevant. Clearly, society does not consider women to be beings whose only purpose in life is to fret about make-up and skin care; but why are the grumbles only directed towards pornographic media then? The answer to this question may be more complicated; however, what remains palpable is that the media does not portray women as only being able to fill male eros. To say that pictures featuring nudity, etc, are making objects out of women is imprudent. One should consider females who pin-up posters of male rock stars or children who collect hockey or baseball cards. Society, however, does not say that objects are being made out of these rock stars and sports heroes; pictures of clothed people are no fewer objects than pictures of naked people. Many gripes are also made to the effect that pornography only offers a one-dimensional view to life; that women are seen as nymphomaniacs who are hysterically addicted to sex. It should be pointed out that events such as hockey games, boxing matches, horse races and operas all offer a one-dimensional view of life. One does not attend an opera hoping to see a horse race. The underlying problem here is that the above mentioned events are socially acceptable; media displaying pornography is not. It is also said that the media reduces women to a collection of body parts through pornography. But why then are their no grouches of advertisements in magazines displaying only ears, for example, or a nose, or feet? The reason is a simple one society considers certain body parts to be shameful or disgusting and once again, the media can be let off the hook. Realistically, the only way to avert women from being seen as sex objects is for them to be seen as other things as well; but to say that women are not sexual beings would be misleading because both men and women are very much sexual. Similarly, to say that women are singled out in the media is fallacious due to the many examples of media where men are seen catering to the needs of women; something known as chivalric sexism. There were no lineups of men aching to announce their displeasure with the sexist ad; and this is precisely why male stereotyping in the media often goes unnoticed. Similarly, it is pornography in the media that is noticed and shunned by anti-pornographic and censorship organizations because it seemingly singles out females for their bodies. It should be well noted, however, that paperback romance novels, which make up an incredible 40% of total paperback sales depicts males as sexual objects, and performing what is called Sweet Savagery (rape), just as pornography depicts females as sexual objects. But once again, this goes unnoticed. It is fundamentally imperative to realize that the media does not deliberately create images of odium or disagreement. They just influence the more appealing things in society (thus directly increasing their ratings).
An unethical life can be seen all around us. We see it in drugs, alcohol, movies, magazines, gangs, teenage pregnancy, pre-marital sex, and society as a whole. A person can walk into almost any convenience store and purchase a magazine depicting naked women. Videos and movies with graphic sex scenes can be rented or watched in any movie theater. They have become more common than ever before. Allusions are made to sex in every part of our life. Work, school, sports, and recreation are all forums through which unhealthy sexual views are expressed. One of the more predominant and apparent forums for the proliferation of unwholesome libido is pornography. Pornography is displaying the human body in a perverse, sexual way. It can be found in film, magazine, television, on CD-ROM, and even the internet, and can range from "soft-core", depicting natural poses and action, to "hard-core", or depicting sex combined with violence, that any reasonable, decent, well- adjusted human being would recognize as nasty and sickening. Pornography can be bought at many "adult" or "adult novelty" shops.
Pornography is displaying your body in a fashion that is licentious and in a manner that is vulgar towards your own personal image. Some people believe that pornography is discrimination against women. I feel as though if the person displaying him or her feels that it is not pornographic or hurting their self-esteem, then they should be able to do it without being judged by others. There are different forms of pornography that individuals look at in different ways. Some types include movies in which people are having sex, or even pictures of children with no clothes on. You have to look at each case with a different attitude because it is different when you have a full-grown adult posing nude in a magazine and when there is an adult with pictures of children nude in his house. Also, there are types of pornography, which are illegal that you must take into account. Having a magazine such as Playboy is in no way, shape, or form illegal, but having pictures of children posing in the same manner as the women in the magazines is definitely illegal because the children are not of proper age in which they can make judgments because they have not been exposed to the real world where people judge you based on your appearance and how you show yourself. There are some forms of pornography that are x-rated. For example, when you see an erotica movie where there are women or men with animals or with inanimate objects. These are just ludicrous and show bad towards all of humanity because no one in his or her right mind should even think of doing anything like this. Pornography has always been identified with obscenity; it is whether or not the average person that is applying contemporary community standards says the dominant theme of the material taken as whole appeals to prudent interest. This is stating that if a normal person in a set community believes something is unjust or immoral, than chances are it probably is and the majority of the people around them also believe that it affects them in the same manner. X-rated materials are such that they have the tendency to deprave and corrupt those whose minds are open to such immoral influences, such as those who carry pictures of children with them in a sick manner, who may pass them onto their perverted friends. Different people look at pornography in dissimilar fashions because everyone has separate views on different topics. For instance, you can read a passage out of a magazine and think that it is bawdy and you will think that the entire publication is perverted because you think that one sentence is immoral.
Pornography is a social problem and is a commodity brought into existence by certain characteristics of a highly developed civilization. The problem with Pornography is that any form of censorship or suppression cannot solve it. These Aggressive methods would merely exacerbate the disease and create other deplorable repercussions. Prevention is better than cure, and by diagnosing the psychological motives of those who consume pornography, we may be able to change the instincts involved. In pornography a visual or verbal image acts as a direct stimulus to the erotic drives or impulses, which are always latent and ready to be stirred up in normal people. Television perhaps more than any other medium, is the average person’s first glimpse at pornography. It invades your home through regular programming, cable and videos. A large part of this pornographic sadism and develops the concept that women are expendable. There are innumerable plots on television dealing with rape, murder, kidnapping, and beatings. All of this done to the leading man's wife or girlfriend and has become the rule. Similarly, pornography in movies has become common amusement. These movies leave little to the imagination and exhibit the most violent scenes of bondage, rape, and mutilation.
There is an overwhelming amount of pornography that is floating around our homes, offices, and I hate to say it, but our children s bedrooms too! Pornography is a disgusting way of life that ruins our family, friends, and households.

Child Pornography is a solemn issue that will never be overlooked or dismissed. Pornography, viewed by an adult is a pill stimulating the mind, inducing sexual arousal and pleasure, but when a child views pornography, an affect of social behavior starts. This child not only represents him or herself in the world, but also represents the worlds youth altogether. Often pornography is the first exposure children have to sexually explicit subject matter, so it can set the standard for normal or appropriate sexual behavior. Teenage boys are the biggest consumers of pornography. Teenagers don’t just look they learn from pornography. The use of sexual media is clearly associated with sexually aggressive behavior. Some believe that it can cause addiction or compulsive sexual behavior, and almost all believe that it facilitates, maintains or reinforces it. This is particularly true if the pornography is arousing, if it is coupled with masturbation and subsequent orgasm. Children today are growing up whose earliest sexual imprinting derives not from a living human being but from fantasies of their own. From the lack of knowledge and maturity, children use pornography literature and illustrations to teach them how sexuality really is. It is hard for a child to come forth and search the answers from their parents.
Pornography and the Internet Since the beginning of time, men and women have fantasized over naked bodies. Pornography has always been a part of life and yet it has never been as readily available as what it is now. Erotic stories, lewd pictures, XXX- rated films and modern day magazines, are all part of the stimulus material which is known as "pornography" or as it is legally put, "obscenity." Pornography on the Internet cannot be totally prohibited and yet any user cannot access it as our society's ethics are against children looking at pornography. The vast majority of information on the Internet is entertaining, informative, and educational. Nevertheless, the "Net" can have a dark side. The Internet is seemingly unregulated at present. This means that unlike any other form of communications available today it is open to abuse and misuse in a myriad of ways. The unregulated flow of information that the Internet provides creates concerns with parents and politicians. The Internet is a useful tool for reference. The purpose of the Internet is to promote learning and to promote easy access to other resources available on the Internet. All forms of pornography are offensive to these purposes of the Internet. As a whole, society should care more about the misuse of Freedom of Speech on the Internet. Pornography is not only abusing the Internet by its presence, but society's children are accessing pornography, thus abusing this resource.
Freedom of Pornography Free Speech means exactly what it says, the right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government. There have been many questions on the topic of Free Speech and Pornography. Many people feel that pornography should not be included in Free Speech, but if someone limited what their idea of free speech was, then wouldn’t t that be illegal? There are many statistics proving that pornography does not cause violence against women, and that men do not copy what they see in pornography.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    6. What is the remedy for the possible harm that may be produced by pornography?…

    • 2313 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    According to Enough.org, Child pornography is one of the fastest growing industries online, it has become a 3 billion dollar industry. Many of the victims blame themselves for what has happened to them because they “allowed” the abuse to happen or continue. Many of these children suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional numbing and have trouble sleeping or concentrating. Most pedophiles begin by watching soft porn, and then the addiction escalates which leads them to watch more intense explicit materials. Later, these more hardcore images or film may not satisfy the addiction,…

    • 2422 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sexually explicit material may lead people to perceive their partners as comparatively less appealing and to devalue their relationship.…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are numerous reasons that could explain why porn is appealing to people , but there is one thing for sure –every human being is entitled to the freedom to watch adult movies no matter if the reason is curiosity , sexual fulfillment or any other reason that is within the reasoning of a normal human being . Pornography is special part of the sex industry , because unlike the real thing the adult industry movies help people live through their most secret desires and fetishes. Movies with X-rated content are appealing , due to the fact that they could offer the comfort of the private experience at the…

    • 2615 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Pornography is a subject that has been around since the discovery of erotica. Because of moral issues associates with this topic, there has always been controversy. From the days in which there were brothels filled with “ladies of the evening” to today in which access to this type of material is only a click away, there have been people who argue against the ethics of pornography. According to Mosser author of Philosophy: A Concise Introduction, ethics can be defined as a type of “moral philosophy” that allows investigation on how to evaluate behavior based on what is considered right and wrong (2010). While ethics play a huge role in everyday life, it can also become a blurred line in regards to what each individual considers right and wrong. In today’s society there are many issues that may seem appropriate in one country or society, but may prove to be improper somewhere else. The subject of pornography is an issue that plagues the ethical realm. While, in general there are guidelines that regulate the pornography industry in this country, it is clear that those same rules do not always apply abroad. Because of the increased influence and access to pornographic material there has developed two distinct groups: those who are against pornography (anti-pornography) and those who are in support pornography (pro-pornography). The two sides have debated on the rights for people in and outside of the porn industry to exercise their freedom of speech by viewing, distributing and accessing the material.…

    • 2668 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    When talking about social stigmas and social problems dealing with pornography most people tend to talk about those who purchase or watch pornography. Those social problems could include the underage watching of porn, the fact that it can lead to a desensitization of sexual human contact, and the more aggressive and negative outlook toward women. However, there are several problems dealing with those involved in the…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “Pornography that is far more violent and explicit has flooded the market, and this has been accompanied by a commensurate increase in the number of sex crimes (Davis 14).” Sexually violent pornography is a leading cause of sexual offenses; it influences men to believe that women enjoy being forced into sexual activity and that they enjoy being physically hurt during intercourse.…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Causal Analysis

    • 1409 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Litherland, Neal. "The Positive Effects of Pornography." Yahoo! Voices Contributor Network. N.p., 8 Apr. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.…

    • 1409 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ashford University

    • 1211 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Editorial Staff. (1991, Nov.). The Documented Effect of Porn. The Forerunner, X(VI). Retrieved from http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0388_Effects_of_Pornograp.html…

    • 1211 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Argument Pornography

    • 4229 Words
    • 17 Pages

    several reasons for being wary of the censorship of pornography, I will discuss only two…

    • 4229 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Truth in Media

    • 2584 Words
    • 11 Pages

    The omnipresence of pornography in today’s society has increased extramentally over the past few decades. What is available over the internet is remarkably unrestricted and available to anyone who looks for it. This paper will cover how and what the messages on sexuality that are being conveyed to today’s society,…

    • 2584 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    The degree to which pornography is harmful to our society, to relationships, is immense, in my opinion.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Pornography is the graphic depiction of sexuality that aims to stimulate sexual desire. It appears in several mediums, but pornographic images have inspired the bulk of discussion and research. The questions of how pornography should be defined and whether pornography should be censored, regulated, or protected as a form of free speech have historically been the biggest sources of controversy surrounding the regulation of pornography. In the United States, laws that have attempted to answer these questions as well as regulate access to pornography have changed as societal mores have evolved and the means of pornography distribution have become more pervasive. The motives behind the regulation of pornography are diverse. The most prevalent contemporary…

    • 361 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    paper 1

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Porn has made society see their self in sexual terms first, regardless of age , marital status, professional status, or social status…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This has led people to lose respect for themselves and their bodies. These sexual acts are taking place at younger and younger ages as society, largely through the media, has promoted these unchaste actions. I believe that it takes away the from the quality of people’s relationships because instead of getting to know someone better, they are just getting to know someone’s body better. I think this aids in leading people to get married despite not being ready for such a commitment. That can lead to a divorce later on when the couple realizes that their marriage isn’t working. The divorce not only affects the couple, but it affects any children they may have had before or during their marriage. Now the children won’t grow up with the stability they deserve in a family setting. The premarital, sexual acts may also result in a pregnancy where the couple decides to have an…

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays