I recently have been wondering, why does America have pornography? Is it because we need it? Personally, I don't think so. Is it even morally correct to watch, pay for, or create pornographic material? If so, then why is there an age restriction on such things? Is it because younger Americans should not be privy to such things, or is it because the greater part of the Nation is embarrased to even know such material exists?
I am going to assume that most, if not all of you have seen some form of pornographic material in your life. Did seeing that change your life, or make you a less inteligent, caring person? Has seeing pornographic images made you forget your personal morals, or did it make you a better person?
Why is the age restriction set at 18? Why did they choose that age specifically for tobacco products and pornography to suddenly become legal? Does that mean that pornography is somehow more morally correct than drinking, because the age restriction on that is 21. If so, should they raise the ponography cap, or lower the drinking cap. Why not just throw all those things onto people at the same time?
I am not suggesting that people could not start families with someone. In no way do I want to say that sex is bad. I want to know why pornography is sp prevolent in American Society today, why there are age restrictions on pornography, drinking, and tobacco. Is pornographic material even morally decent, and why, if it isn't, are some pornographic websites among the most frequently visited websites in the world?
Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to give credit where credit is due.
Asherlee, thank you for your help in creating this thread because if you hadn't intervened, than I may have made a boring, unintelligent, biggoted thread, that brooked only insults and spam, not quality debating.
I recently have been wondering, why does America have pornography?
To have something to masturbate to.
Is it because we need it? Personally, I don't think so.
No not needed, but for the above reason it sure helps.
Is it even morally correct to watch, pay for, or create pornographic material? If so, then why is there an age restriction on such things?
Because many people especially in America are way to uptight about sex.
I am going to assume that most, if not all of you have seen some form of pornographic material in your life. Did seeing that change your life, or make you a less inteligent, caring person?
Yes, and hair grew out of my palm and I went blind. No it had no effect on my day to day life or my intelligence.
Has seeing pornographic images made you forget your personal morals, or did it make you a better person?
My personal morals never saw porn as a bad thing to begin with.
Why is the age restriction set at 18? Why did they choose that age specifically for tobacco products and pornography to suddenly become legal?
I actually don't know, some places even have it set at 21. The age restrictions seem very arbitrary to me.
I want to know why pornography is sp prevolent in American Society today
Many regard sexual material as a taboo, thus making it more desirable.
Is pornographic material even morally decent, and why, if it isn't, are some pornographic websites among the most frequently visited websites in the world?
Again I don't regard it as immoral. It's among the most visited because we are sexually driven beings.
Most things are subjective - including the morality of porn. If two (or more...) adults want to make a pornographic video (either as cheap amateurs or well-paid professionals) then I see no problem with it. The age restrictions are probably more to do with sex being a 'taboo' subject in most Western societies.
Sure, i've seen porn, I've no objections to it really. Morality and opinions are, of course, subjective - you can't really say pornography IS right or pornography IS wrong.
Humans are rather sex-mad, a trait we share with our ancestors, it's rather often said that prostitution is one of the oldest careers in the world. We've a long history of paying for sex or paying to view sex.
The legal age for pornography is probably younger than that of tobacco or alcohol because it's far less harmful to a person and the age is in line with the legal age of consent for actual sexual acts so...
The legal age for pornography is probably younger than that of tobacco or alcohol because it's far less harmful to a person and the age is in line with the legal age of consent for actual sexual acts so...
That is what I don't get. The legal age for tobacco is the same as it is for porn. Why make something harmful and something fun, legal at the same time?
That is what I don't get. The legal age for tobacco is the same as it is for porn. Why make something harmful and something fun, legal at the same time?
Huh? Where's your problem - I don't see any contradictions or problems with it. Making tobacco and porn legal at the same age is probably just a sign of what I like to call the 'staggered adulthood' of the US - you get some of the good stuff at 18 and the rest at 21. I can't understand the reasoning, I agree with you on that, but I hardly think it's a major issue.
Pornography is a business, because those that produce it know that there are people that want porn. I won't go into the details of the kinds of people that buy porn, but to those that make it, they can get a lot of money from it, because there are a lot of people that want it. That's all there is to it in the "whys".
There are plenty of sides to the morals of pornography, but this is not much an issue as say the death penalty, gay marriage, or abortion. It is personally an "it's your opinion" deal, because it's just as simple as whether someone likes apples versus someone who doesn't. It's a tad bit heavier than that, but it's not like people are going to rage in Congress over this. If people want porn, give them porn. It's mutually beneficial for those that want it and those that make it, and it doesn't harm anyone who hates it by existing.
You can quote me on this if you'd like, but I believe it is 18, in America, because that is the age of limitation where a person is no longer considered a juvenile. It's not because there are other factors that go along with being 18, such as being able to fight for your country or to smoke tobacco, but just because it's the legal age for being an adult in the U.S. Just because the other factors that I listed above also are on the 18 cap doesn't mean that either or should be raised/lowered. One should not affect the other for the legal age.
Personally, pornography really hasn't changed me at all, like how Mage said. I did forget what I was previously doing before I discovered the image though. Err, at any rate, no, it hasn't affected me whatsoever psychologically.
There could only be one thing that could possibly faze me on the pornography deal, morally. I feel it's frowned upon if you have porn and you frequently use it when you are married, especially if it's only purpose is to satisfy you. I certainly wouldn't want it around if I have a wife someday--not for me but for her.
Why is the age restriction set at 18? Why did they choose that age specifically for tobacco products and pornography to suddenly become legal?
I think the age restriction of 18 exists because in many areas of the US you become a consenting adult at 18, so it makes some sense that that is the age they would pick for pornography too.
i've heard it said and seen it written that indulging in the discussed issue can lead to desensitization to real life occurrences (difficult to recreate irl b/c there are few people who match body styles to those used in the pics and films)... i've heard that it can cause and/or exacerbate mental illnesses in people... or make them want to do what they see...
if true then that could lead to injuries and/or mental misrepresentation of the subjects in the videos as objects of pleasure instead of actual people. something w/ so much potential influence could be viewed as adults only and therefore an age stipulation is placed on it
justified or not... i dunno. i haven't researched it... just whatever the media has said about it
i've heard it said and seen it written that indulging in the discussed issue can lead to desensitization to real life occurrences (difficult to recreate irl b/c there are few people who match body styles to those used in the pics and films)... i've heard that it can cause and/or exacerbate mental illnesses in people... or make them want to do what they see...
I would say not true, particularly that first part about not being able to live up to standards. I've seen plenty of girls in real life who are far better looking then most girls I've seen in pornography. I don't see how it could cause mental illness. I can see how someones mental illness could play up on the material, but that would be instances of a preexisting condition that would likely manifest one way or another. If adults are reenacting what they see consensually I again don't see anything wrong here. If by doing what you see you mean **** this again would likely be from a preexisting state that would be acted on with or without watching porn.
Really a lot of that sounds very much like the arguments against violent video games.
Why would you restrict the one thing under age people are desperate for?/joke. At the legal age, people would usually rather go out there and have it 'for real' so to speak. I say, let teens be teens.
Just like playing video games is not the same as going out there and killing, someone watching porn isn't going to get you STD's.
Just like playing video games is not the same as going out there and killing, someone watching porn isn't going to get you STD's.
I like this point, Efan. I think we could even say this is a benefit of pornography. A person can receive the satisfaction they want, without some of the detriments some the (debatable) risque' sexual acts they view in pornography.
On the other hand, is it a slippery slope? Is there evidence that says it would lead action?
i've heard it said and seen it written that indulging in the discussed issue can lead to desensitization to real life occurrences (difficult to recreate irl b/c there are few people who match body styles to those used in the pics and films)... i've heard that it can cause and/or exacerbate mental illnesses in people... or make them want to do what they see...
\\
Great. Care to give a link to a non biased sight that says this?
if true then that could lead to injuries and/or mental misrepresentation of the subjects in the videos as objects of pleasure instead of actual people. something w/ so much potential influence could be viewed as adults only and therefore an age stipulation is placed on it
what i was getting at was the re-enactment of some of the actions... of what they saw... like choking, (staged) ****, punching, throat sex. any of which might end up getting someone hurt... say.. if one of them needs to breathe but the other isn't done yet and is to enthralled in the moment to notice and keeps things going
now that would be an extreme case... and i'm not sure i've heard of people dying form sex too often or ever... i was just saying that upon seeing something unique like that (or something they'd never thought of) they might be like "ZOMG!!! I will do that b4 i die"
so its whatever...
everyone else was bringing up why its good w/o contest.. i was just playing devil's advocate.
what i was getting at was the re-enactment of some of the actions... of what they saw... like choking, (staged) ****, punching, throat sex. any of which might end up getting someone hurt... say.. if one of them needs to breathe but the other isn't done yet and is to enthralled in the moment to notice and keeps things going
now that would be an extreme case... and i'm not sure i've heard of people dying form sex too often or ever... i was just saying that upon seeing something unique like that (or something they'd never thought of) they might be like "ZOMG!!! I will do that b4 i die"
so its whatever...
Really? You think that people old enough to take a sexual interest in porn are foolish enough to imitate dangerous actions? If so, than the entirety of the human race must be put in a basement. They would be unable to watch anything. "Oh, I watched Barney. Now I want to do that before I die! I must play around with a purple dinosaur!" Or "Look, that guy in America's funniest home videos fell off a latter! I have to do that now!"?
We aren't talking about the extremal mentally ill who would act as you assumed, or children so young that they would do that, but normal, average, fairly well educated, American adults. Your statements are simply illogical and unfounded...
