The Perplexing World of Pornography
Photo courtesy of Healthline
Pornography is generally defined as any manner of content/material generated with the intent of eliciting sexual excitement (Britannica), which, in modern times, has been perceived as a force for evil or harm within our society. Before we analyze the morality of pornography, though, it’s important to delve into the topic’s history, which is far more diverse than you may have first thought. Truthfully, it is difficult to pinpoint when and where pornography first originated, as the various social standards by which ancient civilizations operated were incredibly diverse and distinct from one another (Britannica). Therefore, that which one civilization found perfectly acceptable another found distasteful or even blasphemous (Britannica), while some materials we view as normal now were seen as taboo as little as three or four decades ago. In other words, what is or is not porn is up to the viewer, so we can’t claim that historic depictions of potentially suggestive scenes were created with the intent of being pornographic. Regardless, porn and other manifestations of human sexuality have always played a role in societal proceedings, and they merely change form as the world progresses (Britannica). From printing press-erotica to modern sites such as PornHub founded with the creation of the internet, pornography continues to exist simply as another area of our modern society. So, while some may wish for the concept to be entirely erased from the records of what people view as “acceptable”, it is unlikely porn is going anywhere anytime soon.
An idea so ancient and everlasting such as porn undoubtedly has a tremendous effect on our society, and, while we can later explore the benefits of such indulgences, we must first acknowledge the harm pornography (or, more specifically, certain online platforms) has had on our world. When thinking of modern porn scandals, it’s likely the first thing that comes to one’s mind is the dubious yet powerful website known as PornHub. PornHub is the largest site for digital pornography consumption (as well as one of the biggest sites in the world (Donegan)), and has recently come under fire for promoting instances of child pornography as well as, more broadly, lacking the resources/commitment to fully screen their outputted content for illegal or immoral activity (Donegan). As a result of these accusations, the credit card companies which sponsored the platform withdrew their support, and the site was forced to remove any and all non-verified content from their collection. Sadly, these claims were far from unfounded, as the website entertained hundreds of thousands of videos perpetuating graphic and at times violent sexual crimes which could then be easily downloaded and reuploaded to other sites or forums (Donegan). These events sparked additional debates around whether pornography as a whole was a moral practice, and PornHub’s misdeeds were cited as evidence that porn sought only to hurt society as opposed to helping it develop.
While the website has since made efforts to reform its services, no one can argue the fact that PornHub did, in fact, cause social and moral harm to those unlucky enough to be involved with it. That being said, is it possible to attribute the maleffects of one event to pornography as a whole? Many on the political right (typically those leaning more conservatively), have made it clear their rejection to porn as a whole, most stating that it morally degrades society, sexualizes women, and breeds additional instance of sexual violence in modern day (Donegan). To determine whether this is a valid assessment of our situation or not, though, we need only observe the statistics assigned with the rise of viewership in pornographic industries. Namely, the creation of the internet allowed people all across the world to view content and interact with digital entities privately, seperate from the judgements or standards of others. Thus, the previously taboo porn became a popular search for many, and it was found that around 42% of children (aged 10-17) alone had at some point in their lives viewed pornographic material (Castleman). Clearly, a multitude of our societal peers engage in the viewership of porngraphy, so, by the logic of those arguing against the concept, can we expect rates of sexual deviancy to have risen in recent years? Actually, the opposite is true, with a wide variety of harmful sexual interactions decreasing since the 90s (when digital porn became the most accesible). Abortion rates have fallen by 41%, the transmission of multiple STDs have fell by over 50%, and there have been additional increases in rates of condom usage/safe sexual practices (especially in teens) (Castleman). Additionally, divorce and teen pregnancy rates have witnessed significant reductions, and violent sexual crimes (such as sexual assault or rape) have followed suite (Castleman). While some feel that porn is damaging society, it appears we may have actually improved in many areas as a result of pornography’s presence.
While it’s impossible to say definitively that porn is a “positive” factor in society, it is similarly difficult to classify it as entirely harmful. Many people have had their lives ruined as a result of unregulated distribution of pornographic materials, and its possible certain videos may depict scenarios glorifying the harassment and/or objectification of women. However, it’s difficult to ignore how much progress society has made as a result of porn’s induction into the realms of content we enjoy continuous access to, and there are certainly spaces where porn can be effectively utilized to educate those viewing it. At the end of the day, though, it’s important to acknowledge that many of the issues assigned with porn aren’t problems people have with the idea itself; problematic porn is created by problematic people/industries. If made by the right people with the right intentions, porn can be a tool used to better society, and, while it may be hard to see that now, global modernization and increased tolerance will undoubtedly create a world ready to handle the perplexing (but hopefully beneficial) world of pornography.
Citations
Jenkins, John Philip. "pornography". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/pornography. Accessed 11 February 2022.
“How Pornhub - One of the World's Biggest Sites - Caused Untold Damage and Pain | Moira Donegan.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Dec. 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/16/pornhub-untold-damage-pain.
“Does Pornography Cause Social Harm?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-about-sex/200904/does-pornography-cause-social-harm.