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This is a question that I've long sought an answer to but could never pin down. It's a topic I've only rarely heard discussed on the show, the most recent being the interview with Gary Wilson who wrote Your Brain On Porn (highly recommended). Basically, is pornography of any kind morally wrong to consume? If so, what is the argument that pins it to the wall so we can help perpetrators see their immorality? If not, should we treat it as an addictive behavior/substance? Like booze or opiates? Or should we be hands off in addressing it? I personally see nothing morally wrong with a guy in his room consuming weird fetish pornography, just like a guy smoking on his balcony. He isn't committing rape, theft, assault or murder, so his actions don't violate UPB. It's a different case however if he's supporting (or funding) pornography in which UPB is being violated, the content of that example I'm sure you can fill in yourselves. At the same time, I can't help but get this feeling or voice in the back of my head that tells me something is wrong. That this has an air of destructiveness that can have devastating effects on a person's life. It goes deeper than a nicotine addiction does, because sexuality is something so personal and intimate. This feels like a totally different beast that I can't get good philosophical footing on. Maybe I'm over-thinking it and if twenty-year-olds wanna watch hentai then there's nothing wrong with that, but something feels off. As for Stef's views on this, I've extracted little tid-bits from shows, one about sexual fetishism where he said sexual fetishism needs to be corrected, and in the same show he questioned the listener on his openness about his fetish with his mother. He said "How do you talk about this stuff with your mom? 'I like it this way with whip cream and a dinosaur toy-' this is just something I never wanna hear from my children." And he didn't say it in an angry or condemning way, but in a joking sort of "that's private and should stay private". The show is titled The Origins Of Sexual Fetishism for those interested. In conclusion, here's my best "argument" against the consumption of pornography that I'm unsure of: Why would you need porn to be aroused if you're in a relationship? What is it about your significant other that is lacking in the sexual department? Shouldn't your lover be the only source of arousal in your life? Porn is wrong to consume because you pledge your sexual arousal to your partner, and them to you, so using porn is like going to a prostitute or cheating. All done for sexual needs at the neglect of your partner. So what are your guys's opinions on this? Link me a previous thread if it's been talked about before.

So before I saw the movie (I have no interest in reading the book) I didn't quite sympathize, or empathize with the way that some women feel about men and pornography. But sitting there in the theater with my girlfriend I found myself becoming... jealous, I think, of the attention the Christian Grey character was getting from her right next to me. It would flare inside of me any time I looked at her restraining her giddiness at the things he'd say or do on screen, or any time she made a comment about him. Each time it flared, I defensively and neurotically analysed what was happening, running everything I knew about biology and philosophy against what was happening before me and within me. Then it hit me about a third of the way in- I was experiencing what women experience, when they think of men -whom they value and love- watch pornography. I realized that my thoughts of "No men are like this, who could actually be like this?" and thoughts of resentment towards her and the whole phenomenon of this novel and film- and precisely what women feel about the women in pornography. "No women are like this, no women would do this to themselves." You know, the feeling of inferiority, feeling small and powerless in your capacities. When compared to the "too good to be true" sexuality in pornography. The best part was, after I figured this out it made me relax and I could return to the moment. The clarity was wonderful. Thoughts forum? Has anyone else had a similar experience, or empathize with women on this? Am I missing something here or am I off base with what I understand now about with this?