RachelAnn wrote:
What might happen if pornography were deregulated, given current cultural taboos?
Hi Rachel Ann,
I am not so sure that pornography has to be any more deregulated than it already is in the USA (I can't speak about any other countries as I am not familiar with their laws concerning porn.) What I think needs to happen is for there to be more of a tolerance for consenting adults who wish to engage in pornographic acts...sort of like in the 70's when there was an a 'campaign' in favor of tolerance for bi racial marriage. Do you remember when bi racial marriage was a cultural taboo? It is pretty much been 'normalized' and we are no worse for the wear. I believe this is what would happen if sexual preferences were not considered taboo. If we are going to have education and a 'national campaign' against porn, then it is only fair that we have education and a 'national campaign' in favor of porn/sexual preference tolerance.
Sadly, most of society views porn as degrading. This causes society to demonize those who are in favor of it. Since those in favor of porn are labeled in a negative way, i.e. as people who use porn to degrade and hate women, it is all but impossible break free of that stereotype. We are immediately dismissed on the basis of being immoral, inhumane, in denial, abused themselves, unintelligent, etc.
There is an air of superiority by those who are against porn which causes much of the problems we see today.There is no logical reason any type of sex between consenting adults should be viewed as wrong. If we tell society porn is degrading and wrong, it is only natural society will want to punish those who enjoy porn...it is human nature. This is the conflict you see going on today (and in the past) People are sexual in nature, when we tell them porn is wrong a conflict arises inside of themselves.
Here is how the conflict goes in a nutshell:
I like sex.
Porn is sex.
I like porn.
Society says porn is degrading, inhumane, etc.
Therefore porn is wrong.
Therefore all people who are connected to porn are wrong.
People who do wrong must be punished.
I must punish people who are connected to porn.
I am good.
I am not wrong.
Therefore the person who seduces me is wrong/bad and I am right/good.
Good must punish evil.
I am good, I must punish evil.
When I get seduced by porn it is not my fault.
Therefore it must be the porn actresses fault.
I must punish the porn actress.
Degrading someone is punishment.
I must degrade the porn actress.
Society sees me degrade the porn actress and labels all porn as degrading.
...and so it continues.
However, if porn was not considered degrading it would be treated like any other
legitimate industry. It would not be considered wrong and therefore would not be prescribed any punishment. Porn actresses and actors would be seen as entertainers/employees instead of people who were in need of punishment. Laws are already in place that prohibit the physical abuse of people. What we may need are stricter guidelines prohibiting the emotional abuse by society toward adult sexual preferences. End the cultural taboos and you would begin to see a healthier view of human sexuality. There is no rational reason to view porn between consenting adults as wrong.