Pornography -- An Epidemic?

1422 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Pornography The Degradation Of Our Society

Pornography -- An Epidemic?

The subtopic being examined in this segment of pornography as a whole, is that of violent pornography. In order to understand what is going to be discussed and the examples that will be cited, one must understand the context of violent pornography in relation to Pornography as a whole. But as this section will conclude, it is actually the widespread viewing of pornography as represented through the media, which leads to violent actions.

To begin with, the words violence and pornography must be separated and distinguished between. When these words are used together, one can get the impression that only þhard-coreþ pornography is the issue at hand. But there is a greater evil, and þhard-coreþ is only the finishing element in a long chain of reactions. Rather, the words violent and pornography are going to be þinterpretedþ as separate elements; the interpolated meaning now changes. The following discussion will attempt to prove the relation between pornography and the violent reaction it instills in its þvictimsþ. It is this relation which is far more important, and deadly, than þhard-coreþ is as a singular element.

One of the most important examples, which will be discussed at great length, is that of convicted murderer Ted Bundy, who was electrocuted in February 1989 for the known murders of at least 23 young women. Some figures estimate that number to be as many as 100. Not much was known about the personal life of the man who was 42 when he was put to death, but in a one hour interview that was given by James Dobson, President of Focus on the Family, 16 hours before Bundyþs execution, Bundy revealed,...

... middle of paper ...

... pornography is just expressing ones self; to others, itþs considered an art form. But studies have shown that this þart formþ is the chief cause of many murders and rapes that occur in the United States. And it doesnþt start with þhard-coreþ. The early stages of erotica are actually the start.

In conclusion, the question of whether pornography is an epidemic or not is rhetoric. Itþs obvious that it became an epidemic decades ago -- it has simply become entrenched in society. As has been shown in medical professions, the only way to deal with an epidemic is to find a cure which will obliterate the cancer. This situation is no different. Pornography leading to violence in society is a cancer which is growing larger every day. Perhaps without the influence of pornography, society would be just a little less violent.

Show More
Related

  • A Descent Into Madness: Gilman's 'The Yellow Paper'

    1803 Words  | 4 Pages

    "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a fictionalized account of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's own postpartum depression. Gilman was a social critic and feminist who wrote prolifically about the necessity of social and sexual equality, particularly about women's need for economic independence. According to critic Valarie Gill,

    Read More

  • A Pornographic World By Robert Jensen Summary

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    A pornographic world [What is normal] by Robert Jensen takes an inside look at the culture of masculinity and what role pornography takes in shaping that culture. Jensen describes how he was forced to play a “macho” role as a child out of fear of being bullied and ridiculed for not being manly enough. Pornography use started for him and his friends in grade school – they would steal magazines and hide them to share in a group later. He talks of how he learned of a social concept, called the “ideal of prostitution” (the notion of men “buying” women in various forms of undress, solely for their pleasure), at a young age. While there has always been a stigma around pornography, whether stemming from moral or religious reasons, Jenson continued to use porn until his 30s.

    Read More

  • Andrea Dworkin

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    is central to all of these, pornography is an act and not an idea, thus

    Read More

  • Pornography Does Not Cause Rape

    2740 Words  | 6 Pages

    Pornography Does Not Cause Rape 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 perplex it.   It is not a surprise to learn, then, that the mass media is the most powerful source of information we have, and nothing else in today's world influences public perception quite as heavily. Unfortunately, however, most of what is broadcast 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.

    Read More

  • Questioning Sanity in Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

    1602 Words  | 4 Pages

    Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writer and feminist, was witness to many major social changes in her lifetime including the Women’s movement. She spoke out in regard to evolving social orders, especially those which affected the status of women. She supported the idea that women should separate career and family yet be free to fulfill both (Women's Intellectual Contributions). The Yellow Wallpaper, the writing which followed her nervous breakdown, was a controversial piece for its time (Gilman 745). The story dives into the human psyche and takes us on a mental journey thru the silent suffering the narrator is experiencing while desperately trying to escape from her demons. The story leaves a lot of room for interpretation of what exactly these demons are-an evil spirit lurking in the shadows of a haunted house, the imprisonment experienced in her own home, or the loss of here sanity. One thing is certain, she must set herself free. The mental anguish of the narrator is very clear; when there is a need to escape the walls of torture, trying to free ourselves from these perils is often enough to drive one mad. The question is….is Gilman, in fact, describing her own lack of sanity or could she be making us, as the reader, question ours?

    Read More

  • Wendy Mcelroy Summary

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    McElroy simplifies the effect pornography has and deems it as an easy avoidance. Certain types of pornography, however, place women in violent situations, such as gangbanging, and while the actresses may be consenting, it can paint someone’s perspective that this is an acceptable scenario. Especially now that pornography is so easily available to anyone with internet access, it’s difficult to look away when a random pop-up leading to a porn site appears. Should someone who is easily influenced, such as a child, comes across this and watch these videos, they might perceive this as the norm. McElroy does not take into

    Read More

  • Rite of Passage

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story is short and relies on a simple plot, involving violence and a series of climaxes to sustain the intensity of emotion right up to the end. The events that take place herd the narrator to an epiphany that he doesn't necessarily want, but knows is inevitable anyway. First the barhopping and partying symbolize the fruitless search, for that special something, but instead leads him to his last resort, Greasy Lake. Next, a simple case of mistaken identity will spiral out of control into an act of desperation with a tire iron followed by an attempted rape. As he runs for his life into the lake the tension mounts to a fevered pitch when he comes face to face with a dead body in the lake. .".. Stumbled back in horror and revulsion, my mind yanked in six different directions (I was nineteen, a mere child, an infant, and here in the space of minutes I'd struck down one greasy character and blundered into the water- logged carcass of a second."(149) Here, the narrator has his epiphany, that he isn't a "bad character" after all. As he ponders these things the thugs take their frust...

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis of "The Yellow Wallpaper"

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    In literature, women are often depicted as weak, compliant, and inferior to men. The nineteenth century was a time period where women were repressed and controlled by their husband and other male figures. Charlotte Gilman, wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper," showing her disagreement with the limitations that society placed on women during the nineteenth century. According to Edsitement, the story is based on an event in Gilman’s life. Gilman suffered from depression, and she went to see a physician name, Silas Weir Mitchell. He prescribed the rest cure, which then drove her into insanity. She then rebelled against his advice, and moved to California to continue writing. She then wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which is inflated version of her experience. In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the main character is going through depression and she is being oppressed by her husband and she represents the oppression that many women in society face. Gilman illustrates this effect through the use of symbols such as the yellow wallpaper, the nursery room, and the barred windows.

    Read More

  • A Feminist in Action in The Yellow Wallpaper

    1794 Words  | 4 Pages

    "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, depicts a woman in isolation, struggling to cope with mental illness, which has been diagnosed by her husband, a physician.   Going beyond this surface level, the reader sees the narrator as a developing feminist, struggling with the societal values of the time.  As a woman writer in the late nineteenth century, Gilman herself felt the adverse effects of the male-centric society, and consequently, placed many allusions to her own personal struggles as a feminist in her writing.  Throughout the story, the narrator undergoes a psychological journey that correlates with the advancement of her mental condition.  The restrictions which society places on her as a woman have a worsening effect on her until illness progresses into hysteria.  The narrator makes comments and observations that demonstrate her will to overcome the oppression of the male dominant society.  The conflict between her views and those of the society can be seen in the way she interacts physically, mentally, and emotionally with the three most prominent aspects of her life:  her husband, John, the yellow wallpaper in her room, and her illness, "temporary nervous depression."  In the end, her illness becomes a method of coping with the injustices forced upon her as a woman.  As the reader delves into the narrative, a progression can be seen from the normality the narrator displays early in the passage, to the insanity she demonstrates near the conclusion.

    Read More

  • The Sociological Issues Of Pornography

    1848 Words  | 4 Pages

    Again, there are different ideas of what is considered pornographic from artwork, movies, and books. While one may look at a painting that depicts nude forms or read a book that includes sexual acts may not see this as a form of pornography while others would find it morally offensive. Feminist would argue that the morality of porn is it is degrading and humiliating to those involved, not of its sexual nature. Their concern is that it promotes sexism and violence against women or children. “What is objectionable about pornography…is its abusive and degrading portrayal of females and female sexuality, not its content or explicitness” (Rodgerson & Wilson, 1994) However, others may feel that it is sexually liberating and in no way degrading to those involved. Those women feel in control of their sexuality and choose to participate in acts as a way of expressing themselves while feeling it has no barring on their moral character. While others would argue that it promotes immoral behavior which would lead to criminal acts or an unhealthy obsession with sex. “The most commonly feared adverse effects of pornography include undesirable sexual behaviors (e.g. adultery), sexual aggression, and loss of respect for traditional family structures and values, loss of respect for authorities, and a general nonspecific moral decay.” (Hald & Linz,

    Read More

  • The Harmful Effects of Pornography

    1630 Words  | 4 Pages

    Whether pornography is an excuse to make acts of violence public? A big number of famous scholars, no matter men or women, have given their opinions. Each of them has their own view, but we can sort them into two groups, which are against to serious censorship and willing to convict and uproot pornography. Because of pornography, women’s status can never be equal to men’s. Recently, a revolution about the perception of moral values comes out in the world, which refers to how deep the changes of the method people think and act. Media have continuously played a big role in processing those changes in the revolution. Whereas, a lot of changes have been much worse. New violations of human dignity and Christian ideals have taken place. Within here, the media is also important. In the media, widespread pornography and wanton violence have increased in these years. Books and magazines, recordings, the cinema, the theater, television, videocassettes, advertising displays and even telecommunications regularly present a representation of violent behavior in sexual activity, which has been openly pornographic and morally offensive.

    Read More

  • Porn: A Controversial Issue

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    Porn according to the dictionary is defined as a printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity intended to stimulate erotic rather than an emotional feeling. A word described as so is what has lead porn to becoming a money making business, that has come to grow over the years quite a bit. An empire that many were afraid to even talk about ,but now want to be apart of. Now porn or as they would call it now as the Adult Film business is seen every where, from DVD’s to magazines and late night television shows to the internet. It can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. Adult film wasn’t something that was new to society, but yet society is acting new towards it. Many are saying that this is something that has affected their lives, or that it should not be around at all.

    Read More

  • How Does Anti Pornography Degrading Women

    1922 Words  | 4 Pages

    Anti-pornography feminists argue that pornography is degrading to women. In Dworkins (1989) work ‘Men Possessing Women’ she outlines the history of the word pornography and how nothing has changed since ancient times. The word pornography is derived from the ancient Greek meaning and literally means ‘writing about whores’. Dworkin goes on to say that many feminists believe the meaning of this word has not changed over time or that it is even misnamed. While they do acknowledge that in modern times the ‘writing’ of the definition has now been adapted due to technology they still believe that women that participate in pornography are viewed as ‘whores’ by the patriarchy.

    Read More

  • Pornography

    1739 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pornography is ripping apart our society. Although Christians are sometimes discus tied with the impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography is a year business with close ties to organized crime. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales Of so-called "soft-porn" magazines, and the airing of sexually explicit movies on Cable television.

    Read More

  • Cultural Identity: Feminist Perspectives In Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway

    2354 Words  | 5 Pages

    But during the course of the novel, she succeeds to develop her own self and voice. Though she was a young girl of seventeen years old “In many ways, her mother felt, she was extremely immature, like a child still, attached to dolls, to old slippers; a perfect baby; and that was charming” (148). On account of that she was not allowed to go any public place alone. Before the evening of party, Elizabeth takes the company of Doris Kilman for Army and Navy stores. On her return, she alone “boarded the omnibus, in front of everybody. She took a seat on top. The impetuous creature--a pirate--started forward, sprang away; she had to hold the rail to steady herself, for a pirate it was, reckless, unscrupulous, bearing down ruthlessly, circumventing dangerously, boldly snatching a passenger, or ignoring a passenger, squeezing eel-like and arrogant in between, and then rushing insolently all sails spread up Whitehall” (145-46). At that moment, she feels the eternal bliss of carefree life in the crowded places. She enjoys all the small things including fresh and open air. It is the first time of her time she is enjoying her individuality and full liberty. At that time she is in intoxication of happiness, so she forgets the world and all the things beside her except the thought of her mother that turns her back down the strand. She was child to her mother, but to

    Read More

More about Pornography -- An Epidemic?

Open Document