Pornography is an issue that has and will continue to cause much debate. While there are many people who see pornography as degrading, sinful, and disgusting, there is also a large number of people who see it as a turn on, a form of sexual expression, and entertainment. Webster’s Dictionary defined pornography as merely “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.” Yet there is still the everlasting question which is “does pornography serve a real purpose, and if so what purpose it that?” continues. I happen to acknowledge pornography with only a few minor glitches. I don’t believe in censoring pornography, yet analyzing pornography that is already censored.
Pornography is censored in the way in which it portrays the sexual desires and pleasures of women. In preparing to write this report, I sat down with a group of my peers (mixed genders) and watched five pornographic films. It was unfortunate that I must report that in all of the five movies, not once did I, nor any of my friends see a woman being sexually gratified. In every movie, the man would finish and the sex would come to an end. The women seemed like they were enjoying it, but were they really? As Andrea Dworkin describes it, “women are made to smile, women aren’t just made to do the sex acts. We are made to smile.” (Stan, 33)
Pornography claims that it is showing two people enjoying sex. Two people who have “chosen” to be there and who get pleasure out of it. However, to me it seems that pornography itself is buying into censorship. BY not honestly showing the female side to sexual desires and pleasure, pornography is in itself being censored. It is not the act of sex and sexual p...
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... and say that the story of Adam and Eve is sexist as well. But blaming pictures, and other things is not the way to end the controversy. For if these “sexist” movies, books, pictures, and stories are being produced, then the problem is not with the movies, books, etc. It is obvious that the problem is already out there, and is just being reinforced by these objects.
To me, pornography is a way of sexual expression. I am not ashamed to say that I do find some quite erotic, for its goal is to arouse people, entice, and make them less inhibited of their sexual feelings. Pornography is a great way to show people that there are others out there that also enjoy sex, and as many different types of sex one can comprehend. Like most things in this world, pornography has its anomalies, but if we all work together we can work at the imperfections and improve on them.
Kristol, I. (1971). Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship. In L. Faigley & J. Selzer (Eds.), “Good reasons with contemporary arguments.” (pp. 535-538). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
To sufficiently take a side in the ever-growing debate of pornography, one must first define the concept around which this discourse surrounds itself. A working definition for pornography is a piece of material that has the object purpose of arousing erotic feelings. Radical feminists, however, strictly define it as “the act of sexual subordination of women” (Dworkin 1986).
Sexuality has often been confused with pornography. It has been trivialised as something that is a denigration and denial of true feeling by sensationalising genuine expressivism.
As a society, we are confronted daily with pornographic images, they feature in our newspapers, on our film screens, and even in our novels. This voyeuristic obsession the media holds has for a long time been desensitizing us to depictions of violence and sex, but has it also disabled us in being able to see the difference between what is carefully constructed satire and what is merely pornography?
Women have long been exploited through pornographic material, such as videos, photos and literature, these materials, more-so now, than ever, portray women purely as sexual objects. The evolution of the business? popularity has done nothing but help fuel a false impression, subjugating women in modern day culture and society, yet still, banning pornography in the US would be nearly impossible, due to complex issues dealing with the first amendment and obscenity laws. With instances of discrimination based on sexual orientation, race or sex being in most cases illegal, the practice of pornography should most definitely not be acceptable or perpetuated, especially in a country like the US where this said industry defies everything of which our country is founded upon. This rise [in popularity] looks as if it is related, almost in a hand by hand parallel, with growth of sexual violence against women in America.
Today, pornography has different targeted audiences based on various categories of pornography. There are pornographies made that are targeted toward women in which are slow and focused more on the people’s language rather than solely genitally focused. Most pornographies, however, are made specifically for men. These videos contain a large focus on the genitals, the men are portrayed as dominant, and the women please the men taking any measures necessary. According to a study, pornography that was intended for men and women aroused the men who were being studied. Women on the other hand, activated negative affects after watching the pornography intended for men and positive after watching the pornography intended for women (Mosher, 1994). In general, men are the main target of pornographies and women as well as feminists believe that pornography should not characterize women as objects. Also when making this study, it was difficult to find pornography that was made by women, majority of the videos are made by men and produced for
With virtuous ethics, one looks to examine not whatever makes a person good, but looks at whatever makes a person virtuous (Mosser, 2013). To be considered a virtuous person one must look look at the act and make a decision whether the act constitutes being immoral by the act a person is doing (Mosser,2013). In the relationship with virtuous ethic in pornography several people think the the females that are earning their living by acting in pornography are brave strong people that are brave enough to partake in what other perceive as wrong. On the other hand several people may look at he acts preformed by the adult entertainers as wrong. The thoughts are that sexual relationships should be out of love for each other and not viewed by the outside world. With this line of thinking females involved in pornography will be regarded by many as a degrading situation for women (Gubar, 1987). These people are using their opinion and beliefs regardless of evidence, arguments, and justification of the women that partake in the movies, photographs, internet materials, or on television (Mosser, 2013).Women that perform in such movies, photographs, television programs or online is using their bodies in addition to sexuality to earn money. The Indicated form of entertainment in the eyes of many individuals and organizations, such as churches perceives that a female is encouraging sex in the form that are not within their teachings or
In this paper, I will attempt to review the debate on pornography in Chapter 4 - State and Society - of Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, Seventh Edition by John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger.
When deliberating over whether access to pornography should be prohibited, four areas of contention must be elaborated upon and evaluated critically to provide a sensible basis on which a judgement can be made. Firstly, it must be concluded whether pornography can be classed as a form of speech, and whether it enjoys the same protections as art and literature under the principle. Secondly, works such as those of Catherine MacKinnon can be drawn upon to offer a feminist perspective of the effects of pornography on the treatment of women within modern democratic society. Moreover, the principles of Devlin and Feinberg offer relevant acumen regarding the criminalisation of pornographic media. Overall, this essay will argue that whilst access to pornography should not be entirely prohibited; publications that depict ‘extreme’ situations should be subject to regulation and restriction.
Laura Kipnis has described pornography as “an archive of data about...our history as a culture”. Therefore if, she described it as such, what can it tell us about the sexual history of the 20th century? Examining the history of the forms of archive from pornographic playing cards to blu-ray discs and the internet, this shows the ever changing form of how as a society we view pornography. From the forms of archive come the social implications of pornography. This will be examined through the 1986 Meese Commission in the United States of America into the pornographic industry. Finally, this exposition will also examine the differing views of Gay and Straight pornography and the changes that have taken over the 20th century. Overall, the 20th century was a fundamental shift in sexual attitudes towards pornography.
While it is certainly interesting to see how deeply pornography has permeated our culture, it does nothing to show whether this is good or bad. Many defend their right to record, publish, sell, buy, and view pornography, but that is not the real question. Rational people will decide for themselves what they should do about it and parents will decide what they need to do for their children, but first pornography must analyzed. Only after the pros and cons are measured should the policy be altered.
The issue of pornography has been debated and argued among many about its effects on morality and society. The questions most raised are is pornography moral or immoral and what defines it as such. Also, what makes something be seen as pornographic and therefore immoral. Often when someone brings up the subject of pornography they often envision something dark and seedy which in no way could ever be justified as virtuous. However, there are others who see it’s as being a healthy outlet and without harm to others. When applying the sociological theories of utilitarianism and deontology we can understand the different ideas of pornography. We can also use the perspectives of Emotivism and ethical egoism to make a rational argument about
In the today’s society, social media has gone out of hand. Most people these days have a cell phone, Ipad and/or laptop and most definitely a television at their home. Therefore, access to pornography has become extremely easy and can be available to any individual in less than 5 minutes. The best definition of pornography can be explained as sexually explicit words or images intended to provoke sexual arousal. The easy access to porn has raised many people to question if porn is harmful, if it should be censored, and if it is unsafe. Many debates have been going on about porn concerning freedom of rights, speech, and entertainment and right of privacy. The main people to have argued on this point are Catherine Mackinnon and philosopher J.S. Mill.
To some, pornography is nothing more than a few pictures of scantily clad Women in seductive poses. But pornography has become much more than just Photographs of nude women. Computer technology is providing child molesters and child pornographers with powerful new tools for victimizing children. Pornography as "the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, Sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such materials. No one can prove those films with graphic sex or violence has a harmful effect on viewers. But there seems to be little doubt that films do have some effect on society and that all of us live with such effects.
This paper will not discuss the moral concerns of pornography, because though they exist, this portrayal is meant to be factual and not opinionated, and one cannot discuss morals without opinions. That said, this paper will address pornography as an addiction, and therefore a problem, when taken to certain extremities. Where these boundaries lie, however, will not be discussed; this will be left up to the reader to define.