Murry S. Davis’ SMUT: Erotic Reality/Obscene Ideology (1983), in whole, outlines the ideas and thoughts of the erotic realm. He discusses the phenomenology of the ways consciousness “slides” from everyday reality into erotic reality. Davis also elucidates the ideas about sex and the smut structure through normal, and perverted sex. Lastly, he analyzes the ideologies behind the sexual worldviews through the Jehovanist, Gnostic and Naturalist views. Within this paper will be a critical assessment of what Davis proposes in his book. Within Part I, Davis attempts to produce a value neutral description of human sexuality while offering a “universal mode of sex”. Within the books entirety Davis’ uses pornography as his main evidence for …show more content…
Within the slide to the erotic there is the prelude, the first movement, the second movement, the third movement, the finale and the postlude. The prelude discusses the entrance to the shift into the erotic, certain factors tend to keep reminding one of the troubles of everyday reality such as daytime, work, and neutral personalities, whereas other factors allow one to see erotic reality much more clearly like nighttime, bedrooms, and sexy personality types (Davis, 1983). Davis also discusses the use of drugs, alcohol, and gambling’s abilities to help or hinder the slide into the erotic. Within the first movement, it discusses the embodiment of the 2 people together. This embodiment that Davis (1983) discusses may happen easily or not. Seduction techniques may allow the individual to feel more sexual inclined towards their partner, these techniques are either verbally, visually, or tactilely (Davis, 1983). The seduction techniques allow one to become aroused, leading into the second movement of the slide into the erotic. Within the second movement, Davis (1983) declares that the move of identity switches from general, to partial, to specific embodiment. In the second movement there is the visual phase, and the tactile phase. The visual phase discusses the ideas about seeing your partner clothed, partially naked and naked (Davis, 1983). Davis allows us to understand that the idea of clothing is very hindering to the slide into the erotic, however the use of specific “sexy clothing” may be helpful. Presented is the idea of nudity and how it can make the shift from everyday to erotic reality much easier. Tactilely, you can be transferred from erotic reality to everyday reality faster then visually, using embracing or caressing techniques can be beneficial
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.
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.
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
There are many discussions as to what constitutes perverse and what is considered acceptable sex. In Nagel’s Sexual Perversion, Nagel depicts sexual perversion as being any activity that a person may think or do to satisfy their perverse sexual desires. Nagel believes that normal sex is only sex that happens between married couples for the purpose of reproduction. In Nagel’s inspection of what is considered normal and abnormal sex, Nagel introduces his situations where sex would be depicted as unnatural. First, fetishes with objects will be abnormal while plain sex will not. Secondly, Sexual desire is a form of sexual perversion. Lastly, any sexual desire that is psychological and not physical is considered abnormal. To define what normal
In The Introduction to the History of Sexuality, Foucault explains how during the 19th century with the raise of new societies, the discourse or knowledge about sex was not confronted with repulsion but it “put into operation an entire machinery for producing true discourses concerning sex” (Foucault 69). In fact, this spreading of discourse on sexuality itself gives a clear account of how sexuality has been controlled and confined because it was determined in a certain kind of knowledge that carries power within it. Foucault reflects on the general working hypothesis or “repressive hypothesis,” and how this has exercised power to suppress people’s sexuality. It has power on deciding what is normal or abnormal and ethical or unethical about sexuality. Through discourses of life and sexuality, power is exercised because humans learned how to behave in relation to sexuality, which method keep individuals controlled and regulated. This explains why people experience that sense of behaving inappropriate when we talk about sex in a different way than the whole society. Foucault points up how sexuality is not just treated in terms of morality, but it is a matter of knowledge and “truth.” However, these discourses, including sexual discourses are not true or false, but they are just understood to be the truth or falsehood to control society. As a result, sexuality begins to be explored in a scientific way, developing the “truth” science of sex (Foucault 69). For Foucault, he asserts that sexuality has developed as a form of science that keeps us all afraid of such phenomena, which people think to be true, thus this science helps society to discipline and control individuals’ behaviors.
The poem “An Opinion on the Question of Pornography” is a comparison of intellectual intercourse and sexual intercourse. At times, Szymborska finds intellectual pursuits more worthwhile than sexual ones. When regarding sexual intercourse, she has a consistently negative tone and constantly uses words with a negative connotation,
With the Trump Administration rapidly making one change after another, many programs are at risk for modification and possibly elimination. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) qualifies undocumented immigrants to attain a work permit, be able to attend school, join the military, and nevertheless, work towards citizenship without having to leave America. DACA has made the American dream possible for immigrants and their contributions to society constantly bring various benefits to the U.S. economy. The removal of DACA would affect roughly 750,000 illegal immigrants that gradually continue to increase the education, employment, and economic systems we have established to this day. Education programs such as DACA make it possible for undocumented students to further their education into a career
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 order to examine the sexual history of the 20th century, it is crucial to understand the context of what Kipnis meant in her quote about pornography. Her idea is no matter what your opinion about pornography; it entices and interests the viewer. It is intriguing to think about it from a cultural standpoint in her view and even from a personal view because society in general, tends to think about the data itself, but not about the people who are against pornography being drawn in as such as someone who thinks as of pornography as a positive. This point will be discussed in the Meese Commission. In her opinion, Kipnis states that there are no boundaries between private and public pornography because they are constantly shifting and therefore it is too difficult to tell where they are. Because of the idea of public versus private domain is a common theme throughout pornography and will be examined further, especially ...
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.
... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.
The issues of sexual ethics in relation to morality and perversion have been addressed in depth by each of the gentleman at this table. Sexual activity as described by Solomon and Nagle is comprised of a moral standard and ‘naturalness’ aspect. So, in claiming an act is perverted we must first examine it through a moral framework and understand how this interacts with the ‘naturalness’ of a particular act. Solomon makes the distinction as follows “Perversion is an insidious concept…To describe an activity as perverse is not yet a full blown moral condemnation, for it need not entail that one ought not to indulge in such activities.” Along with the examination of the nature of an act, there must be clear justification as to why sexual acts deserve special separate ethical principles. The question arises: does an act simply due to its sexual nature deserve a separate form of moral inquisition than other acts that occur in nature? In this essay I shall argue that perversion and immorality are not mutually exclusive. By this I mean that a sexual act that is, by my definition, immoral must also be perverted. It is also my contention that if an act is perverted we must also define it as immoral. This second part of the argument is contrary to what many of you have claimed. At the outset of this paper I would also like to state my support of Thomas Nagel’s argument holding that the connection between sex and reproduction has no bearing on sexual perversion. (Nagel 105)
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.
The question fundamental to the philosophy of sex is the question probing into the nature of sexual activity. What is sex? Many have postulated on the subject, but have only further clouded the waters surrounding the subject. There are a multitude of philosophical answers addressing the question of sex ranging from the natural to the phenomenological to everywhere in between. It is essential to the discussion that a proper definition of sex be established before addressing any other issues. I plan to establish a proper definition of sex with an account of sexual perversion and then continue on discussing the nature of cybersex, infidelity, and love.