This week we talked about the ethics of Pornography. Below are my answers to many questions that are raised when talking about pornography.
Do we need to regulate sex?
I do not think that we need to regulate sex, because if we did, people who want to engage in certain acts will do it anyway despite regulations. I think personally it would just be a waste of time to do that.
Does pornography need to be censored or classified? What is the difference?
I think porn should not be censored, but classified. The reason I do not think porn should be censored is for the same reason above. If the porn is made and someone wants to see it, they will see any way they get their hands on it, whether it’s censored or not. I think porn should be classified however, because it lets the viewer of it know what they are getting themselves into. This way they can be sure that if they are viewing porn that it is either heterosexual, homosexual, s&m, or whatever their hearts desire, just not something they don’t expect to be watching.
How do we balance what we see in pornography and what is “real”?
I think that everyone has a good concept of what is reality and what is fantasy. The point with porn is to know the difference. If you want to watch something that is pure fantasy that is fine, as long as the person keeps their reality in check. It is another thing for someone to watch fantasy porn and than go and act it out. It is just important to know what is real and what isn’t and we gain this insight from our upbringings, society and other influences.
Are young children more vulnerable to sexual and violent content in films? What about teenagers?
I think that children are more vulnerable because they probably do not know the difference quite fully about what is real and what is fantasy. If they have not been exposed to sexually in their lives, than they may not know where the line is drawn between real sex and fantasy sex. They may think it is the norm to do things that are some what “unnatural” such as things shown in fantasy porn. I just think younger kids are more susceptible to be misled.
Is watching pornography ethical?
I have no problem with anyone including myself watching porn. It is just another form of entertainment and a lot of it is harmless. I don’t think that watching violent porn is ethical; however some people do watch it. If that person does not go and act out the fantasies portrayed in the film, than I think it is fine.
What is the difference between pornography and eroticism?
I think to some people there may be no difference between the two. The difference that I see is that Erotica portrays human anatomy and sexuality in a very artistic manner. Erotica seem a little more “real” while porn tends to be a little more unrealistic. This is where the unnatural but moral part of my view comes in. I think some, but not all, porn is unnatural BUT I do not think it is immoral unless it involves violence and lack of consent. Most porn is harmless though. I think porn and erotica appeal to different people, e.g. people who like erotica are more into romance and passion/desire, while people who enjoy porn like it a little more casual. There is nothing with either porn or erotica in my opinion I just think it is up to an individual to decide.
Does the word “pornography” have a positive or a negative connotation? Why?
I think the word pornography has a negative connotation because of what society makes it out to be. Pornography seems like one of those taboo topics that no one talks openly about. Porn also has a negative connotation because it appeals highly to a male population. Females also watch porn but society views it as more of a male thing to do. What happens with this concept of the male watching porn brings in the idea of power and being submissive. The male is often portrayed in porn dominant and the women as submissive. I think this is where some people may see it in a negative light.
Have you viewed material on T.V. or the Internet or in advertisements that you would label pornographic? What makes it pornographic? Is it always clear and obvious what is pornographic?
One of my favourite shows I would label as borderline pornographic. Sex and the City has a lot of sex scenes in it, without it being to graphic – but still pornographic. I believe it resembles porn because much of the discussion surrounds the topic of sex and the sexual relations among the four main characters. To others they may not consider Sex and the City to be pornographic at all because its not pure naked sex. It is not always clear and obvious to what is pornographic as we can see in Sex and the City and other mainstream television shows like it. Just because they do not fully undress does not mean that it is not porn.
When it comes to magazine ads, I do not think anything in a regular magazine is pornographic even if it does portray some sexuality. There needs to be a line drawn somewhere and I think that it should be drawn at the point of people actually having sex. We can not start saying everything is pornographic just because it is a little sexual. Otherwise most things in this world would be considered pornographic.
Is pornography “in the eye of the beholder”? Can it be identified objectively, or is it purely a subjective opinion?
I believe the pornography is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Some people think it’s unnatural and immoral and others think its unnatural and moral or even natural and moral. It really depends therefore I think it is subjective by the person viewing it. It also depends on the context in which the porn setting is in. If it’s something very violent or something very pleasant that would change the mind of the viewer one way or another.
