When it comes to the topic of pornography people usually take one of two sides. One side contains the many people who believe there are no negative effects to watching pornography while the opposite side includes the many others who are completely against pornography. Most people believe that the only reason the latter side exists is due to religious beliefs which, upon doing any research, that idea can quickly be discovered to be false. There are actually two reasons why people are against pornography, one is based on religious beliefs. Another reason many people are against pornography is because of the negative effects that watching it has on an individual’s brain. These negative effects are the rewiring of the brain, the addictiveness of it, as well as the emotional effects pornography has on the person watching it. The first dangerous outcome of watching pornography is the rewiring and reshaping effects it has on an individual’s brain. The effects of pornography on your brain come down to science. Numerous studies have been conducted regarding the effects of pornography. An article in National Center for Biotechnology Information states that watching porn can affect the reward responses in your brain which leads to a loss of control and ultimately addiction in many cases. It was found that people who watch porn have shrunken striatum areas, an area of the brain linked with reward response and motivation, compared to people who have not viewed pornography. In a
“It can snatch any kid out of the home…It snatched me out of mine 20 years ago.” (Final Interview, 2:54-3:02 minutes). The addiction to pornography is often likened to that of a drug, “One should become addicted to it, and I look at this as kind of like an addiction. Like other kinds of addictions…you keep…I would keep looking for more potent, explicit, more graphic kinds of material. Like an addiction, you keep craving something that’s harder…something…which gives you a greater sense of excitement.” (Final Interview,
Pornography is commonly used in many cultures across the world. Within the United States, alone, roughly 40 million people regularly visit porn sites (Streep, 2014). And yet, despite its growing popularity, only a handful of studies have explored pornography’s potential effects on sexual satisfaction for those in exclusive relationships (Bridges & Morokoff, 2011; Daneback et al., 2009; Maddox et al., 2011; Stewart & Szymanski, 2012; Stulhofer et al., 2010; Zillmann & Bryant, 1988). As using pornography can potentially have negative effects on both the user’s and their intimate partner’s sexual satisfaction, it is important to
It today’s society, pornography is a fast-growing epidemic that is evident in families, marriages, and teenage lifestyles. Supporters of pornography claim that it can be used as a tool to teach students about sex education. However, critics claim that pornography is unjust, influential, and dehumanizing. Pornography is unjust because it has the potential to break down intimate relationships and marriages. It can also have negative effects on children in particular young boys. More and more young boy’s minds are being influenced by pornography which is leading to misinterpretations about how to have a healthy sexual relationship. Most importantly, pornography dehumanizes women and it exploits children. Women and children are being victimized for the sheer pleasure of someone viewing pornography.
Gail Dines’s book Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality (Beacon Press, 2011) is about how porn is affecting our lives and why it's presence is damaging to our sexual freedom. Her point of view is just one point of view but it's very thought provoking and it makes you question a lot of things. A lot of things that you wouldn't generally think of. Some may not agree with her point-of-view because of her “anti-porn” agenda, but in this book Dine makes a fair amount of valid points.
There have been many speculations about porn and its significance. Many would argue there is no sole purpose for it other then opening up doors for people to fantasize about things that generally do not happen in a normal sexual encounter. However, that is quite the contrary research has shown over the past decade that porn isn't entirely 100% bad. Although, there are negative connotations associated with porn especially for a female, researchers are finding that more
As a matter of fact, those individuals with damaging thoughts are the ones that watch and produce pornography. Additionally, “exposure to obscene material correlates with increased rapes, prostitution, child molestation, violent crime, the abuse of women, and sex addiction in men” (Hacker 5). Many of these correlations are a result of ideas that pornography planted in minds. Pornography alone does not cause people to commit a sexual crime, but it affects minds enough to influence people to act in an unethical way.
Just like how it took decades for society to understand that smoking was harmful, we are learning and understanding more and more that pornography is dangerous. Pornography has the power to twist and rewire how your brain operates. Your brain’s functions will be less connected, less active, and even smaller in some areas. The brain is constantly rewiring itself and laying down new nerve connections. The neural pathways that are being made because of porn are only reinforced and become stronger every time there is usage. This is why pornography can be seen as an addictive process. Pornography also has the ability to be extremely addictive to some and is also just as bad, if not worse than drug use.
Back then watching pornography was looked down upon so those who did it would keep it a secret. It was also difficult to find this content since it was a taboo subject. Today, pornography is able to be found in a matter of seconds and no one really cares if people watch it. It is just another thing that some people watch just to pass time. In fact, many of those who do pornography are praised and given awards.
While many will argue that pornography is not harmful and a “victimless crime”, are not of the real effects that pornography can have on a family, or a society as a whole. First of all pornography is detrimental, because it treats humans as objects. Pornography depicts people, especially women, in demeaning and degrading ways. Even if the only ones involved were adults who freely chose to be involved in the production of pornography and even if they were compensated well enough to feel good about what they are doing, pornography does not build the integrity of persons who are made in the image of God. Another effect of pornography is that it is linked to different forms of violence. Pornography can be linked to rape, abuse, murder, and other felonies. Pornography is also harmful to society in that the outlets for obscene material are often outlets for other material such as prostitution, pandering, drug dealing etc. Finally, pornography harms the family. Like other sins, pornography is addictive and progressive.
For many years there has been a lot of arguments about the ethical and morality of pornography. pornography is defined as the depiction of erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement. When it coms down to pornography, people have different opinions about it. Some people might find it moral because it gives them pleasure and it satisfies them physically. some individuals see it as a form of art that describes the figure of a human body in an artistic form. Others see it as immoral because it harms and degrades an individual. Personally I believe that it all depends how pornography is conducted and how we respond to it. It can be morally healthy that we like it because it makes us happy, such as it helps with your marriage relationship in intimacy, and it can be immoral when it is used in an unhealthy that we do not like it because hurts an innocent person.
Although the reader might think to himself/herself that it doesn't cure the ongoing questions and the need for answers about pornography and masturbation, we all have to keep in mind that this book is thoroughly scientific and approaches to answer the questions of what goes on in the brain when pornography consumes the brain. It is very fascinating and very
Ethics Pornography is a social problem and is a commodity brought into existence by certain characteristics of a highly developed civilization. The problem with pornography is that any form of censorship or downplay cannot solve it. It is difficult to draw the line between ones right to express their ideas and or opinions or sexuality
Pornography can physically change the brain. In the past few decades, a discovery has been found to have a better understanding of how the brain functions in what is called neuroplasticity, with “nuero” meaning the brain and “plasticity” meaning changeability (Doidge, preface). Doidge referenced this as to the brain playing a never-ending game of Tetris, always making new paths to one’s experience. Alongside the discovery of the neuroplasticity, it was found that pornography fills the brain with dopamine (Hilton, 2013, 5). Dopamine is a “chemical in your brain that affects your emotions, movements and your sensations of pleasure and pain” (Sorensen, 2015). With this dopamine chemical, it causes one’s emotions to run all over the place, and as time goes on, the more pornography one watches, the brain fights against the dopamine receptors (Watts and Hilton, 2011) and ultimately the pornography no longer seems to arouse, so one will search for more hard-core pornography to get the arousal feeling back (Angres and Bettinardi–Angres, 2008).
Pornography has many obvious as well as not-so-obvious consequences within society. Pornography has the power to ruin marriages, destroy trust, excite a person to the point of sexual crime, or create an unhealthy view of human sexuality and the opposite sex.” (WowEssays, Pornography)
The Christian worldview is enforced by the Bible, which does not mention pornography because videography had yet to exist. However, the Bible does mention various forms of sin, prohibited sex and acts of the mind that would cause a person’s sexual immortality. Galatians 5 (NIV) states, “19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery… 21orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Based off scripture, humanity should not partake activities such as fornication, incest, adultery, orgies, and rape; all popular pornographic storylines. Watching pornographic videos could cause lust and sinful thoughts in. Lust is secular and will separate a person from God (1 John 2:26, NIV). Knowing this may influence a Christian to not indulge on pornography and actively seek counsel.