Pornography is created by us and therefore is a reflection of our sexual desires. It is a creative expression of our sexuality, which is one of our most basic drives. Almost all of us are sexual beings with sexual fantasies, aren't they just pornography of the mind's eye? Are our sexual fantasies degrading to society? I think only the most self loathing would say they were. However, if we try and record them and share them, all of a sudden we are causing the world harm? When you think of it this way, it's a hard jump to make.

When people object to pornography, what they are really objecting towards someone else's differing taste in pornography. Otherwise they would have to admit their own fantasies are somehow degrading and negative.

Pornography will be here as long as sex is here. Perhaps when we stop teaching everyone to be ashamed of their sexuality this will be resolved, but not any time soon I suppose. The demonizing of sexuality has a history almost as old as writing itself. Every strand of DNA in you is programed to make you a sexual creature as a biological imperative. Couple this with the fact that having sex is, in consensus opinion of the weight of human writing, the absolute measure and scale for pleasurable experience in the human condition. It is then easy to conclude why we do it and why we want to revel in it. It feels damn good ,and it is a part of who and what we are. It is only in exception to the norm when sex becomes something cruel or evil and that is why we treat such crimes with extreme intensity, but pornography(which is an arguable term in itself) cannot and does not degrade society or anything else... unless they want to be.

Pornography is not "degrading to our society"

Pornography is an essential part of modern human existence.

Almost every human has sexual desires, those desires come in different shapes and sizes but are essentially the same....Monkey see ,... Monkey want to have sex with.

In the animal kingdom this is not a problem, but if you are human, you might find yourself in handcuffs(and not the kinky kind)for exercising your animal desires.

So what is a person who has a sexual desire, but no one to exercise it with to do?? They could use their imagination for sexual release because there is no difference, as far as your brain is concerned, between a naked person in front of you in real life, and a naked person in your fantasies.

However for some people that can be a lot of work and too time consuming.

But fear not ...Pornography... is the answer,.. it is available in many formats for your viewing pleasure to help release those natural human desires.

By arguing against pornography, you are essentially arguing against sex itself and without sex, you wouldn't be here reading this !

Pornography, Democracy and Freedom of speech are very good friends. Just take a look at the countries where pornography is a crime, you will find dictatorships, totalitarisms and theocratic goverments. In that kind of places you will see a lot of huge crimes against the humans rights. So pornography is not degrading the society, repression is degrading the society.

The purpose of pornography is to excite the viewer which is why the different genres of pornography (IE:fetish, group, racial, bestiality,etc) exist. Depictions of sexual activities have existed since the beginning of civilization and wasn't considered obscene until the Victorian era. It's not new, so why is it an issue...again.

This is a tricky subject, to me, I feel that pornography is a healthy fetish (watching others) in which all parties are consenting. Furthermore, it is closely regulated (to prevent the spread of disease) which would be another issue. To me, it is just sex, in an unconvential manner. It is difficult for me to see any problems with it...however...I am also a male. There are arguments out there (aside from religious) that pornography is degrading to women and the industry is as patriarchal in intent as anything else in the world. At the same time, there is an argument (by some feminists)that pornography actually empowers women.

Nothing wrong with pornography if you are mature about it.

It's a healthy, safe sexual release for both genders, especially for men. Better than sexual assault, right?

I mean, its not forced on anyone, so I dont see a problem.

You'll go blind! After a 100 years or so, so.....

no, only because it is a commonly accepted form of entertainment. everyone watches porn (except sean hannity).

it makes us less innocent, but is that really degrading? i will admit though that it does turn our interest into stranger and more perverted things, but that just makes life more fun (c'mon people, we all love trolling friends with goatse).

Pornography isn't degrading! It's created by adults, for adults (or for bored teenagers) as a healthy, sexual outlet.

Boobs. Big Boobs. Absolutely Ginourmous Tits. Glorious Titties. Enough Said.

In the case of pornography we do in fact have to begin by expanding the argument past sexuality as purely natural. We must also look into matters such as morality and even spirituality much deeper. Let me make this very simple here so that I may express a very general point that aims at the heart of our common humanity, not pointing to any particular religious doctrine or any other pointless argument that the pro side of pornography would offer: If you choose a lifestyle like pornography you are in fact making a pre meditated and conscious CHOICE to engage in an activity that can in fact harm people and in some extreme cases of STD's such as Aids, lead to the death and suffering of other indidviduals. This is a no brainer here. What part of pornography being harmful do you not understand unless you are someone who lives life every day with thoughtless, senseless actions and not even the slightest shread of human dignity and moral sense to your life. I have heard these new age morons talk about sex as being all spiritual and everything and yet have no objections to the interpersonal and even societal effects of things like prostiution and pornography. And even if we could eliminate all the great physcial harms through science being able to eradicate all STD's. Imagine that. No Aids. However, this would not solve the deeper spiritual, emotional, and even all moral complexities that can arise out of such an institution. As humans our goal should be to aspire to a higher level of existence, in body mind and spirit. It is to enhance ourselves both intellectually and spiritually above the desires of the flesh for greater aims. So if you feel the need to fuck everyone that you come in contact with for material exchange like money, perhaps it is you that has the problem and not the rest of society. Dont make this an issue of sexual oppression. It will not work. Your arguments on how supressed society is sexually have become irrelevent and better arguments will come against you both publicy and in the private contemplation brought forth out of your own self reflection. Answer me this. If the point does indeed come down to sexual pleasure than why can it not also include love, compassion and responsibility. Or should anyone feel sorry for those who once had the greatest sex and passion in their marriage and left it for what. hmm. Seems to me this is not really a religious issue after all. Look inside for those of you who view such material and especially those of you who participapte. Love is compassion. Love is responsibility. If you live a life that produces death in spirit and harm to others by spreading disease, tell me in one compelling argument how society could have the one thing to truly make it grow, LOVE.

Pornography was created even earlier than our civilization :) People have been fond of porn since ancient times and still we managed to fly to the moon and to create synthetic genome. BTW, sexual services is the most ancient job of women and nowadays nothing changed. I mean there are lots of girls that are ready to provide anyone with sex services in exchange for money.

Some men who want to remain celibate use pornography as an outlet.

Lemme start by saying, I think i would be more concerned with feminist ideas on pornography than religious. The religious debate is constantly fought on this site and often end in the same results. For someone to say that god says "pornography is an aborration" is meaningless to me and many others because we don't believe in a god. However, I have found there tends to be a two sided debate for feminists on this topic...Some being for and others being against...this is what I would like to be the focus of this debate.

Maybe it's not the PORN that is corrupting man, but the man corrupting porn. What I mean is, there aught to be a threshold, where they know that something is unhealthy... at that point, if they were looking out for their best interest and the interests of others, s/he would do something about it.

Some people cannot control themselves, and that is what I think is wrong with pornography.

A healthy little pussy never hurt anyone.

"Real" mammalian protrusions are too soft to hurt anyone. Silicone protrusions on the other hand can be harmful.

Without porn nerds would go on psycho killing sprees :)

No, ugly porn stars are degrading our society.

i think pornography is safe and i think that you dont need to be 18 at least 10 because who actually w8s they just go and enter and jacking off is perfectly fine man