Should Pornography be completely banned?

[SCFinFan]

I thought about that today, after reading this article:

http://citypages.com/databank/19/893/article4117.asp

The article is fairly long, and there's some nasty language in there, so be careful if you view it.

Anyway, what sent chills down my spine is the fact that this article is from 1998, ten years ago. Assuming the article is telling the truth, how much worse do you think things have gotten since then?

[Dave Gray]

No, it should not be completely banned, nor partially banned.  Consenting adults should do what they choose, even if it's getting their assholed ripped open for a few bucks to buy meth.

[Denver_Bronco]

No, it should not be completely banned, nor partially banned.  Consenting adults should do what they choose, even if it's getting their assholed ripped open for a few bucks to buy meth.

HAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the laugh Dave ! 

[Buddhagirl]

No, it should not be completely banned, nor partially banned.  Consenting adults should do what they choose, even if it's getting their assholed ripped open for a few bucks to buy meth.

Gotta agree with Dave here. No one is making these people do porn. I've known a couple of girls that did porn, and it seems like they were able to say what they would and wouldn't do.

With that said, you would have to take my porn "from my cold, dead hands." Damn do I love porn!

[Dave Gray]

I'm sure there are extreme cases and what would even be considered rape happening in the porn community, like illegal things done in any industry.  Those things need to be regulated and the people who break laws held responsible.  But I don't think that banning is the solution.

[CF DolFan]

I'm sure there are extreme cases and what would even be considered rape happening in the porn community, like illegal things done in any industry.  Those things need to be regulated and the people who break laws held responsible.  But I don't think that banning is the solution.

I have to say I agree with you.  Would it be better for society as a whole? In my opinion yes but I don't think we should force that on law abiding people. 

On a personal note ... when they changed the law and closed up the full nudity/anything goes bars around here people like myself certainly got into doing better things with our time and resources.  A lot of money meant for other things as well as many lies to significant others were sparred as a result.

[bsfins]

As someone who has given up porn (yes, it is true...),I don't see anything really wrong with watching porn,I don't feel it necessay to Ban it....

[Dave Gray]

On a personal note ... when they changed the law and closed up the full nudity/anything goes bars around here people like myself certainly got into doing better things with our time and resources.  A lot of money meant for other things as well as many lies to significant others were sparred as a result.

We must just be very different kinds of people.  They have nudie bars here, and I just exercise restraint and don't go.  Rather than go spend money and lie about it, I don't go.  But that decision rests with me, not the state.

It's good if you're finding better things to do with your time (and don't take this the wrong way), but if you are unhappy with the choices you make, why not work on changing yourself, rather than laws?

[SCFinFan]

^ Never hurts to have the law as an incentive.

[Guru-In-Vegas]

Then why have parents?  Turn your kids over to the state and have the government raise them.

[SCFinFan]

Parents don't have power over you once you're an adult.

[Sunstroke]

^ Never hurts to have the law as an incentive.

Good call...we should pass some laws against overweight people too. You know, as an incentive for them to lose weight.

[SCFinFan]

^ Well said. I concede that there is an absurd side to my comment.

But being overweight is a different vice altogether from the sexual ones. Overweight-ness never caused an abortion to happen. Or an unplanned pregnancy. Or AIDS to be transmitted. Or emotions to get caught in the tangle of adultery. Or a family to break apart (maybe it did, I dunno). Or love to begin. Or so so so many other things. There's a difference there. I'll admit it's razor thin. But it's there.


PS: How 'bout them Padres?

[Dave Gray]

^ Never hurts to have the law as an incentive.

I don't think I agree with this.

I think the main problem is that porno, like any other vice, isn't BAD.  Maybe too much of it is bad.  But porn does have benefits, as well, as do other things, like alcohol, gambling, FOOD, etc.

Like anything, over-indulgence will fuck you up.

That's why I like the decision to lie with the individual.

On top of that, I just don't trust people.  I think people are idiots, for the most part, and I don't want them to be able to make decisions about what is good for me, morally or otherwise.

----

If you're trying to argue that there's a difference between sex and food -- you got me.

Of course there is.  But I don't think it's a gimmie that one is dangerous and one is not.  You can have an unhealthy relationship with either.  You can also have a healthy relationship with either.  And you can be good for the most part, and indulge yourself in a cheeseburger now and then (or the equivalent gangbang flick).

My point is this: I don't want the government telling me what to eat (even if it's unhealthy), nor do I want them telling me what to do with myself sexually.  I think that food and sex are actually pretty closely related in terms of how vices go -- they can both be misused, but they are both necessities.

[SCFinFan]

The only reply is:

Who sets the limits?

And where are the limits set?

You could say every individual sets their own limits, but if an individual is overcome with his own vice, then he won't self-discipline, and there then has to be some sort of net with which to force him to discipline himself. That net is the law. Who sets the law in a liberal democracy? Well, the elected officials as long as they stay within their constitutional bounds.

---

As for sex and food being different, I think the distinction's clear as day. Food has no generative power. It's just sustenance. It keeps you alive, but it doesn't make new life. Sex makes new life. The greater the power, the more heavily regulated. Thus, nuclear weapons are regulated more heavily than, say, handguns.