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by theBobMcCormick 5306 days ago
I'd like to see some references to this supposed "growing body of knowledge", because it sounds like the kind of complete BS put out by anti-porn religious zealots.

As a society we need to move past this ridiculous idea that the enjoyment of sex, including sexual fantasization and pornography, are something to be ashamed of or feared. Sex and porn are normal parts of a healthy, adult sexuality.
2 comments
_delirium 5306 days ago
A lot of the research, at least that I'm familiar with, actually comes a bit more from the left, generally pro-sex but skeptical of (at least some kinds of) porn, with the arguments being that porn tends to promote unrealistic expectations and a certain sort of attitude towards women, which get in the way of forming healthy real-world sexual relationships.

I'm not sure how solid any of the conclusions are, though, and I don't know what the ED research would be referring to. Here's one (slightly dated) meta-analysis that does find some association with aggression, especially following watching porn that involves violence: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1995....

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jcromartie 5306 days ago
> ... porn [is a normal part] of a healthy, adult sexuality

This is the kind of statement that should really be carefully evaluated. Smoking was "normal" once, too, along with many other unsavory bits of culture we have now moved on from.

See: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/20...

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5hoom 5306 days ago
I followed your link and could not find any studies cited in the article that back up the claims made (not saying there aren't any, just that I couldn't find any in the article). Most of it hinges on a self reported survey conducted once in Italy.

Basically, show some solid evidence. Otherwise it would seem that you are taking a moral position on this, not a scientific one.

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theBobMcCormick 5303 days ago
I think the the "normalcy" of smoking is much more similar to how the suppression and shaming of normal sexuality was, until relatively recently, the norm in modern western civilization.

IMHO, the article you linked to is about as enlightening as an article saying that overindulgence in cakes and cookies is harmful. Well duh! In normal, moderate consumption both cakes, cookies, and porn are completely normal and healthy.

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