Sit down, dim the lights and put on some soft upbeat music. We’re going to talk about porn.
Let’s start with the basics — those being that we are sexual organisms and therefore must have sex to reproduce. Unfortunately, we cannot simply sprout a child out of our bodies whenever we fancy. However, humans also have sex because it feels good, as do many other animals. How do we know that animals have sex because it feels good? Well for starters, they masturbate. There are even studies that show porcupines literally making dildos out of sticks. Note to female readers: Do not try that at home.
So if sexual pleasure is so natural among other species, what makes humans so special that we must shun it and slap a large sticker of rejection on its face?
Pornography has been used since history could be recorded. Different people groups across the span of time have incorporated pornography into a daily concept. Let’s take the example of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Images of pornography could be found as paintings on walls of brothels, as well as inside drinking cups and homes. The ancient Greeks and Romans even worshipped a minor fertility deity named Priapus who, when depicted, had a giant penis hanging out.
What we could refer to as Greek mile markers for travelers were stone slabs with the face of the god Hermes and a penis jutting out below. Penises were viewed as good luck charms to the Greeks and Romans. In fact, they viewed the naked male body as the epitome of beauty. Another example is one of the most well-known erotic writings is the “Kama Sutra,” which was developed in India as early as 400 BCE. It was originally written so husbands and wives could both mentally and physically please each other to make the marriage strong.
Today, sexual obsession has made it into our television shows and movies. Giving a movie a rating of R for strong sexual content or a TV show rating of MA for mature content warns viewers before the show begins. Popular shows such as “Game of Thrones,” “True Blood,” “Masters of Sex” and “Girls” all include incredibly graphic sexual scenes. I’ve become so numb to the sex and nudity in these shows that I sometimes forget I’m essentially watching a better-acted, better-produced adult film.
Pornography in the 21st century has evolved into a media giant. Nearly 12 percent of the websites on the Internet are pornographic. That’s a staggering 24,644,172 sites with 40 million American visitors. It has become a $2.84-billion industry per year in the U.S.
This begs the question: Why do we care if people watch porn or not? The answer: Our Puritanized society preaches that porn will corrupt, that sexual addiction is the stuff of sin and is destroying the culture of our people.
Sexuality is seen as the deterioration of society. This is coming from the same society that says birth control and abortion are against the word of the Bible, but having that same child out of wedlock is OK. Granted, sexuality should not be explored until one is mature and emotionally stable. Young men and women should not be slut-shamed based on their sexual interests. It’s not anyone’s business.
I believe there is a time and place for porn. Some people hate it, and some cannot live without it. Personally, I do not care. People have their own interests and desires, and so long as it is not hurting anyone, it should not give anyone the right to preach hellfire against it. If you care about adults who watch porn, just ask yourself, “Why do I care?” Most of the time, the answer will be, “Because I have nothing better to care about.”
[Rachel Kalisher is a UF anthropology and classics junior. Her columns appear on Tuesdays. A version of this column ran on page 7 on 3/25/2014 under the headline "Let’s get it on: A brief history of pornography"]
