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The Forum > Article Comments > The woman and the octopus, or how anti porn activists sabotage their own message > Comments

The woman and the octopus, or how anti porn activists sabotage their own message : Comments

By Jennifer Wilson, published 14/9/2011

There is no reason to oppose all sexually explicit images, as if the sexually explicit in itself is dangerous and anti social.

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You were doing so well up till the last section, when you felt obliged to drag out the tattered old bugbear of 'Western capitalist society' and give it a good thumping, just for old time's sake. A little research will show you that 'violent pornography' has been a feature of EVERY society which has mastered writing or drawing, and has been rapidly adopted by those that don't when they encounter it. How about abandoning the usual suspects, and considering that maybe 'violent pornography' is something -- for some people at least -- that simply goes with being human?
Posted by Jon J, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 7:22:39 AM
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My objection is to "violent" pornography being readily available to children and others who may not wish to encounter it.

I agree that "violent" porn is of interest to some people and I have no right to censor that interest. Neither do they have the right to impose it on me, and it has to be made accessible only to those who specifically seek it out.

The point about Western capitalism is not that it is the only form of society that produces violent porn, but that degradation and exploitation of all kinds are necessary to its survival.
Cheers, Jennifer.
Posted by briar rose, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 7:35:06 AM
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Good article, agree with Briar Rose that Western Culture is not the only purveyor and consumer of violent and/or degrading porn.

Spent an entertaining second wondering what a painting of man being pleasured by an octopus would look like.

Pertinent point that Henson's profound images of children are regarded as porn - when focus should be on adults and child sold into sex slavery.

Others may find the new .xxx domain of interest:

http://theconversation.edu.au/xxx-domain-a-new-way-to-look-at-pornography-3242
Posted by Ammonite, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 9:44:29 AM
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'Neither do they have the right to impose it on me, and it has to be made accessible only to those who specifically seek it out.'

Just how does this work Jennifer? When is violent porn really imposed on people not looking for violent porn? I suppose you could make the case of people looking for non-violent porn and finding violent porn, but personally I have never really noticed a hell of a lot of violent porn. And let me tell you, I am a HUGE consumer of porn:-)

I think most people get to an age as teens, and they are interested in sex. So they look at every possible kink on the internet, are grossed out and intrigued and turned on and eventually their curiosity is sated.

I really believe most Kinks and Fetishes are based on childhood expereinces and life events, and the imagination. You just cannot make someone turned on by something they aren't already turned on by. Otherwise you could turn gay people straight.

So, that means the fear is that people will be 'validated' in their 'perversion' by the witnessing of porn catering to such tastes and of the realisation from this that there are inevitably others with similar tastes.

I then think of how this applies to homosexuality. I have heard many biggotted opinions on OLO that because homosexuality is more accepted in mainstream society, it 'encourages' people to homosexuality. This is plainly wrong in my view, so I also see it wrong that abusive porn leads to more sexually abusive people. It 'liberates' them.

And if you say the homosexual's 'perversion' is ok, as it is true to his sexual identity, so is someone who likes abusively having sex 'on' a woman.

In the end, as long as it remains a fantasy (Being sated yet validated by porn) or it happens between consenting adults where is the harm? Laws against sexual violence already exist.

Action is punished.

Thought is not.

I think that's good.
Posted by Houellebecq, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 11:33:14 AM
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I don't argue for access to violent porn to be restricted because I fear viewing it will make people act out sexual violence. I don't think that's the case, and I've yet to find any evidence that it is.

I don't think there is anything wrong with people viewing violent porn if they wish to do so, and I'm not suggesting it should be banned or blocked. I would like to see safeguards in place that require passwords, payment, or some means of both warning of content, and preventing children from entering those sites. I don't think this is unreasonable, and it's what we do in other mediums.

I sometimes think that any suggestions about the regulation of violent internet porn are interpreted as an attack on freedom and civil liberties. I think that's an extreme position, and I can't see anything wrong with allowing those who want to see it to do that, while at the same time offering protections to those who don't. It seems to me that this approach ought to satisfy just about everybody, except the extremes at both ends of the argument.
Posted by briar rose, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 12:05:10 PM
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'offering protections to those who don't.'

I just tire of the argument that violent porn is 'imposed' on people. It's no more imposed on people than Alan Jones. People who don't want to see violent porn very rarely if ever do see it currently. Just like I have very rarely ever seen Justin Bieber. Though James O'Conner does seem to be making his way back into the first 15.

I don't think any of the measures you mention are unreasonable, but I really don't see it as a significant problem. There is violence in Movies, CSI special sex victims unit on TV, there's all sorts of avenues that could be tightened up.

I think there is even the classification board that censors violent DVDs and refuses them classification.

I just don't see in the normal life of a teenager them being served up violent porn when they do a google search. If they are that keen to see violent porn, they will. Just like getting hold of cigarettes and beer, it can and will be done. Generally, most people live their lives totally immune from violent porn, just like midget porn, ch*cks with d*cks, amputee porn, animal porn etc.

Sure you can put your measures in place, but I don't see why it's such a 'hot topic'. Actually I do, that's what gets my goat.

Yo are probably THE most reasonable commentator on such and I am glad your stuff gets published as it balances out the MTRs and Dines of this world. The thing is, what you propose will never satisfy the likes of those anyway.

'I sometimes think that any suggestions about the regulation of violent internet porn are interpreted as an attack on freedom and civil liberties.'

Yeah, well, thin edge of the wedge and all that. I see vigilence in this area as very important. Conroy's gettin' his filter ready.
Posted by Houellebecq, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 12:30:15 PM
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