Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Is pornography driving men crazy?
CNN ^ | 6/30/11 | Naomi Wolf

Posted on 07/30/2011 7:13:52 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat

It is hard to ignore how many highly visible men in recent years (indeed, months) have behaved in sexually self-destructive ways. Some powerful men have long been sexually voracious; unlike today, though, they were far more discreet and generally used much better judgment in order to cover their tracks.

Of course, the heightened technological ability nowadays to expose private behavior is part of the reason for this change. But that is precisely the point: so many of the men caught up in sex-tinged scandals of late have exposed themselves – sometimes literally – through their own willing embrace of text messages, Twitter, and other indiscreet media.

What is driving this weirdly disinhibited decision-making? Could the widespread availability and consumption of pornography in recent years actually be rewiring the male brain, affecting men’s judgment about sex and causing them to have more difficulty controlling their impulses?

There is an increasing body of scientific evidence to support this idea. Six years ago, I wrote an essay called “The Porn Myth,” which pointed out that therapists and sexual counselors were anecdotally connecting the rise in pornography consumption among young men with an increase in impotence and premature ejaculation among the same population. These were healthy young men who had no organic or psychological pathology that would disrupt normal sexual function.

(Excerpt) Read more at globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: men; porn; society
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-128 next last
To: A_perfect_lady

No more Danielle Steel’s in the house? Geez my grandma had all those pulp novels around. Women read porn, men view it. There’s your difference in a nutshell. Mind’s eye versus physical eye.


81 posted on 07/30/2011 11:24:26 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg
“Good lord am I in a parallel universe?”

No. But obviously the premise of the article is correct.

82 posted on 07/30/2011 11:30:25 PM PDT by 21twelve (Obama Recreating the New Deal: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2185147/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat
unlike today, though, they were far more discreet and generally used much better judgment in order to cover their tracks

She's dead wrong on this. In the past, powerful men didn't have to be discrete as they need to today, because they knew that they had an infrastructure built up around them that would protect them.

JFK is Exhibit A in this: pretty much the entire socio/political elite (and corresponding apparatuses) knew that he was an insatiable womanizer. But they ran interference for them. The press suppressed what they knew, and in situations where word of his indiscretions were about to get out the entire power apparatus would move forward with the "Ellen Rometsch Strategy".
83 posted on 07/30/2011 11:39:04 PM PDT by tanknetter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
Yep. Tilt the desk at 80o and cover it with ball bearing-races.
84 posted on 07/30/2011 11:39:46 PM PDT by raygun (http://bastiat.org/en/the_law DOT html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat; All

I think one factor is the kind of pressure that is brought to bear on some politicians to do more than they really want. I think Edwards was being pushed so hard by his wife that he unconsciously effed up. I heard that Gore really was not as ambitious as his father wanted him to be. Just 2 examples. I’m sure others can think of more.


85 posted on 07/30/2011 11:42:54 PM PDT by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man

Yeah. It wasn’t Danielle Steele, but you get the basic idea. And it’s like candy, or a drug.


86 posted on 07/30/2011 11:43:19 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady (Islam is as Islam does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: flintsilver7

“God gave you a brain. Use it.”

God gave you a Bible. Use it.

We are not forbidden - indeed we are designed - to be attracted to the opposite sex. That’s on one side of the continuum - using pornography is way on the other end.

Jesus did not make mistakes, and His teaching is correct.


87 posted on 07/30/2011 11:53:21 PM PDT by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Christian Engineer Mass

“How so? Why should we not take it literally? Is there not a danger of sliding into gnosticism if we assume what things mean? Why, if people can do that, would they not assume that other parts of the Bible are non-literal?

“Each commandment cover sins in that category.”

I’m don’t think you can find that in the Bible, that the 10 commandments are the superclasses of sins, and other sins come under those.”

We should take it literally.

To understand the ten commandments as a summarization of all the 600 plus case laws in Scripture is not much of a stretch. There are numerous examples of God’s law being expanded so.

When asked what was the greatest law, Jesus further summarized the law, saying, “Love the LORD your God with all your might, with all your mind, and with all your soul (paraphrase) and added that the second greatest was like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He stated that on these two laws hang all the commandments.

Summarizations are perfectly normal methods of communication and by no means teach us that God’s word shouldn’t be taken literally - far from it.


88 posted on 07/30/2011 11:57:16 PM PDT by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: flintsilver7

I think the correct answer to this problem is girly-men sperm banks and turkey basters.


89 posted on 07/31/2011 12:09:08 AM PDT by SteveH (First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Persevero

But He spent so much of His time with tax collectors and prostitutes...


90 posted on 07/31/2011 12:17:01 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat

Bookmark


91 posted on 07/31/2011 12:36:31 AM PDT by GOP Poet (Obama is an OLYMPIC failure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat; EQAndyBuzz
>>> does anyone know how to keep squirrels off your desk,????

Leave the squirrels alone. Don't start something you may not be able to finish.


92 posted on 07/31/2011 1:03:32 AM PDT by tlb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat

My, my, what men will do in the pursuit of an orgasm.


93 posted on 07/31/2011 1:21:55 AM PDT by Isabel C.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
...does anyone know how to keep squirrels off your desk,????

Keep your nuts under it.

94 posted on 07/31/2011 2:48:34 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat
As bad of a problem I think pornography is, This is worse......


95 posted on 07/31/2011 3:10:44 AM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Recovering_Democrat

Contrary to what leftists like to believe, human sexuality in general has some pretty dark sides to it. I’m not a religious person but I do believe that both male and female sexuality needs to be socially controlled in order to maintain a civilized society. There’s not such thing as free love.


96 posted on 07/31/2011 3:33:07 AM PDT by Aikonaa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pieceofthepuzzle
What is a ‘powerful’ man? Someone who doesn't have the power to control their own appetites? Someone who is too narcissistic to look beyond themselves? If you can't control yourself you're not that ‘powerful’.

Exactly. Supposedly powerful men behaving in infantile ways is quite pathetic.

97 posted on 07/31/2011 3:36:37 AM PDT by Aikonaa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: yarddog

98 posted on 07/31/2011 4:02:43 AM PDT by nomodem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Cheburashka
Doubt it, does anyone know how to keep squirrels off your desk,????


Flamethrower.


Photobucket
99 posted on 07/31/2011 4:19:48 AM PDT by Renderofveils (My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music. - Nabokov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: MNDude

Nice quote!


100 posted on 07/31/2011 4:21:12 AM PDT by melsec
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-128 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson