There are many reasons to believe that porn is becoming more and more socially acceptable in modern times. The Paris Hilton Effect is how I shall refer to this. After her sex tape came out, her career not only skyrocketed, but now she was famous for something other than just being rich. The sex tape more often than not was not criticized but almost glorified. The Paris Hilton Effect shows us that America is starting to let sexuality become more mainstream.
Everywhere you look on TV and in music is sexuality being glorified. And there is nothing wrong with this. I feel it’s important for everyone to be comfortable with themselves and with expressing sexuality. In fact, without confidence in sexuality, procreation would be threatened as people would be “scared” about sex. The pornification of
America is inevitable as more people become turned on to sex and realize it’s importance in society.
Being sexual is flaunted all day long on TV such as MTV where most teens are introduced to the whole world of “being sexual.” As the younger generations embrace sexuality a shift will occur in time. In fact, a look at the Baby Boomer generation can shine some light on this view. During the 60′s and 70′s many people our ages took onto this idea of expressing sexuality. As a whole, this began the shift into socially accepting sex. They have kept these views as they grew older and now don’t view younger generations as being out of line with expressing sexuality. They don’t feel it is as taboo as it once was.
I know sometimes I’m surprised when my parents don’t take offense to some of the references made on TV or some other media that I’m using. It makes me realize either that they don’t know or just really don’t feel it’s bad.
The Paris Hilton Effect reveals to us that many Americans are becoming accepting of porn in a mainstream kind of way. Sexuality is being embraced by popular mediums and the younger generations. A shift of socially acceptable sexuality is occurring and will be continuing for many more years down the road.
September 17, 2006 at 8:28 pm
What is it these days? Suddenly every book out there is talking about how pornography is taking over the world.
It seems like every few years there’s something out there that’s going to debase society and corrupt our youth. Before porn, it was heavy metal music and before that it was D&D. Sure porn is talked about a lot more but that isn’t really all that meaningful a metric.
Hell, 10 years ago I probably couldn’t have got my humor book (“Pornification” – http://www.pornifythis.com) published at all but when it comes right down to it, the book is really just puns. There are no naked pictures, no erotic stories, just some language that you don’t want your child to hear (but that he probably learned at camp years ago anyway). But I’m sure these alarmist authors would hold up “Pornification” as Exihibit A.
So now we can – and do – make porn references in mainstream culture. Big deal. It’s just talk. Western civilization is in no danger.
Andrew Benjamin
http://www.pornifythis.com