Choking the chicken, the five-finger shuffle, double-clicking the mouse. For any other activity, it would be remarkable that there are so many recognized ways to imply what you’re doing. For masturbation, it feels appropriate.
One of humanity’s oldest hobbies has been enhanced dramatically with the rise of internet porn. I’ve done extensive research deep into this dangerous hellscape (I can now lift up a Mini Cooper with just my right hand) and discovered it has lasting consequences.
Too much, too young
One obvious attraction of internet porn is accessibility. A curious 12-year-old can see more naked people in a minute than kings of old would have seen in a lifetime.
Research shows one driving aspect of arousal is novelty. Basically, an erotic video new to a viewer will enhance their arousal more than those seen before. The Coolidge Effect is a phenomenon whereby male animals become just as aroused and excited after sex as before if there are new females present. Females can experience the Coolidge Effect too, but it’s generally less powerful.
In theory, according to the Coolidge Effect, getting freaky with the same female over and over again could cause men to take longer and longer to ejaculate (If you really want to have a nice sex session of length, engage in sexual activity beforehand).
This novelty and its tie to the Coolidge Effect make porn addictive. Infinite amounts of new naked bodies to fall in love with creates the perfect storm to keep people trapped with their screens.
Quitting porn for the new year
I think it’s fair to say that most people understand the potentially-addictive power of internet porn. I interviewed some folks to show us the path back to the light.
I spoke to Adam Stint, a third-year management student at Dalhousie University about his porn habits. He stopped watching porn after the new year.
“I had a long and lonely time in Saint John [N.B.] where [I was masturbating] more than I thought was right. So I’ve tried to give it up,” said Stint.
Stint elaborated he doesn’t necessarily think porn is bad, just that he “felt greasy and disgusting”.
“So, I was like, ‘I’m gonna quit this habit.”
I also spoke to Daniel Singe, a third-year Dal math student, about creating and selling porn. He said if he could, he would sell pictures of his penis.
The idea of taking naked photos and being able to pay bills appeals to lots of people. In reality, the porn industry is more sinister than we realize.
The dark side of porn
Mia Khalifa spoke up about her experience in the porn industry. Most students probably know who she is. If you’re unfamiliar, Google her in incognito mode.
For a three-month stint, she made $12,000, according to a piece in The Guardian. For all of us broke students, that seems like a lot. As an actual adult — you know, the people who have life insurance and know which wine pairs well with which meat — $12,000 for three months is not a lot. Especially knowing how much work Khalifa did. She broke the internet.
This matters because I know everyone, myself included, is jazzed by the idea of making $12,000 over three months (God, I need a better job). Khalifa went on record saying she “blacked out” in every sex scene she shot. Bruh, that is messed up.
Harmful ideas about sex
The academic community is divided on the porn issue. Some see it as harmless for consumers. Others place it just below a biblical apocalypse. A piece by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic says, “Porn can offer vulnerable consumers an infinite buffet of false, decontextualized, and potentially harmful ideas about the world”.
Now, before you start clutching your pearls, I’ll remind you that any media or art can do the same. They’re all criticized for “false, decontextualized, and potentially harmful ideas about the world.” But what I found to be interesting is that those industries actively and routinely face criticism.
There’s the Motion Picture Association of America with a rating system to determine the suggested age range for movies. There are heated debates about books in schools (please don’t ban books, I like books). The “video games equal violence” argument is a pretty reliable controversy for a slow news day. Porn though, porn seems to get off easily. There’s no governing body rating porn flicks.
Porn is not the enemy
Porn is not the devil incarnate, but it is a pretty greasy habit. The industry is terrible, and your favourite stars are probably getting bent over backward by their agents.
The moral of this story? Watch with care and hold this industry accountable like any other.
Cover image: Access to porn is easier now than ever before. How does early and constant access impact our sex lives? (Mandy King)
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