Pornography is something that has become increasingly common in society today due to the Internet. The Internet made pornography readily available to everyone in the comfort of their own homes. This easy and private access has led to the expression of ideals that were once considered taboo and not mainstream. Things like fetishes found on the Internet were not readily available in magazines at the newsstand prior to the inception of the Internet. Internet porn in a way has provided a deeper insight into the needs and desires of a variety of people because there are two benefits to communing online. You have anonymity, so nobody knows who you are or what you are doing. It also gives you a sense of community. If that video has already been viewed by millions of people, you're not an outcast or pervert.
Along with pornography, sexual imagery is becoming more and more widespread. The old saying, "Sex Sells", is more true than ever. Sexual imagery is being used to sell almost every product known to man. You can't read through a magazine or watch TV for an hour without encountering an advertisement using sexual imagery to sell it's products. This over saturation of sex on society has started to influence and/or desensitize people to issues of sexuality that were once considered aberrant. Ten years ago the imagery and topics discussed in advertisements today would have been considered too graphic. Also there has been growing support and indifference to topics like same-sex marriage. The more exposed and educated society becomes to sexuality is going to help people identify with each other and form a more cohesive society.
I like that you included the phrase "Sex Sells", because I believe that it is a very true statement. I also think it is interesting how you talked about how somethings that we see today would not have been accepted ten years ago. I never thought about that and how much it has changed.
ReplyDeleteDo you imagine that there might be a time when sex doesn't sell? If it is so common, then people are liable to just ignore it altogether when they see it in ads.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe so. We live in a society that is slightly repressed sexually. For instance, there's many things about sex you would feel uncomfortable discussing with a friend, let alone a stranger. That's why sex gets so much attention and is used for entertainment and advertising. Even if we become more open about sex I don't think things will change for another reason. That is the fact that sex is a base emotion. It's programmed into our genetic code as a means for the propagation and survivability of our species. Therefore, I believe sex can always be used as a tool to get our attention.
Delete