If porn is heaven, what his hell?

In Norway, where pornography is illegal, Deep Throat is considered a piece of film history, so every once in a while someone wants to show it - for academic interest only, of course.  The premise is that you can watch porn as long as it doesn't arouse anything but intellectual curiousity. 

Laura Kipnis also has something to say about Deep Throat, now that it's being re-released along with a documentary.  Her punchline:

Deep Throat tells a labyrinthic story about sexual pleasure—a labyrinth that is the female inheritance—then magically fixes it. In its coded, sometimes ludicrous, frequently offensive way, pornography does tell certain unpalatable truths, then offers an antidote to them—one that millions can't seem to live without these days.

Is this a terrible thing? According to anti-porn forces, yes. But if reality can't compete with porn, isn't it reality that should be doing the apologizing?

Along with my favorite line:

The usual impediments to acquiring sex don't exist in pornutopia: Forget social convention, sexual repression, your partner's personality foibles. Porn is a world where personality simply doesn't matter: what a refreshing vacation from the daily reality of coupledom in which one partner's personality tics and the other's inability to deal with them is surely the leading cause of couple dissolution, not to mention the sexual anesthesia (or antipathy) that generally precedes it.

(I can only hope that pornutopia makes it on the shortlist of the American Dialect Society's word of the year for 2005.)   

It is interesting that very few people will openly approve of pornography.  The right is against it because they're against sex; and the left is against it because they think it objectifies women and victimizes (only the female?) actors.  The centrist position is that well, it is of course offensive, and especially to women, and who would watch the filth anyway, but there is this matter of free speech and the slippery slope, and we're leaving it to the courts anyway.

I'll openly admit to being one of the fuddy-duds who would rather not consume porno.  I once interviewed Seth Warshawski about internet porn, and he offered me a "sample," and I nervously turned him down, much to the amusement of my female colleague.

But it seems to me that the opposition to porn is based on the premise that it isn't right to make people do deeply personal or deeply disgusting things for money.  We're upset that producers, directors, and everyone else creates an environment that gives participants no choice but to go along with what they want.

So, what about Fear Factor, where people are reduced to wrecks after being closed up in confined spaces with snakes, spiders, etc., eating revolting and raw body parts from various animals, being submerged in cold water, etc., etc.?  Isn't that just as predatory as pornography is?  Both depict fantasies that people have, but pornutopia is heaven, and Fear Factor is hell. 

And so it appears that hell is fit for primetime TV; but heaven can get nowhere near it.

Comments

[Øyvind, Leuven]

Sorry, but isnt Norwegian law a bit more... eh... complex than "porn is illegal". That is sure how I remember it, and I havent been abroad that long, now, have I?

[Øyvind, Leuven]

Otherwise, of course, an excellent post there, Leiv. Have you read Kjetil Rolnes book on porn? He raises a lot of discussions the left has conveniently forgot.

[Leif]

As far as I know, Norway prohibits visual depiction of sexual acts when the genitals are shown in action. So it's okay to show "soft-core porn" as well as full frontal nudity, but not "hard core porn." This includes moving and still images, shown in private or public.

[andrew]

hell is bondoge

AND MORE HARDCORE BONDAGE

[Generic Viagra]

When you order generic viagra you will never fail at getting an erection so you will loose the fear which holds you back from engaging in sexual intercourse.

I will continue to order generic viagra and I hope that all men who suffer from impotence will do so as well, since to order generic Viagra online is the best idea to save up a couple of dollars.

[here]

comment,

[XXX EXTREME]

This site is off the hook.Hi everybody.How you doing

[Generic Viagra]

In the heaven don't have porn

[Generic Viagra Online]

Sorry but it seems a silly waste of time and brain neurons too.!!!!

[Women Smoking Cigars]

I don'n think porn is the heaven!!!!And you can make your hell if you want but here!!!!

[Generic Drugs]

I agree with that disseminate information about sex but I disagree with pornography.

[Felix]

First of all, Viagra is a famous drug which is helping men to solve their sexual problems.

[Testosterone Therapy]

Come one, porn isn't heaven, porn is hell!!

[Generic Viagra]

What kind or premise is that?!!

[Best Online Foreign Pharmacies]

Nice information. I've just known about it from this site..Thanks for sharing this article. I appreciate it.

[buy viagra alternative]

Hi I love the article very creative
thanks very nice
keep your good work

[Viagra Online]

Hello people want to express my satisfaction with this blog very creative and I really like the views of the focus very good indeed Thank you for the helpful information. I hope you keep up the good work on making your blog a success!

[djoulbvtma]

uoobumvddg, http://www.mkbrerowdl.com oemsdzoldd

[djoulbvtma]

uoobumvddg, http://www.mkbrerowdl.com oemsdzoldd

[Rakeback]

ykzxtffpjp, http://www.justchillz.net/ Rakeback full, RzZSpXn.

[Rakeback]

ykzxtffpjp, http://www.justchillz.net/ Rakeback full, RzZSpXn.

[Rakeback]

ykzxtffpjp, http://www.justchillz.net/ Rakeback full, RzZSpXn.

[Rakeback]

ykzxtffpjp, http://www.justchillz.net/ Rakeback full, RzZSpXn.

[nhl jerseys]

dmplznpury, http://www.reeboknhl.com/ Nhl replica jerseys, xECLpTU.

[nhl jerseys]

dmplznpury, http://www.reeboknhl.com/ Nhl replica jerseys, xECLpTU.