Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Porn Addiction and Me...


Earlier this year, I got into an email-based debate with a dude regarding a pro-pornography column I’d written.

His goal was to point out the detriment of pornography from a social standpoint. One of his arguments was that I was “addicted” to it, and - like all addictions – I had a personal obligation to try to nip it in the bud.

I think this cat was one of many with a tendency to misdiagnose addiction.

This CNN article examines the idea of sexual addiction, which obviously includes pornography. One graf reads: “Experts acknowledge that people who have affairs or use pornography are not necessarily sex addicts. Such pastimes form an addiction when they generate negative consequences for a person's relationships, take over free time and become impossible to quit.”

Now, I’ve been looking at porn for a good, long time; harkening back to my single-digit-age days when my erstwhile stepbrother and I would break into my dad’s chest full of Playboys, Penthouses, Hustlers and Players magazines. In high school, finding ever-so-inventive ways to rent movies and record them (over my parents’ VHS tapes) was my hidden little hobby. Now, with Netflix-esque DVD rental programs and computer burners, it’s easier than ever to stock a collection.

But never, in any point during my pre-sex teenage years or my adult years, did smut ever throw a wet blanket over my daily goings-on. Never, ever was porn any kind of substitute for substantive human contact, and – sweet fucking Jesus – NEVER have I thought to substitute porn for sex. Perish the thought into the cold, wet sand.

Dude also “diagnosed” my addiction by pointing out the fact that I have gotten increasingly bored with porn - a characteristic of any addict who is always looking for the next big "high." Though I enjoy wide assortments, and though the same fake-titted, bleached-blonde-who-can-fit-a-Cabernet-bottle-in-her-asspipe aesthetic has worn a bit thin, I don’t have a true compulsion toward it; which is to say that it doesn’t govern my existence, I don’t NEED it…I enjoy porn as I enjoy mainstream movies, good music and feeding that $30-a-week comic book habit I have.

As for internet porn - which is widely castigated as the bastion of porn addicts everywhere - not only am I not addicted to it, but I look at the shit as work: I have access to enough pay sites to fill up terabytes of hard drive space and every bit of free time that I could possibly muster, but I care little more about it than the precious few bucks I earn from reviewing them.

I’m a non-smoker, I don’t do drugs and I drink in moderation. I have no addictions or compulsions. I often joke and say that porn is my only vice, but of course I don’t truly believe it to be a vice.
Now comics, on the other hand...

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hey Dude,
I am so honored to be the "Dude" in your Blog. Now I deleted our email "debate" some time ago, and do think of you now and then.

It was my impression that you were not exactly open minded about the "stop porn cold turkey" idea, so I just haven't respnded to the other 5 or 6 articles I wanted to write to you about.

Dude, I don't remember trying to get you to stop the porn addiction from a social aspect, I just seem to remember that you had a little trouble finding true love and I felt that a real woman just can't compete with what you are a viewin'.

Hence, the "this could be the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with " ain't gonna hang around a guy whose beatin' off in the shower because she won't give you what I want as fast as I want", or the "Can we watch New Age Hookers when David Letterman is over"?

You're too busy filling your gut with junk food (porn) to appreciate a good meal (love).

Regards,

The Dude in Glenview