Sounds harsh, but could it be true?
Pornography has been around since the beginning of history. Erotic artworks date as far back as the Paleolithic Era, with erotic cave paintings and carvings by the most primitive people on Earth. The Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks had plenty of erotic art, the precursor to what we now know as “pornography”.
Many people have argued that pornography is dangerous, and one senator is even going so far as to compare it to tobacco! Pretty harsh words, considering how deadly tobacco can be.
Gary Herbert, the Governor of Utah, is determined to pass a resolution that will help to combat pornography in the state of Utah. The Utah state legislature passed the resolution in May, and it makes the state’s policy on pornography clear:
“Pornography perpetuates a sexually toxic environment,” the resolution states. “Efforts to prevent pornography exposure and addiction, to educate individuals and families concerning its harms, and to develop recovery programs must be addressed systemically in ways that hold broader influences accountable.”
Utah State Senator Todd Weiler said, “…We have taken steps to protect people from tobacco, but we haven’t done that for pornography.”
The Utah Coalition Against Pornography is a Mormon-backed organization that will be thrilled to have tighter restrictions on pornography in the state, including a law that would penalize computer technicians who failed to report the presence of child pornography on computers that they service.
READ MORE: Why I Quit Watching Porn
But here’s something you might not know: Utah is actually the largest consumer of porn IN THE COUNTRY! That’s right, the incredibly “buttoned up”, ultra-religious people of Utah were the ones most likely to access porn.
Many people may be thinking, “What’s the big deal? Porn is a perfectly normal activity for adults, right?”
While pornography can help to enhance sexual activity between consenting adults, there are a number of risks associated with regular porn consumption:
- Desensitization — The more you access porn, the more you will begin to feel numb to the images and videos you see. Just like a drug addict looking for a new “high”, you will enjoy it less and less with each viewing, until you become desperate to find that thrill you got before.
- Addiction — This goes hand in hand with the previous point. Many people become addicted to porn, NEEDING it in order to be sexually stimulated. The more you rely on it, the more important it becomes to you, and the more you need it. You eventually end up hooked and unable to quit.
- Acting out — This isn’t just physically, but sexually. It’s not uncommon for people to try to act out the images and videos they have seen, many of which are NOT normal for two consenting adults.
- Escalation — You may start off innocent, but eventually the milder forms of pornography may not work for you. Many regular porn users look for new and more bizarre things, often to the point that they end up watching porn that once disgusted them. More graphic and disgusting things become appealing.
All of these things are arguments AGAINST regular pornography usage, and many studies have discovered the benefits of minimizing porn use in your life.
Pornography may not be as deadly as tobacco, but it’s certainly as addictive! The more you use it, the more you want. Eventually, it becomes as hard a habit to kick as tobacco, and it can have the same affect in many areas of your life. If you can keep it under control, it’s a potential sexual enhancer. If it gets out of control, it can be a danger!
