"But what about the children?!" is probably the most damaging sentence to enter the popular consciousness since "wouldn't be funny if a nun could fly?"

That said, I think there is a difference between much of the porn that is readily available to kids these days and the porn that most of us would have come across more than 15 years ago.

Playboy taught me a lot about what the female body could look like but it never taught me anything about sex. Yes, there was the genre of of things like Juggs, Gallery, and such that provided the "almost" genre of porn where more than one person is in the photo, something sexual is kind of going on, but everything is just "almost" touching.

Down and dirty, graphic sex is certainly available in a way that it never was when we were kids. Do I think it causes irrepairable harm? Not really. But growing up I think sex was presented in a variety of contexts and symbolic meanings, and levels of importance. I do think that with its easy availability that things get out of balance. I don't think it necessarily leads to long term psychological problems but can easily suppose it eases kids along the path towards actually having sex (and while I don't think 14 year olds having sex should be criminalized I do think it is generally a net bad thing). If nothing else I think it plays a big part in shaping how that sex happens. The prominence of blowjobs in porn has probably played a big role in making that more acceptable. Hopefully it has also led to more reciprocation.

So, short version. No, I don't think it is a horrible thing. Bondage porn isn't, to me, any worse than any other. I'd be troubled by abusively violent or non-consensual porn but I'd expect any teenagers of mine were seeing it.

But I'd try to walk a fine line between conveying the sense that sex is bad and that they'll have to sneak it past me if they want to see it. This next generation of kids won't have that "sneaking into Dad's closet experience." This will probably only strengthen the opinion of each generation of kids that they were the ones who stumbled onto the realization that genitals are fun.

You teased me :(

But I loved the flying nun!


Agreed. I don't want my kids to feel like their desires are "dirty" or anything, but I would take steps to shelter them from hardcore porn (or from any porn before a certain age). It sounds trite, but young minds really are very impressionable. A 13 or 14 year old doesn't have the life experience or the skills of discernment to look at porn and realize that extremely few women want penises in every orafice at the same time, etc.

We have art books with naked people in them, and we're all naked around the house pretty frequently, so I hope that they'll feel like the naked human body is not that big of a deal. When they get to an age where they are curious about sex but also at an age where they may not want to ask me certain questions I'd probably leave sex books that show nudity and pictures of genitals rather than leaving porn around. Or even books that show sex in a non-porn way, like the kama sutra and such if that is what they wanted to see. Then when they got to an age where they wanted to see naked pictures because it arouses them, I'd be more likely to leave Playboys under their (well, not Jade's, but I'm assuming there is a female equivalent) bed or something. Is Playboy even really porn?

I suppose it has a lot to do with what LSPE said about growing up too quickly. I know that in college they will see all sorts of porn, but college seems like that is the appropriate time for that sort of thing. I don't really see a need for it before then. Also, while I certainly won't take the stance about pre-marital sex that my parents did, I would like to convey the message that sex is for people who feel a commitment to each other. I'll definitely discourage random sex. It seems that hardcore porn somewhat goes against that message.

You know, the internet has made photo/video porn more prevalent, but erotic literature has long been available. I've yet to see anything as disturbing as some of the passages I've read of the Marquis de Sade. Perhaps my dad's porn was just images of naked women cleverly posed to conceal pubic hair, but my mom's collection of "banned" books made up for the more explicit parts (thank you Monsieur Girodias).

I find this whole concept of parents setting out porn for their kids, Playboys under Johnny's bed kinda thing - - sounds like some sorta oddball SantaClaus on Puberty Eve type deal. Huh?

Or arranging the flow of their internet porn discoveries ... i dunno, but i think your folks taking any kind of hand in your exposure to pornography has got to be kreepy bad from a kid's point of view.


Different as it may be from the good old Rockwellian days of Penthouses in dad's drawer ... I think we have to led kids discover porn by themselves ... or with their peers (and, hey, likely future sexual partners!)



And on the one hand ... I have to think the modern Internet-is-for-Porn world is gonna make for much hornier teenagers - - but on the other, have to admit that, sheesh, how much hornier could teenagers get???



As for whether kids who earlier discover fetishes, kinks or (hush now) homosexuality will be more inclined to experiment in those areas, more inclined to adopt such practices into their adult sexual mileau - - - Nah, i don't really think so.

A person's gonna be turned on by what they're turned on by. I don't know about you ladies, but as for us guys - well, no one's dick's ever lied yet.

;)

http://www.worldsex.com/

For Euro and Kevy... "Research" ;)

(Not work safe) ;)

You mean like this?
That was written about 4,000 years ago by King Solomon and is from the Holy Bible, Song of Songs Chapter 5, verses 2-6. While not porn, it is rather erotic.

And I think Alex's point is valid. The type of porn that can easily be found is so much different than when I was young. T and A was about the most of it, and fine at that age. And R rated movies where there is love scenes tastefully done, or even soft porn and Playboys.

But the problem I see with the violent, hard core, or strange animalistic types is what it will do to the young developing minds. I mean I could be wrong here, but if a young boy sees guys demoralizing women, treating them like nothing more than meat, isn't it possible he'll begain to think that way.

And then there's the issue of addiction, but I take this as anything else like drugs, alchohol, or food. If you are pre-disposed to addiction, it can become a problem.

And I agree with Steve, talk to your kids at the age you feel they are being exposed (at school and through peers) and tell them what is right, and safe. But be carefull where you draw the line of parent and freind. If you think they are having sex and you want to provide birth controll, fine. But the porn fairy gleaving them porn under the bed with a tube of KY Jelly may not be a great idea. :rolleyes:

However, there are some great books out there that are very good for this purpose.

I wonder about this, sure it's out there - and if it were the only type of porn available I can see how that might shape expectations, but the volume and variety of porn I think dilutes any one brand of kink as being so influential.

When I was in college, my father would occasionally drive me to LAX. He would often suggest stopping at The Wild Goose, a giant combo topless bar/sports bar/hofbrau near the airport. We would grab a table near the stage, and he would talk about his sex life with my mother. I generally wanted to crawl under the table.

The porn that I absolutely hate, and unfortunately seems to be getting produced more and more, has guys slapping or even punching the girls during sex.