More data driven science on how Porn can be beneficial to people and their relationships.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. Some interesting thoughts on porn and "rape culture":

Last edited Sun Apr 14, 2013, 08:24 PM - Edit history (1)

It is taken as axiomatic in some circles, really without any evidence other than "it must be so!", that somehow the "rape culture" that is perpetuated in places like Steubenville has to do- not with tight-knit communities with insular scholastic sports programs and a prevalent attitude that "the jocks can do no wrong" (which is sort of my take) but rather that it's being driven by porn, internet porn, freely available porn, see these guys took pictures with their phones (which turned out to be fortunate in that it made the crimes easier to prosecute) which is porn so obviously porn because, you know, porn.

And then Anonymous shows up, like they do in Canada, and they shine a big internet light on the institutions and local authorities which are covering up for these shits.

Great! Yay, Anonymous! Obviously, Anonymous being at the forefront of fighting against rape, which means "rape culture" which must mean.... porn, right?

And internet porn, freely available internet porn- again, this is taken as axiomatic, gospel 'truth'- MUST be causing and encouraging the attitudes which lead to these rapes... right?

Except.... has anyone making these connections bothered to examine exactly where Anonymous came from in the first place? Anonymous was born of 4chan. Anonymous is a creature of the internet, and while it may not be technically 100% that the "internet is for porn", the fact is that porn has been part and parcel of the internet from the early days, and certainly over at 4chan the Anonymous folks have been marinating in it for a VERY long time.

So how does that work- these folks who have strong commitment to justice for rape victims, to exposing hypocrisy and standing strong against rape, come from a community that has been steeped in freely exchanged internet smut and erotica and naked pictures from the get-go? Because the "porn--->rape culture" argument implies that the viewing of porn, the readily available access to porn, is causing or enabling these pro-rape attitudes. Yet here are porn people, internet anarchists really, who are steadfastly anti-rape, by all appearances.

And the institutions that have covered up for the alleged rapists? The Sheriff in Steubenville? The RCMP? Is there any evidence that they are being widely influenced by internet porn? No, there is not. In fact, Canada was supposed to be a model of MacKinnon anti-porn legislation, at least until it became apparent that these "civil rights remedies" against porn would end up rounding up what is widely considered "erotica" by some and not just the bad "porn" (In other words, if I like it, it's erotica- if you like it, it's porn) ... Simiarly, the Vatican, which has had its share of covering up for or enabling abuse and crime, is hardly any free-range libertarian smut paradise.

It doesn't make any sense. If porn caused people to think rape is no big deal, Anonymous wouldn't be getting involved.