Political Matrix

[71 dB]

BS. Porn is a clear case of supply creating demand.

Isn't this the case of most products/services? It is called a free market economy.

Just walk into a store selling newspapers and magazines and have a look around. You'll know instantly what I mean .

What kind of newspapers do they sell in the US??

[Florestan]

Isn't this the case of most products/services? 

No it isn't.

[greg]

More BS. Ask your mother, sister, wife or daughter.

Couldn't you simplify that by saying "most women?"

[Florestan]

Couldn't you simplify that by saying "most women?"

Do you think it would have had the same effect?

[71 dB]

No it isn't.

You could have given reasons for this view. There was not heavy demand for mobile phones for example before the phones and services came available. People wanted to see Avatar because it came to theaters and was advertised, etc.

[DavidRoss]

Men are hard wired to respond to certain sexual stimuli.  As a friend puts it, "When the blood flows to the little head, the big head gets starved for oxygen and turns stupid!"  Every woman knows this and uses it to her advantage, if she's able to.  It's why magicians always have pretty assistants in skimpy attire.  And why you might approach the newsstand, intending to pick up a copy of The Economist with a boring cover illustration graphing unfunded liabilities for government entitlements, say, but after seeing cover after cover showing Monica Bellucci's cleavage -- )( -- you forget all about understanding current fiscal policy and hurry down to the sleazy part of town looking for something quite different from your original intent.

At least, this is what I surmise Andrei means when he says that the growing supply of public porn creates increased demand. 

[Florestan]

There was not heavy demand for mobile phones for example before the phones and services came available. People wanted to see Avatar because it came to theaters and was advertised, etc.

Yes, but "most products" is an overstatement.

[Scarpia]

Men are hard wired to respond to certain sexual stimuli.  As a friend puts it, "When the blood flows to the little head, the big head gets starved for oxygen and turns stupid!"  Every woman knows this and uses it to her advantage, if she's able to.  It's why magicians always have pretty assistants in skimpy attire.  And why you might approach the newsstand, intending to pick up a copy of The Economist with a boring cover illustration graphing unfunded liabilities for government entitlements, say, but after seeing cover after cover showing Monica Bellucci's cleavage -- )( -- you forget all about understanding current fiscal policy and hurry down to the sleazy part of town looking for something quite different from your original intent.

Porn diverts sexual energy away from legitimate sexual gratification, which involves personal interaction and risk, further increasing the perceived need for porn.  A vicious cycle.   Similar to junk foods, which give you a sugar hit with no nutrients.

[Florestan]

Men are hard wired to respond to certain sexual stimuli.  As a friend puts it, "When the blood flows to the little head, the big head gets starved for oxygen and turns stupid!"  Every woman knows this and uses it to her advantage, if she's able to.  It's why magicians always have pretty assistants in skimpy attire.  And why you might approach the newsstand, intending to pick up a copy of The Economist with a boring cover illustration graphing unfunded liabilities for government entitlements, say, but after seeing cover after cover showing Monica Bellucci's cleavage -- )( -- you forget all about understanding current fiscal policy and hurry down to the sleazy part of town looking for something quite different from your original intent.

At least, this is what I surmise Andrei means when he says that the growing supply of public porn creates increased demand. 

Well said, David.

[71 dB]

Yes, but "most products" is an overstatement.

Are you sure?

[Florestan]

Porn diverts sexual energy away from legitimate sexual gratification, which involves personal interaction and risk, further increasing the perceived need for porn.  A vicious cycle.   

Indeed. I've always believed that a psychologically normal person with a healthy sexual life has no need for porn, except maybe an occasional peep now and then.

[Philoctetes]

Indeed. I've always believed that a psychologically normal person with a healthy sexual life has no need for porn, except maybe an occasional peep now and then.

Don't know if I can really agree with you there.

[Florestan]

Are you sure?

If you go to a mall, you'll see that most products on sale are food, beverages, clothing, shoes, and home appliances --- which cover not luxury or superfluous needs but the basic necessities of modern life. So yes, I'm sure that most products on the market meet the demand instead of creating it.

[Florestan]

Don't know if I can really agree with you there.

Care to elaborate why?

[Philoctetes]

Care to elaborate why?

Somtimes you partner cannot or will not be accomidating to your sexual needs.

[Florestan]

Somtimes you partner cannot or will not be accomidating to your sexual needs.

Are you sure your sexual needs are really yours and not inculcated in your mind by the very porn you watch?

[oabmarcus]

BS. Porn is a clear case of supply creating demand.

This tells me you have 0 amount of knowledge in basic economic theory. Why don't you learn a little about economics first before commenting on the topic?
so this is Bullshit

More BS. Ask your mother, sister, wife or daughter.
I watch it now and then, so BS again.

I haven't got a wife. But to my knowledge, women watch porn on a frequent basis too. Okay, maybe old people like your mother, or you don't. BUt that doesn't give you the right to tell everyone else what not to do.
so that's Bullshit

Just walk into a store selling newspapers and magazines and have a look around. Or turn on the TV and watch prety much any entertainment broadcasting. You'll know instantly what I mean .

uh, that's not really the "porn" I am talking about. You are referring to the magazines selling sex appeal. Which is not porn. Porn is nudity, and people having sex. I don't think I see that on streets. There maybe implied stuff on certain magazines, but rarely do you see actual penetration. Unless, of course you subscribe to penthouse, or Hustler. But, unlike what you've said. The popularity of porn mags "public porn" have declined to a point of almost no return. Since most people can just get their fix online for free.

So your entire "public porn" rant is Bullshit.

[Philoctetes]

Are you sure your sexual needs are really yours and not inculcated in your mind by the very porn you watch?

Quite sure. I had these needs before I had even known that porn existed of that specific type.

[DavidRoss]

Porn diverts sexual energy away from legitimate sexual gratification, which involves personal interaction and risk, further increasing the perceived need for porn.  A vicious cycle.   Similar to junk foods, which give you a sugar hit with no nutrients.

Nice analogy.  No risk, no muss, no fuss, no overpriced meal for two, and no intimacy...and the more distanced you become from real intimacy, the more frightening and difficult real intimacy becomes, so the natural sexual drive that should bring people closer together and teach us to value "otherness" gets perverted into something that pulls people farther apart and encourages selfishness and self-absorption.

Well said, David.

Thanks, Andrei.  During my limited career teaching adolescents I found that it's pretty hard to compete with raging hormones.  I'm not sure how our societies can best deal with the sexualization of damned near everything for commercial exploitation, but I suspect that the current explosion is a predictable reaction against many years of the repression that Teresa has in mind.

[71 dB]

If you go to a mall, you'll see that most products on sale are food, beverages, clothing, shoes, and home appliances --- which cover not luxury or superfluous needs but the basic necessities of modern life. So yes, I'm sure that most products on the market meet the demand instead of creating it.

Sales make people buy more than they need, that's the point. If you really need something, you are willing to pay more for it.