Recently read an article in Sunday Times by a young man extolling the virtues of porn and how it had helped young men like him to learn and educate themselves about sex. He further went on to thank cable TVs' night shows which completed his schooling. Amazing. Really, never knew the purpose of porn was to educate. The history of porn and internet is only a few decades old. Does that mean people over the past millenia knew nothing about sex and were left in a state of celibacy because no one showed them how. Even animals don't need lessons. Nature takes care of that. But, human beings who consider themselves more evolved are expected to know the virtues of control and consent. But, it seems the human male specie is quite different. Their cravings have heightened to such levels that any woman or child will do, be it boy or girl. Ofcourse, greatly abetted and aided by the porn revolution taking place through technology. They may not surf to learn about some important events, discoveries or inventions. But, every male kid on the block, whatever his educational background, knows how to reach a porn site. And their age is getting lower and lower. So you have even 14 year olds raping. Not to forget sites of child porn aimed at a market of peodophiles.
This young writer goes on to ridicule his parents who would fumble for the remote when a sanitary towel ad appeared on TV. Ofcourse parents should give age appropiate information to children, and teach them about sex and about good touch and bad, but that doesn't mean they start performing in front of their children or sit and watch explicit scenes alongwith them. Surely, there has to be some parent-child distance. And I do believe parents do try to teach in their own way. Only today's generation is impatient to savour things too early. We came from a generation where parents were supposed to be parents and not friends. And thankfully so. The way things are today everything is pass. Nothing is shocking.
Recently, when the Justice Verma committee sat to recommend changes in laws against sexual assault against women, there was a clamour for reducing the age for consensual sex to 16. The justification given was that today teenagers have become sexually active by that age and they should not be harrassed by police. There may be a point about harrassment but why do they need sex at sixteen. Fifteen-twenty years down the line there will be a clamour for reducing the age for consensual sex to 14 and then 12. It will definitely happen, because kids would be indulging in it considering they are being bombarded with sex in every ad, movie, magazine,website, item song, etc, etc. It has happened in the US where teenage pregnancies have become one of the biggest problems society is facing because kids have become sexually active when they should be learning their Ps and Qs.
Few others also quickly go on to say that India is the country of Khajuraho. Clearly, if people cannot differentiate between art and sleaze it is a very sad time for a society to be in. The fact that porn is mostly watched by men all over the world is a telling fact itself. It baffles me what pleasure can be derived in watching two other people copulate and do all kinds of perverse things. Voyerism is completely acceptable in today's society.The recent rape case revealed that men who raped a 5 year old were poor labourers and probably illiterate, but nevertheless knew how to download porn. And once they were all charged up and excited found the most vulnerable victim-a child. It has been well documented that the brain reacts to external stimuli. If you watch good stuff, read good books, interact with people who have other interests like sports, music, art, theatre, your inclination will also be different. In our culture we have been told about the benefits of satsang: good company. In any case, whatever was good in Indian society is fast disappearing but on the other side oppressive customs are still being proscribed by khaps: again male dominated. Sex has its place in life, but it cannot become the only thing one obssesses about.
Today the profile of rapists is confounding. Even, men who come from reasonably normal family background are indulging in gang-rape only for fun and time-pass. A reflection on how they look at a woman ultimately. Just a physical object. Ofcourse, you have to factor in children who are abused and treated violently or sexually abused. They can become perpetrators of similar crime unless given huge amounts counselling and emotional support.
It is a sad world we live in where human trafficking has reached alarming levels and the age victims is getting lower and lower. The reason being the male obssession for virgins, especially in Oriental countries. And it is a well organised business thanks to internet, which allows anonymity and quick response.
Some years ago I read about an owner of a porn business in USA closing shop after getting married and having his own children. Hilarious and disgusting. What about the millions of other children who perhaps fell victim to his trade?
Porn is an industry worth billions of dollars like tobacco and alchohol defended by millions of users.
Ofcourse, criminalising the viewer doesn't make any sense. It is those who run these sites who have to be controlled. Like every other vice which humans are addicted to we can not wish them away. But, if we have any responsiblity towards future generations we have to wake up and stop defending industries for whom money has to be made, anyhow.
This young writer goes on to ridicule his parents who would fumble for the remote when a sanitary towel ad appeared on TV. Ofcourse parents should give age appropiate information to children, and teach them about sex and about good touch and bad, but that doesn't mean they start performing in front of their children or sit and watch explicit scenes alongwith them. Surely, there has to be some parent-child distance. And I do believe parents do try to teach in their own way. Only today's generation is impatient to savour things too early. We came from a generation where parents were supposed to be parents and not friends. And thankfully so. The way things are today everything is pass. Nothing is shocking.
Recently, when the Justice Verma committee sat to recommend changes in laws against sexual assault against women, there was a clamour for reducing the age for consensual sex to 16. The justification given was that today teenagers have become sexually active by that age and they should not be harrassed by police. There may be a point about harrassment but why do they need sex at sixteen. Fifteen-twenty years down the line there will be a clamour for reducing the age for consensual sex to 14 and then 12. It will definitely happen, because kids would be indulging in it considering they are being bombarded with sex in every ad, movie, magazine,website, item song, etc, etc. It has happened in the US where teenage pregnancies have become one of the biggest problems society is facing because kids have become sexually active when they should be learning their Ps and Qs.
Few others also quickly go on to say that India is the country of Khajuraho. Clearly, if people cannot differentiate between art and sleaze it is a very sad time for a society to be in. The fact that porn is mostly watched by men all over the world is a telling fact itself. It baffles me what pleasure can be derived in watching two other people copulate and do all kinds of perverse things. Voyerism is completely acceptable in today's society.The recent rape case revealed that men who raped a 5 year old were poor labourers and probably illiterate, but nevertheless knew how to download porn. And once they were all charged up and excited found the most vulnerable victim-a child. It has been well documented that the brain reacts to external stimuli. If you watch good stuff, read good books, interact with people who have other interests like sports, music, art, theatre, your inclination will also be different. In our culture we have been told about the benefits of satsang: good company. In any case, whatever was good in Indian society is fast disappearing but on the other side oppressive customs are still being proscribed by khaps: again male dominated. Sex has its place in life, but it cannot become the only thing one obssesses about.
Today the profile of rapists is confounding. Even, men who come from reasonably normal family background are indulging in gang-rape only for fun and time-pass. A reflection on how they look at a woman ultimately. Just a physical object. Ofcourse, you have to factor in children who are abused and treated violently or sexually abused. They can become perpetrators of similar crime unless given huge amounts counselling and emotional support.
It is a sad world we live in where human trafficking has reached alarming levels and the age victims is getting lower and lower. The reason being the male obssession for virgins, especially in Oriental countries. And it is a well organised business thanks to internet, which allows anonymity and quick response.
Some years ago I read about an owner of a porn business in USA closing shop after getting married and having his own children. Hilarious and disgusting. What about the millions of other children who perhaps fell victim to his trade?
Porn is an industry worth billions of dollars like tobacco and alchohol defended by millions of users.
Ofcourse, criminalising the viewer doesn't make any sense. It is those who run these sites who have to be controlled. Like every other vice which humans are addicted to we can not wish them away. But, if we have any responsiblity towards future generations we have to wake up and stop defending industries for whom money has to be made, anyhow.
