CNN refreshingly devoted an entire segment on Wednesday's American Morning to highlighting pornography's destructive impact on society, especially Internet porn. Guest Gail Dines detailed the harmful impact of pornography on men's sexuality, and anchor John Roberts even cited a study that found that 56% of divorces "involve one party...who has an obsessive interest in pornographic websites."
Roberts brought on Dines, a professor at Wheelock College in Boston and author of "Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality," at the end of the 7 am Eastern hour. After citing the gargantuan number of pornographic websites on the Internet, the anchor first asked, "You say in your book and in studies that you've done that pornography today is not your father's Playboy, that it's mostly gonzo porn that's really changing our attitudes towards sexuality and women. What are you worried about?"
Dines answered that her concern was the "level of brutality and cruelness, in pornography's affecting the way that men think about women, and it's affecting the way they think about themselves and the way they construct ideas about sexuality. Because the more men view pornography, the more they begin to think like the pornographic world."
After the two discussed porn's other negative impacts on men (such as "the more men view pornography, the more difficult it is to actually have sex with a human being, the more difficult it is to have intimate relationships," and "the average age of first viewing pornography today is 11 years of age"), Roberts cited his divorce statistic, which came from a 2003 study by the Matrimonial Lawyers Association. He concluded, "That's a huge number."
Dines replied, "When you interview...women whose partners have been habitually using pornography...they feel betrayed. They feel like these men are having an affair. They want to know why aren't they good enough?....When, in fact, the reality is it has nothing to do with them- pornography is industrial-strength sex, and next to that, actual sex looks boring and bland, which is why more and more men turn to pornography, rather than real human beings."
The fact that CNN devoted an entire subject to this topic is quite interesting, given all their recent activism for the homosexual agenda of the social left. Since Dines is a professor of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock and a self-described "radical feminist activist," it's plausible to conclude that the guest leans left herself on other issues, giving her a certain credibility in the eyes of the liberal network.
The full transcript of John Roberts's interview of Gail Dines from Wednesday's American Morning:
ROBERTS: If you spend any time on the Internet, it's hard not to notice just how prevalent pornography is. There are 420 million Internet porn pages, 4.2 million porn websites, and 68 million search engine requests for porn each and every day- pretty staggering numbers.
Our next guest is sounding the alarm about porn in our lives. Gail Dines is a professor of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College. She's the author of 'Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality.' And Gail joins us now from Boston. Gail, thanks so much for being with us. You say in your book and in studies that you've done that pornography today is not your father's Playboy, that it's mostly gonzo porn that's really changing our attitudes towards sexuality and women. What are you worried about?
GAIL DINES: Well, what I'm concerned about is that the level of brutality and cruelness, in pornography's affecting the way that men think about women, and it's affecting the way they think about themselves and the way they construct ideas about sexuality. Because the more men view pornography, the more they begin to think like the pornographic world. And I speak to many women- and men indeed- and what the women tell me is that many of their boyfriends want to play out porn sex on their bodies.
ROBERTS: And this is simply because they're watching it on the Internet?
DINES: Well, they're watching lots of it. I mean, this is not every man, of course, but what happens is the more you watch, and, of course, the earlier you watch- because the average age of first viewing pornography today is 11 years of age, which means that the boy's first introduction to sex is often pornography, because he has no history of sex to compare those images to, so they look to him like regular, normal images of sexuality, as opposed to very carefully-crafted images.
ROBERTS: And so if- if you're looking- if your very first sort of sexual experience, if you will, or your very first experience of looking at something like that is on the Internet, and it is, as you said, cruel, violent porn- so what sort of image does that person carry with them as they grow up through the teenage years and become an adult?
DINES: Well, I would say that sex is something you do to women and it's something you do as way to debase them and dehumanize them. Sex is completely stripped of any intimacy, of any connection, of any relationship, and basically, it's just an act- it's instrumentally-orientated, and most importantly, as I say, there's no connection or intimacy.
ROBERTS: Right, right. So that prevents them or gives them more difficulty, as they grow up in their 20s and 30s, of forming intimate relationships with a single partner?
DINES: There's no question. This is what the studies are finding now, that the more men view pornography, the more difficult it is to actually have sex with a human being, the more difficult it is to have intimate relationships. And I've interviewed men who tell me that they actually prefer to have- to use pornography than they do to have sex with another person.
ROBERTS: Oh my goodness. You know, there's a study out- in 2003- by the Matrimonial Lawyers Association, that found approximately 56 percent of divorce cases involve one party in the marriage who has an obsessive interest in pornographic websites. That's a huge number.
DINES: And this is new- remember, we never really had this before, and this is really thanks to the Internet, which has made it more accessible and more affordable- and what you find- when you interview women who's- and especially women whose partners have been habitually using pornography, is that they feel betrayed. They feel like these men are having an affair. They want to know why aren't they good enough? What is it about them that have turned these men into using pornography? When, in fact, the reality is it has nothing to do with them- pornography is industrial-strength sex, and next to that, actual sex looks boring and bland, which is why more and more men turn to pornography, rather than real human beings.
ROBERTS: And you've gone straight to the industry to find out more about this in your research. You've actually attended porn conventions in Las Vegas-
DINES: I have.
ROBERTS: What are the producers and the purveyors of this saying to you about where this industry is headed?
DINES: Well, I think a lot of them in the porn industry don't know themselves, because it feels like- they say to me this feels like a runaway train, and what happens is I think they're taken by surprise at just how cruel and body-punishing the fans are asking for. I mean, they are surprised that the fans are going this far down to road to hardcore, and the question is, where is this industry going? Nobody actually knows because there's nothing left to do to the female body anymore. It's all been done.
ROBERTS: Wow. Gail Dines, the author of 'Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked our Sexuality'- some interesting food for thought this morning. Thanks for joining us- really appreciate it.
DINES: Thank you very much.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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My Body! My Choice!
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 19:49 ET by ajkrikPorn has never cheated on me, used me, betrayed me, deceived me or demanded jewelry from me.
Porn . . . or Ms. Narcissist? Porn . . . every time.
aj, in all seriousness, I'm
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:12 ET by Radical1979aj, in all seriousness, I'm sorry you've been treated badly by women. I'm doubting they were conservative women though.
Why are men so
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:00 ET by MidAmericaWhy are men so addicted to porn? Mainly because men are very visual. Men are always casting glances, even in church. They can't stop it. Mens bodies are built to have sex.... frequently. Men are built to want many women. Porn is a way to indulge in multiple partners... anonymously. Porn is always available when the urges are strong and the real partner is not....again. Porn can let you indulge in any manner of sex when your real partner will only give you a few minutes of 'normal' sex. So porn can end capturing a man's interest and porn becomes his real lover.
uuummmm...... these are only observations and opinions of mine. It is not autobiographical : )
"Hi, I'm home Vivid - what's for dinner?"
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:59 ET by SickofLibsAlso not autobiographical.
;)
Multiple Partner?
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:12 ET by Kingfish17"Porn is a way to indulge in multiple partners....."
Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that with porn, there are no partners?
But I ain't askin' nobody for nothin', if I can't get it on my own. You don't like the way I'm livin', you just leave this long-haired country boy alone.
well.... uhhhh.
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:28 ET by MidAmericawell.... uhhhh. your just not letting your mind slip enough.... : )
(pssst... we better watch out because we are going to get the women on here into a really bad mood)
Oh, and Dear... if you happen to read this it's just me and the guys goofing around....
"After the two discussed
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:41 ET by ckc1227"After the two discussed porn's other negative impacts on men (such as
"the more men view pornography, the more difficult it is to actually
have sex with a human being"
I have to agree. I have watched so much porn, I can now only have sex with trees and cans of soup.
S' okay, ckc---
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:52 ET by matthewdeanSo long as they are attractive trees, with beautiful boles; and the soup cans are colorful.
MD
Be sure those soup cans are
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:56 ET by Radical1979Be sure those soup cans are VERY colorful, so you aren't accused of, well, colorism.
Rad---
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:58 ET by matthewdeanwish I had thought of that!
MD
Well now I am confused?
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:04 ET by BoudinSo, what's more negative, watching porn, are actually having sex?
Lord knows, I dont want to "long" for a "can" of beans? But with Obamanomics, what you gonna do?
Soup?
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:10 ET by JustAlummm, ummm, good.
choked chicken noodle?
Good article, I liked it
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:05 ET by MadRatGood article, I liked it for being plausible and level headed. But I did have to wonder about one correlation vs. causation issue: How often does porn cause divorce and how often do men who've lost interest in their wives and want a divorce, turn to porn?
The problem I have with porn is it's there whether you want it to be or not. Yes, women are amazing and beautiful and fun to look at in skimpy swimsuits once in a while, but if all I want is a wallpaper picture of a deer grazing in a meadow, I don't want a gynecology lesson along with it. If I'm at a hacker site trying to find information on a security risk, I don't want to be blasted with porn ads. It makes me feel sorry for the women who see unwanted porn as they're web surfing.
Having the Opera browser helps because it can block ads, but there are still plenty of times it can't be avoided.
MadRat, I have to say I
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:12 ET by Radical1979MadRat, I have to say I don't usually run into porn ads when I'm surfing. It might depend on the sites you view. When my son first started using the pc a few years ago I hit a lot of them because he was "exploring". My concern was that it would give him a distorted view of women and what to expect from a relationship (not to mention the body of a real woman!)
I like the idea of having all porn sites use .xxx. Easy to block, but available to adults.
Rad, I know this sounds unbelievable---
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:31 ET by matthewdeanbut I actually stumbled across porn while surfing on 1, 216 (at last count) occasions.
Amazing co inky dink, no?
MD
MD it must be some kind of
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 21:42 ET by Radical1979MD it must be some kind of computer malfunction, similar to the shopping sites that show up on my pc. (Porn for women = shopping)
Right, Rad---
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:16 ET by matthewdeanWife: porn site (me): look or don't look, care less; just do not buy!
Wife: shopping site (her): buy, purchase, run amok with a buck!
Not only does that seem fair enough, it is a good way for me to avoid the infliction of pain, by her, on me!!
MD
There are simple and cost effective solutions...
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 23:31 ET by poseAThere are simple and cost effective solutions to the problem of filtering pornography. OpenDNS.org provides freee hostname resolution services that allow users to filter a variety of content through the use of a global domain name blacklist. Users are able to flag yet to be categorized domains for invesitgation and once approved they are added to the global blacklist.
Do I have to draw you pictures?
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:15 ET by thestalkinghorseShe is a rofessor of Women's Studies at Wheelock College.
LOL - Dave is staying the Hell off this thread.
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:25 ET by R D HelmThere is just something about certain Matthew Balan articles, the ban hammer, and me, that just doesn't always jive.
No offense to Mr. Balan, as it really isn't his fault.
:-^)
-Dave
It’s either Obama or America. There cannot be both.
Hmmm?
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 10:21 ET by Matthew BalanWhat do you mean by the above?
The fact that CNN devoted an
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 22:54 ET by balboaThe fact that CNN devoted an entire subject to this topic is quite interesting, given all their recent activism for the homosexual agenda of the social left.
Yes, because it's obviously hypocritical for a network that furthers THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA! to do a story on the darker side of porn... (insert huge gigantic eye roll)
Might wanna expand yer thinkin' there, Matt.
Yes...
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 10:23 ET by Matthew BalanYes, I'm aware there's a sector of the left that is anti-pornography, but it is definitely not as influential as the hedonistic left.
Also Mathew Balaan
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 11:01 ET by shawn228There are many on the right that like their porn as well.
So you're saying CNN is "the
Mon, 08/02/2010 - 19:37 ET by balboaSo you're saying CNN is "the hedonistic left"?
I know I shouldn't
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 23:11 ET by MidAmericaI know I shouldn't post one more time on this thread because it's going to get people a little worried about what I do in my spare time : ) but this old song just popped into my mind...
THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION lyrics - Imaginary Lover
Imaginary lovers
Never turn you down
When all the others turn you away
They're around
It's my private pleasure
Midnight fantasy
Someone to share my
Wildest dreams with me
Imaginary lover
You're mine anytime
Imaginary lover, oh yeah
When ordinary lovers
Don't feel what you feel
And real-life situations lose their thrill
Imagination's unreal
Imaginary lover, imaginary lover
You're mine anytime
Imaginary lovers never disagree
They always care
They're always there when you need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Imaginary lover, imaginary lover
You're mine all the time
My imaginary lover
You're mine anytime
I have a rather slow
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 23:52 ET by krendlerI have a rather slow connection so, sadly, I'm still using the well-worn Sears catalog. JC Penney when I'm feeling a bit more adventurous.
Gotta love this blurb...
Wed, 07/28/2010 - 23:59 ET by krendlerfound approximately 56 percent of divorce cases involve one party in
the marriage who has an obsessive interest in pornographic websites.
"One party in the marriage", as in "It could either be the husband or the wife." Probably about 50/50 right? LOL.
Porn can be a good thing to
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 02:09 ET by shawn228Look how happy it makes some people. ;-)
Well, I for one amd VERY pleased they did this...
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:06 ET by stage9segment, because it's true! We can mock it all we want, but it's a very REAL problem.
According to Focus on the Family, there are Five Stages of Addiction:
According to the Family Research Council,
The Family Research Council released a study on the effects of pornography on marriages in 2009. It can be seen here: http://www.frc.org/pornography-effects
Frankly, we as Conservatives need to be just as concerned about the moral threats to our society as we are of the "fiscal" threats.
What I find most angering though, is this comment:
This angers me more than anything, because the CHURCH fought tooth and nail to stave off the legalization of pornography and they were laughed at and mocked. They were told that their perspective on such matters was "prejudicial" and therefore unreliable. But the Church KNEW THIS was coming!
Some screamed "freedom of speech!" while others brushed it off as unimportant. (We always seem to brush things off when they don't have a immediate effect on our lives).
But tell me, do you really THINK that the Founding Fathers, who were known to be genuine, godly men, penned those words into the Constitution to protect every perversion and filth the human mind could conceive? That is laughable!
I'll submit a quote by John Adams to help enlighten our liberal friends:
So, where does it end? I'll tell you: It won't! That's why they call it addiction.
1. McConnell, By Gene. "Pornography." Focus on the Family: Helping Families Thrive. Web. 29 July 2010. <http://www.focusonthefamily.com/lifechallenges/love_and_sex/pornography.aspx>.
2. Fagan, Patrick F., The Quiet Family Killer: Pornography and Marriage, Family Research Council. Web. 29 July 2010. <http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PV09L03>.
"If God is dead, somebody is going to have to take his place. It will be megalomania or erotomania, the drive for power or the drive for pleasure, the clenched fist or the phallus, Hitler or Hugh Hefner." — Malcolm Muggeridge
Oh please stage9
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:22 ET by shawn228Not everyone that watched porn gets addicted to I just like some folks don't get addicted to chocolate if they try it.
What exactly do you suggest we do with porn in this country?
Let's not bring chocolate
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:25 ET by Radical1979Let's not bring chocolate into this, chocolate is an innocent substance that we need to protect.
An innocent substance
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:29 ET by shawn228That can cause obesity and dangerous blood suger levels. Obviiousy the answer is to have the government protect us from ourselves ;-)
The government will never
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:31 ET by Radical1979The government will never touch it. Deny a country full of PMSing women chocolate AND salt?! What politician is that brave?
Your right rad
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 14:45 ET by shawn228Almost on the same level as denying men beer during a Sunday football game or porn to a poor man that is no getting any in the outside world ;-)