I’m not against porn. I’m a mild consumer myself. But the scale & accessibility of it today is clearly a societal issue. As a father of teenage boys, I see traits that feel different from previous generations because there’s now 24/7 access to high-definition, beautiful women doing virtually anything you can imagine… right on your phone.
When I was growing up, there was friction. It started with paper magazines, usually discovered in an older family member or friend’s stash, or somehow bought with a little courage from a convenience store clerk. There was effort, a little risk, and some embarrassment involved.
Then came cable channels and DVDs, which still required some creativity for a teenager to access. Later the early internet arrived… slow dial-up, computer viruses, shared family computers in the living room, & the fear that someone might see your browsing history.
In other words, access always had inconvenience.
Today that friction is gone. Unlimited access, no risk, but also no reward.
I hear my son and his buddies talk about girls, and the standard is the “10” the A+ variety.
That becomes the expectation. But we all know that’s not real life. The performers often appear to be enjoying the show they’re putting on, but that’s not necessarily real life either.
Meanwhile the world is talking about declining birth rates and young men struggling socially. Porn probably isn’t the only factor, but it’s hard to argue it doesn’t play a role. It removes much of the real world friction, rejection, awkwardness, trying and failing… that actually builds character & social confidence.
Those uncomfortable experiences are part of growing up. Part of becoming a man. Remove too much real life friction, and people simply try less, men become weaker & reality becomes distorted.
I’m not saying porn is inherently terrible. But what used to be a controlled burn has clearly become a much bigger fire. 🔥
