More $ spent on Porn than "A" Movies

[Purrybonker]

Interesting article in the Globe & Mail (one of the more conservative Canadian national papers) today that suggests that about $10 billion is spent on porn in the US per year vs. about $9.75 billion on "legit" movies.

Sounds a tad ironic (naw - it's not irony, but this is how the word gets used these days) - maybe it's more like hypocrisy, in view of the surge of outrage over the whole Janet non-event. As others have observed in the Janet-dedicated thread, it seems strange that we have so much comfort in depicting violence yet struggle with something like Janet's nipple.

Why, Janet's nipple even gets edited on this board (no offense to the puritanical watch-guys) while a clear, close-up picture of Janet's nipple gets front page (sports section) exposure in a conservative national newspaper here in Canada. Wow, kids and everything might see those parts in these parts - heaven forbid!

I remember another recent article in that same paper that (I could be off here - memory is flagging in my old age) said that something like 60% of the population regularily attends church in the US vs. 15-20% or so in Canada and europe.

Is there a link between porn consumption/misplaced "morals", stiffled desires and a cultural puritanical facade?

[jbryant]

Yep, even a broken clock has the right time twice a day.

[Aurel]

God, I had promised myself not to write on this board today because I have plenty of work that is piling up...but I cannot resist to that one: Purry, your observation is absolutely spot on, and I was questioning that fact myself: Americans are the greatest puritans in appearence, and yet the greatest porn makers on earth. Shall we conclude they are the greatest hypocrites ? I would not be surprised to find out that these are the same people who cry against a nipple exposed during the day and who watch `deep hot holes` during the night

Aurel

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by Aurel
God, I had promised myself not to write on this board today because I have plenty of work that is piling up...but I cannot resist to that one: Purry, your observation is absolutely spot on, and I was questioning that fact myself: Americans are the greatest puritans in appearence, and yet the greatest porn makers on earth. Shall we conclude they are the greatest hypocrites ? I would not be surprised to find out that these are the same people who cry against a nipple exposed during the day and who watch `deep hot holes` during the night

Aurel

Sometimes we watch duing the day too....

[Moses]

Originally posted by Aurel
God, I had promised myself not to write on this board today because I have plenty of work that is piling up...but I cannot resist to that one: Purry, your observation is absolutely spot on, and I was questioning that fact myself: Americans are the greatest puritans in appearence, and yet the greatest porn makers on earth. Shall we conclude they are the greatest hypocrites ? I would not be surprised to find out that these are the same people who cry against a nipple exposed during the day and who watch `deep hot holes` during the night

Aurel

You guys just don't get it. This is a huge country with huge appetites for everything! The US will attend more church and buy more porn. So what? What makes you think it's the same people buying porn and going to church? Somehow you love the concept of a nation of great hypocrisy. In truth, we are a nation of great diversity. That the US consumes pornography and religion in great quantities should be no surprise.

[Burnin' oil]

Right on, Moses.

[Aurel]

Agreed with the diversity, but the scandal of the pedophile priests for instance (which is not US specific, BTW), tends to fuel the theory that those are the same who preach moral behavior and act just the opposite. Now, this may be true in all parts of the world. It just shows more in the USA.

Aurel

[cstreit]

Perhaps because we are more open about our "going's on" because our culture allows it?

For better or for worse, every crackpot and genius has a shot at publicity here...

[Purrybonker]

You guys just don't get it. This is a huge country with huge appetites for everything! The US will attend more church and buy more porn. So what?

Nice try Moses, you're trying to respond to a macro topic (cultural behaviour) with a micro argument (individual diversity). Obviously individuals in any culture exhibit individual behaviour. That is true in even the most intolerant of societies.

The collective behaviour of those diverse individuals is what determines the values/morals of a culture. As an example - that's the principle that puts people in the Whitehouse.

[Decolliber]

Originally posted by Purrybonker
Sounds a tad ironic (naw - it's not irony, but this is how the word gets used these days) -

Actually, its one of those rare observations that is both ironic and paradoxical.
irony = means different things to different people
paradox = something that is true even though we think it should be false

[Moses]

Originally posted by Purrybonker
The collective behaviour of those diverse individuals is what determines the values/morals of a culture.

To paint with such a broad brush can be misleading. You cannot blend people on a great palette like primary colors and draw accurate conclusions.

The US is an enigma.

[MFAFF]

Moses and Aurel are both right.......how's that for a start...

The US is not a 'hypocritical' nation.....more one of contradictions.
Due to the huge population there will be mass consumption of everything...porn and church included.

What is also very evident in America is that the 'public' face of a society is one thing, its private activities another. I think that is what Moses is refering to....

After all this is a nation whose stance on ownership of firearms and the death sentence means more people die from the effects of this, yet has an obession with speeding becuase it 'kills'.

Is that hypocrisy or a contradiction?

I'd say its a contradiction which is only hypocritical because those witht he power to change it are openly dismissive of the contradiction.....

If porn is widespread there is a great demand....in Europe we smoke and drink a great deal.... which is worse to ourselves and to others?

Pretty difficult to tell. Yes there are sexually motivated crimes which people will say are due to the rise of porn, but there are smoking related deaths, whci are as 'criminal' but do not get the headlines.

Just as there are the speed related crimes because cars are getting cheaper and more widespread and faster all the time...

I'll put my flame suit on and get a fire extinguisher...

[joeclarke]

To paint with such a broad brush can be misleading. You cannot blend people on a great palette like primary colors and draw accurate conclusions.

No one has to draw accurate conclusions about the individuals - that's irrelevant in this topic. But the outcomes of the behaviours of groups of people are clearly measurable. I think that's Purry's point.

Tons of people didn't vote for GWB. But you can't use that as an argument against the collective behaviour of US society under his administration, can you?

So yes, collectively we act like children in response to a view of some woman's breast. And we gobble porn like no one else, and we go to church a whole lot and we like to watch inane and violent TV. Tons of hypocrisy here. No one is a bad person just because it exists. Acknowledge it, deal with it.

All we have to do is think about that the potential for such hypocrisy in our individual behavior, and think about modifying that behaviour accordingly. Nothing wrong with that.

[vash]

i like the direction that moses is taking. you really cant blend the two, churchgoes and porn fanatics.

but i bet there are more churchgoes watching porn, than porn fanatics going to church.

[vash]

i dont know crap about canada, other than "it is up there".

purrybonker;
is the church "industry" really diverse there? i mean: catholic, jehovah's witness, mormons, .....you know, what i mean. here the list goes on an on. to some, mountain biking on sunday is church here. t

[kjb]

Originally posted by unfixed
to some, mountain biking on sunday is church here. t

in other words: worshipping the creation, not the creator.

/ J

[Purrybonker]

yeah, same kinda players up here as down there I'm sure, for the most part. I am close to people that are Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh Day, Scientists, plus most the "traditional" religions.

There are protestant pastors and Mormon "kingpins" in my immediate family and a few Mennonites hanging around the fringes.

Canada is more aggressive on immigration than the US, so we're probably more of a religious melting pot. We just don't seem to be as religious about religion as folk in the US.

[RickM]

Sure they could be the same people.

One may not want their 5 year old child seeing nips on TV and yell about it being aired...which seems to be the most common argument I've heard.

These same people can then consume porno as an adult.

Where is there conflict or hypocrisy?

[joeclarke]

Where is there conflict or hypocrisy?

Now we're getting something that IS real irony...

It's ironic that you don't see the hypocrisy in your example RickM.

That someone would publicly rail about something that they do to a broader extent in private is the epitomy of irony. And don't give me the "protection of the innocent" BS.

How is it reconciliable that a person "into" porn (OK, who isn't?) could find a nipple casually displayed, even to a child, as morally wrong?

Give me a break...

We are chalk-a-block full of hypocrisy and childishness as a nation, that's the biggest reason why the rest of the world laughs at us. Just go to europe and check out topless billboards and TV ads let alone topless beaches.

It's time we grew-up.

[RickM]

So you're saying what's good for an adult is good for a kid?
Raise your kids the way you want and good luck.

And while no nipple was even shown it was most likely the way it was done, which was not "casually".