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[Deleted member 4784]

I chose Internet subcultures as the subject of my final term paper for sociology this semester, which got me thinking about how desensitized many of us have become to certain subjects. I'd never address it in my paper, but what I was curious about the most was the influence that the Internet has had upon us when it comes to things relating to sexuality. There is a lot of fetishism in online communities and I find it bizarre that we see so much of it. Are we naturally this perverted with fetishist leanings, or has easy access to pornographic material online simply made us so desensitized, that we continually go looking for something more extreme and bizarre to differentiate from what has become (to us) the norm? Could it be that the online communities we are a part of indirectly influence us (through mob mentality as much as the context of what is being provided) to the point where our actual preferences begin to change as a result? What I'm trying to figure out is whether fetishism (sexual acts or pornographic subject) is simply a part of us brought out by our environment, or if it is instead something impressed on us by it.

How do you think Internet communities have influenced you?

 

[keeblerdrow]

All I know is "my cousin" can't get it up anymore unless someone's being strangled.




Or snuffed.

 

[B'z-chan]

YOur unbanded eh? Congrats with that. I've already replied to your other thread like this.

 

[aoi tsuki]

i don't think it's surprising that there's a lot of fetishism on the net when you consider that "sex" and related words are some of the most searched terms for any search engine. Fetishism is the extreme or perhaps more abnormal end of sexuality, and people are normally curious. While i'm sure there are some people who are really into bukkake, gangbangs, and whatnot, i think it's more of an issue of people searching for more and more extreme sexual activities, whether simply for arousal, or the "what the fuck?!" aspect. That's how it was for me -- i don't get off on seeing a girl covered in cum, but it's like looking at a trainwreck; hard to watch but hard to look away.

Personally, fetishism was something i was interested in before the internet. Most of it i'm only curious about learning more about, not participating in. i think that like a lot of things, the internet has increased awareness of various fetishes and their availability, but i think a lot of this existed before people were going online, they just weren't talking about it.

Ironically i stumbled upon a rather odd fetish site the other night while looking for something non-fetish related. Google, you so crazy.

 

[Instigator]

All I know is "my cousin" can't get it up anymore unless someone's being strangled.




Or snuffed.

Darthwoo is your cousin?

 

[Alucard]

Exposure to porn definitely affects your view of sex. In regards to the internet, I believe that the material is easy to find and it's human curiosity that drives us to seek it out. We can still control ourselves though.

I'm not sure if I'm answering any questions here. Ah well.

 

[Hooker]

Everyone's been influenced, it was just a slow process so the effects aren't as shocking.

 

[Alucard]

Exactly. It's the same with exposure to television violence and sexual content. It does have an effect on people, but there is no way of telling who will be affected and to what extent.

 

[Dilbert]

How do you define "desensitized," and how would you propose to measure it?

 

[Deleted member 4784]

I suppose there is really no way to measure it. Desensitized to me is when you can look at the stuff you download now in comparison to what you used to download before, and can't honestly say that you either 1.) would have been able to stomach it, 2.) been aroused by it or 3) both, "back then". Bondage and bukkake come to mind.

I will admit, I actually download gay porn a lot (guy on guy) and there was a time when I would never have found this stuff arousing. The same applies with bukkake. The Internet gives us the opportunity to find this stuff, but it doesn't necessarily mean we will want to watch it outside of anything but curiosity. I wonder if we develop fetishism through continued exposure/availability of it.

I don't know if that makes any sense. What I'm trying to say is: do you think that being in an online community where a certain type of material is openly accepted would eventually make you jaded to it and that continued availability to it would make you gradually grow receptive of it? I know a lot of guys here are into Asians and you see bukkake a lot in most Asian porn, so how about this: do you think that, in being a byproduct of the porn you download, bukkake could/would eventually become something you grew receptive to seeing -- maybe even to the point where it would actually become a preferance?

 

[levious]

people have been freakier then they'd ever admit since the dawn of time.

I'd also say actually having sex affects one view on sex much more than any type of media.