It appears to me that sexual promiscuity is becoming a norm among the youth of my age. Yet, at the same time, the youth of my age have a religious zeal toward protecting what they conceptualize as human dignity (whether they are right or not). I find in their beliefs a contradiction. And this contradiction is between their promiscuous behavior and their belief in human dignity.
If an average Western person were to be asked whether all human beings inherently have dignity to be respected, the average person would not hesitate to agree. However, if the same person were to be asked if watching pornography or sexual hook-ups are morally tolerable, the person would again not hesitate to say that they are morally tolerable.
But there is this obvious and glaring contradiction between these two beliefs. What part of pornography and hook-ups respect the dignity of another? The intent of pornography is sexual pleasure by spectating, and the intent of hook-ups is sexual pleasure by real human interaction. In both instances, one uses another - be it across the screen or in person - toward the end of personal satisfaction with no good for the other in sight. This is different from romantic relationship in that romantic relationships are aimed toward the good of both, not one; they are intended to be beneficial for both, not selfish. For both acts disregard the other's good out of personal pleasure, it can be said that sexual promiscuity promoted by pornography and hook-up culture cannot coincide with respecting human dignity.
At the same time, however, one of a deviant conscience would suggest that one can still respect the dignity of another while using someone for the end of personal sexual pleasure. Then this person of a deviant conscience perhaps has no proper conceptual understanding of human dignity and/or no proper understanding of one's own thought process. Is someone who is watching porn bent on taking into consideration the good of the actors? Exploiting another's sexual attributes toward self-satisfaction can hardly be said to be taking into consideration of the other's good. Is someone who is having a one night stand bent on taking into account the welfare of one's sexual partner? These behaviors are apparent only among couples in love.
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ReplyDeleteI dont think many people in out generation consider the long lasting effects this may have on them. It promotes the idea in men that one of the primary defining feature is how many sexual conquests they have been on. With women it tells them that the only way men will value them is by turning themselves into sexual objects that are only able to bring forth hedonistic pleasure. What i think we will see because of this culture (also with the idea of gay marriage) is a total collapse in our marital system. Too much sex can be like a drug and leave people unable to settle down with one partner and raise a family. You can already hear people on college campuses talking about how they do not want to start families until they are in their late 30s which makes me wonder if some of them will just not start families all together. The long term effects of this culture are yet to be witnessed, but I dont think this type of indulgence will lead to a very bright future for the West.
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