Thursday, March 10, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
First language post!
Someone who I give absolutely no credit to for having the world's best ideas, but not for him not being intelligent in any capacity (and also, he does speak three languages), mentioned a week or so ago that English is the "most specific language". I think that sentence should be finished with "...for my needs given my English raised context".
I dont speak a million languages, but I patently disagree with his original statement. But, as I said, I am not intimately aquainted with actual languages other than English, only linguistic analyses that point out the uniqueness and cultural relevance of a few.
Anyone?
I dont speak a million languages, but I patently disagree with his original statement. But, as I said, I am not intimately aquainted with actual languages other than English, only linguistic analyses that point out the uniqueness and cultural relevance of a few.
Anyone?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Pornography vs. Prostitution: let's examine.
I'm going to preface my opinion by asking a question. What do you think prostitution involves, other than a man/woman paying another person to have sex with them? Is it different to you than pornography? Why? Is it a technical reason, or emotional one? Ethical? Moral?
I just got my computer into my new house (not my house, renting a room in the new house), so obviously my moving in is finally official. Clearly one of the first things I did was watch some pornography. Which reminded me of something that I hear once in a while when someone who doesnt like the sex industry wants to appear liberally cool with it while still having a valid objection: "So she's a whore when you want to pay her money, but if you're paying her money and you're filming and distributing it, she's an actress." I actually think it's a family guy quote, but I dont think it originated there. Or maybe whats his name put his own spin on it. Either way.
I dont think that filming it alone is what makes it considered different context from just standing on a street corner waiting for any old schmo to haul up and give you a $20.
1) (The obvious answer) Unless you've really established yourself in the prostitution/escort scene, porno pays a heck of a lot better.
2) EVERYONE involved in a porn film is getting paid. The man having sex with the woman is not the one who hands her $500 to suck his cock. The website/label does. It's not one guy paying a chick and filming it and then having it all be magically legal prostitution. The men, the film crew, the director...all getting paid, because they are all collaborating on a project. Argue what you will about the legitimacy of peoples' reasons for doing it, it isnt the same financial power dynamic. (Unless of course you dont pay attention to the contract you sign or what crew you get involved with, but how attentive YOU are isnt the point...the point is that the resource to be treated fairly is THERE!)
3) In addition to paying better, most people have a choice as to what they do in porn, and if you're a woman, you have a pretty good pick of the lot of areas you're comfortable with or turned on by, and will still get paid well.
4) Pornography is a ladder you can climb if you care to. Like any job, if you're good at it, everyone can see you're good at it, and you will have an increasing ability to choose what you do, how much you make, how often you do it, and with whom/what organizations. Prostitution COULD be the same, but as it is (because it is illegal and therefore has no effective means of regulation or safety other than common sense) it seems like you either work alone in a puddle of anonymity you'll likely get stuck in, and instead of climbing up just develop a group of regulars youre comfortable with, OR you work with a pimp/group who all share the money and not always fairly, and will work (sometimes using abuse) to keep you in THAT group longer if you're good at what you do so they can continue to reap your rewards.
5) (And this goes back to the "because porn is legal and prostitution is not" thing): Pornography involves documents that ensure and outline the definitions of consent, and terms of that consent.
That isnt to say that I havent read the essays of women who handled their stint in prostitution in an unorthodox way and had a really interesting/unique experience because of it. Some women are keen businesswomen, or have a very on point way of dealing with their ownership of their bodies and a lack of shyness which allows them to walk off the beaten path from the get go. But from what I understand, these cases are not the majority at all.
This post was in no way meant to say that I think prostitution is inherently dangerous. I have no issue with it other than I think that it's yet ANOTHER area of the sex industry that isnt nearly well enough organized or monitored fairly, which is why I think that pornography is so neat. It found loopholes, ways to become organized, make sure it's legit, keeps itself in check, provides for all those involved and (in most cases) fairly. It's simply safer and less chaotic than prostitution. If anything I think the government should work harder to let people do what they're going to do in a safer context.
So shut up. Pornography is a different industry than prostitution. Stop illegitimizing something you're uncomfortable with based on information that is untrue and unrelated.
I just got my computer into my new house (not my house, renting a room in the new house), so obviously my moving in is finally official. Clearly one of the first things I did was watch some pornography. Which reminded me of something that I hear once in a while when someone who doesnt like the sex industry wants to appear liberally cool with it while still having a valid objection: "So she's a whore when you want to pay her money, but if you're paying her money and you're filming and distributing it, she's an actress." I actually think it's a family guy quote, but I dont think it originated there. Or maybe whats his name put his own spin on it. Either way.
I dont think that filming it alone is what makes it considered different context from just standing on a street corner waiting for any old schmo to haul up and give you a $20.
Differences, that I can see, between porno and "regular, plain ol" prostitution:
1) (The obvious answer) Unless you've really established yourself in the prostitution/escort scene, porno pays a heck of a lot better.
2) EVERYONE involved in a porn film is getting paid. The man having sex with the woman is not the one who hands her $500 to suck his cock. The website/label does. It's not one guy paying a chick and filming it and then having it all be magically legal prostitution. The men, the film crew, the director...all getting paid, because they are all collaborating on a project. Argue what you will about the legitimacy of peoples' reasons for doing it, it isnt the same financial power dynamic. (Unless of course you dont pay attention to the contract you sign or what crew you get involved with, but how attentive YOU are isnt the point...the point is that the resource to be treated fairly is THERE!)
3) In addition to paying better, most people have a choice as to what they do in porn, and if you're a woman, you have a pretty good pick of the lot of areas you're comfortable with or turned on by, and will still get paid well.
4) Pornography is a ladder you can climb if you care to. Like any job, if you're good at it, everyone can see you're good at it, and you will have an increasing ability to choose what you do, how much you make, how often you do it, and with whom/what organizations. Prostitution COULD be the same, but as it is (because it is illegal and therefore has no effective means of regulation or safety other than common sense) it seems like you either work alone in a puddle of anonymity you'll likely get stuck in, and instead of climbing up just develop a group of regulars youre comfortable with, OR you work with a pimp/group who all share the money and not always fairly, and will work (sometimes using abuse) to keep you in THAT group longer if you're good at what you do so they can continue to reap your rewards.
5) (And this goes back to the "because porn is legal and prostitution is not" thing): Pornography involves documents that ensure and outline the definitions of consent, and terms of that consent.
That isnt to say that I havent read the essays of women who handled their stint in prostitution in an unorthodox way and had a really interesting/unique experience because of it. Some women are keen businesswomen, or have a very on point way of dealing with their ownership of their bodies and a lack of shyness which allows them to walk off the beaten path from the get go. But from what I understand, these cases are not the majority at all.
This post was in no way meant to say that I think prostitution is inherently dangerous. I have no issue with it other than I think that it's yet ANOTHER area of the sex industry that isnt nearly well enough organized or monitored fairly, which is why I think that pornography is so neat. It found loopholes, ways to become organized, make sure it's legit, keeps itself in check, provides for all those involved and (in most cases) fairly. It's simply safer and less chaotic than prostitution. If anything I think the government should work harder to let people do what they're going to do in a safer context.
So shut up. Pornography is a different industry than prostitution. Stop illegitimizing something you're uncomfortable with based on information that is untrue and unrelated.
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