Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Underage children: "self-pic" amateur pornographers

Frosstbyte · 09-04-2007, 12:31 PM

Edit: If you're bored, read my long incoherent mess of a response. If you're not, read Ustwo's, because he said it much better.

Self-taken underage porn and teens having sex really isn't very different than underage drinking or smoking. Our culture has made it taboo on the one hand and glamorous on the other, and either way, supposedly forbidden for people under 18(21). For whatever reason, these conflicting messages end up with lots of kids thinking it's cool to be sexy and naughty and all the rest, so it's really no surprise in the slightest that those who want to have found ways to get themselves out there. It's a VERY small step from the pictures you're likely to see on most high schooler's mySpace accounts to self-taken amateur porn.

Between the generally confused teenage notions of sexuality and the immense simplicity of accessing digital cameras and places to put it, this is no more surprising (nor disturbing) to me than a few 15 year olds getting a twelve pack of beast to drink in someone's basement. They're acting recklessly and foolishly, and should be taught that it's inappropriate behavior, but I think the "punishment" to both the offender and his protectors should be in line with what we do with alcohol. There's none of the dangerous coercion present that we normally associate with "child pornography" so throwing it into the sex-offender category seems totally inappropriate.

Parents ought to be involved (and I think most of them are) but there are limits to what they can do. I think I first navigated myself to porn websites (good old persian kitty) when I was about 12 years old and my parents were PLENTY observant of what I did. It's not too much of a stretch for someone more exhibition instead of voyeur oriented to find their way to an amateur porn post. Kids are good at getting around their parents, even the most overbearing parents. They should be taught values and perspective on sensitive topics-drugs, sex, etc.-but I think, realistically, screaming about how negligent parents are doesn't address the issue.

This has long since entered the realm of incoherent rant. I think the problem isn't parenting, but the mixed messages we send children about sex and whether it's ok or taboo or great or naughty. Like alcohol, making it both taboo and "unavailable" only makes them want it more and those who enjoy exhibitionism for whatever reason will find ways to do it, no matter what parents try to do-short of locking them in a cell.

09-04-2007, 12:31 PM	#20 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	Edit: If you're bored, read my long incoherent mess of a response. If you're not, read Ustwo's, because he said it much better. Self-taken underage porn and teens having sex really isn't very different than underage drinking or smoking. Our culture has made it taboo on the one hand and glamorous on the other, and either way, supposedly forbidden for people under 18(21). For whatever reason, these conflicting messages end up with lots of kids thinking it's cool to be sexy and naughty and all the rest, so it's really no surprise in the slightest that those who want to have found ways to get themselves out there. It's a VERY small step from the pictures you're likely to see on most high schooler's mySpace accounts to self-taken amateur porn. Between the generally confused teenage notions of sexuality and the immense simplicity of accessing digital cameras and places to put it, this is no more surprising (nor disturbing) to me than a few 15 year olds getting a twelve pack of beast to drink in someone's basement. They're acting recklessly and foolishly, and should be taught that it's inappropriate behavior, but I think the "punishment" to both the offender and his protectors should be in line with what we do with alcohol. There's none of the dangerous coercion present that we normally associate with "child pornography" so throwing it into the sex-offender category seems totally inappropriate. Parents ought to be involved (and I think most of them are) but there are limits to what they can do. I think I first navigated myself to porn websites (good old persian kitty) when I was about 12 years old and my parents were PLENTY observant of what I did. It's not too much of a stretch for someone more exhibition instead of voyeur oriented to find their way to an amateur porn post. Kids are good at getting around their parents, even the most overbearing parents. They should be taught values and perspective on sensitive topics-drugs, sex, etc.-but I think, realistically, screaming about how negligent parents are doesn't address the issue. This has long since entered the realm of incoherent rant. I think the problem isn't parenting, but the mixed messages we send children about sex and whether it's ok or taboo or great or naughty. Like alcohol, making it both taboo and "unavailable" only makes them want it more and those who enjoy exhibitionism for whatever reason will find ways to do it, no matter what parents try to do-short of locking them in a cell.