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Pornography In The Media

It started by way of messengers and scribes, evolved through the

presentation of

newspapers and radio, brought us together with television, and now serves us

world-wide via the ever-popular Internet. It is the mass media, and even

from the earliest days of its existence, it has contributed greatly in ways

that both enlighten and enrich society, and ways that deteriorate and perplex

it. It is not a surprise to learn, then, that the mass media is the most

powerful source of information we have, and nothing else in today's world

influences public perception quite as heavily.

Unfortunately, however, most of what is broadcast or transmitted in the

news today is with reference to the chaotic condition of our planet, or

something else that society as a whole sees as detrimental or damaging. But

the news on television is not the only type of media taking the criticism of

society. Other forms of mass media, specifically movies and television

programs containing pornography and violence have been heavily criticized.

The underlining concept to be debated here is that society is negatively

influenced, specifically, by these images of pornography

and the result is increased violence against women. This assumption, and it

is indeed only an assumption, is completely fallacious, however, as no

concrete and completely conclusive evidence has ever been formulated in

support of the theory. The key premise here is that the mass media does not

cause undesirable social behaviour and in actuality, the media people should

not be dubbed as the "bad guys". They simply use their power in the most

constructive ways possible in order to promote their ratings and popularity.

One way to do that is to concentrate on what sells:sex, violence and disaster.

Why is it then, that many in society still believe otherwise; why do

they continue to believe that pornography is "evil" and is a major cause for

violence against women,...