New research by the UK children’s watchdog has suggested that almost every 14-year-old boy in the country has watched pornography. The Children’s Commissioner found that in one local authority in England, 100% of 14 year olds and 50% of girls – admitted to having watched porn. The study, which has not yet been published, also found evidence that children as young as 11 had been actively “seeking out pornography”. (The Guardian).
The sooner children realize that pornography is mind-bendingly boring the sooner they will get on with something useful, like school work and preparing themselves for real life. I believe they imbibe the idea of close, loving relationships from real people close to them, not from the Internet. So let them satisfy their curiosity like all previous generations.
Epicurus believed in pleasure as a prime objective for us all (although I doubt he had this particular activity in mind). So if people find watching this mechanical, soul-less, repetitive stuff of more than passing interest, then I suppose one can’t stop them. But there are better things to do with your spare time. Incidentally, pornography comes in a variety of guises – extreme, violent video games are simply another form of the same thing.