Most of the time, pornography is considered as a negative thing, that it is an abnormal or unacceptable behavior. Or, that it causes problems for the individual watching porn or their partners. Of course, there are those who object to porn watching for religious reasons. There are also those who are concerned that porn may pose a public health risk.
Even in scientific research, the negative aspects of porn are often the ones being studied, with only a few studies highlighting the benefits or advantages, if there are any, of watching pornography. The truth is that for many people, watching pornographic materials is actually beneficial. A 2017 study talks about what benefits male university students get from watching porn. Take a look at these benefits and find out the reasons why you should watch porn.
1. Script For Sexual Intercourse
Where does one learn about sex and how to effectively engage in sex? In schools that offer sex education, what is taught is all about the biology of sex and how to have protected sex. However, you can’t really learn about how you can improve your sexual skills in school. Or how you can provide pleasure to your partner. Or which positions are the most pleasurable.
In any culture, these are things that you can’t learn in formal education. Which is why pornography is beneficial as an educational material. More importantly, for young viewers of pornography, porn materials are able to transmit a script on how to have sex, how to enjoy sex, and what to do to make your partner enjoy sex. In short, pornography can influence how adolescent viewers understand sex and how they enact this understanding.
2. Social Bonding Activity
Not everyone watches porn alone, many men watch pornography with other male friends. In this situation, pornography has a sociable value, wherein people who watch it together can have an opportunity for social bonding.
Was there a time when you watched porn together with your friends? You might remember discussing the characters in the video or talking about how funny their dialogues are, or how weird their fetishes are. In this setting, watching pornography is seen as a leisure activity and one that can be enjoyed as a bonding activity between friends. It’s also a great way to relieve boredom.
3. Understanding Your Own Sexual Desire
For most adults who watch porn, they already know what porn genre they prefer. However, for adolescents who are still in the process of exploring and understanding their own sexual desires, pornography can be a helpful guide.
For instance, in the study referred to here, one participant said he started with watching straight porn. He eventually noticed that he was jealous of the girls in the videos. By processing and understanding his own sexual desires and preference, he was able to admit to himself that he’s attracted to other men. In circumstances like this, pornography can provide a venue where one can explore his sexual desires. Porn can also be used as a tool that can give us insights about what attracts us to other people.
4. New Sexual Activities
Porn can open your eyes to the many ways sex can be enjoyed. If the missionary position is the only thing you know about sexual positions, you can benefit a lot from watching porn. You’ll get a lot of ideas on so many other positions you can try with your partner. There’s also the possibility that you may discover a fetish that excites you, or maybe even role-playing.
This is the good thing about watching porn today. With the internet making pornographic materials so accessible, and with porn sites catering to almost every sexual preference and fetishes, you definitely have a lot to choose and learn from.
5. Establishing Sexual Identity
This may be inapplicable to many adults, but for young people who are still confused about their own sexual identity, watching pornography can help them determine exactly where their orientations lie. Porn can be used as a self-confirmation tool, wherein one can say this is the kind of sex I want to engage in or this is the kind of sexual partner I’m looking for.
With so many porn genres available online, young people can choose what they want to watch and see if they find it enjoyable or if it arouses them. For instance, for young men who are not sure if they are heterosexual or not, they can watch gay porn and see for themselves if that excites them or stirs up urges in them to have sex with another man. And if they don’t find gay porn exciting, then, hopefully, they can say for sure that they’re heterosexual.
6. Positive Effects On Relationships
Many studies have focused on the negative effects of watching pornographic materials on relationships. For instance, several studies have concluded that when an individual who is in a relationship watches pornography, it leads to lesser sexual satisfaction as well as a reduced quality of relationship.
However, one study showed that when both partners watch porn together, it can lead to better relationship quality as well as increased sexual satisfaction as compared to couples who don’t watch porn together. Moreover, couples who watched porn together scored higher in terms of intimacy and commitment when compared to people who watched porn individually.
Another study showed that when women watched porn, it’s associated with higher sexual satisfaction for them and their partners. It was also found that when women watch porn, it’s because they consider it as a part of their lovemaking. On the other hand, the primary reason why men watch porn is for masturbation and sexual gratification.
Bottom Line
Porn has both negative and positive outcomes. What you think of porn and how you let it affect you is a very personal matter. Porn can be an educational tool or it can be an addiction that can cause a lot of problems for you. But when used properly, there are definitely a lot of benefits that can be gained from watching porn.
