Pornography

Defining pornography is culturally and politically sensitive, but it can generally be described as pictures, text or multimedia, of real or imagined events, which are intended to trigger sexual, as well as possibly sensual and romantic, ideas in the viewer. It is is a subset of erotica. Some forms of pornography, within specific legal, cultural, and social norms, may also be considered -- or not considered -- obscenity, and thus be illegal.

It is an ancient and multicultural practice. While some social conservatives appear to insist that it became widespread only with television and the Internet, forms were prevalent in Pompeii, and even more so in Asia. Nevertheless, it is a key issue in current culture wars.

Basic Western context

In current Western practice, there tends to be a separation into soft- and hard-core pornography. Very generally, soft-core pornograpy suggests sexual acts while hard-core depicts them. Legal and business practice further divides hard-core into that which is generally legally available to adults, and into certain subcategories that, such as child pornography or bestiality, which are apt to lead to arrest. The line is not clear, as court decisions have, for example, allowed text-only child pornography as protected speech, but banned photographs since their production would be prima facie evidence of statutory rape or other crime against children.

Another practical Western distinction is that obscenity tends to be illegal, or at least banned from some media. Not all obscenity, however, is pornographic, such as the U.S. example of the Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television, the subject of a Federal Communications Commission action against comedian George Carlin, and a subsequent Supreme Court of the United States ruling, Pacifica Foundation v. Federal Communications Commission Carlin deliberately challenged what appeared to be vague guidance, as television broadcasters, in search of improved ratings, produced increasingly "edgy" content.

Western countries, however, vary widely about their definition of obscenity. Denmark removed virtually all restrictions in 1969, other than its marketing to children. Canada had addressed the age-old question of "I know about Sodom, but what is it they did in Gomorrah?" with a definition of a certain class of sexual actions as gomorrahy, prohibiting importation of its depiction until 2003.

Historical context

Erotic topics are found in some of the earliest graphic representations.

Edo Period Japan

Japan’s Shunga art of the Edo Period (Old Tokyo) is a word for Japanese works of art, specifically Japanese erotic paintings that were made from the 16th to 18th centuries, by reputable painters of the Ukiyo-e (floating world) period. At the time purists of Japanese culture looked down upon Shunga art. While artists thoroughly enjoyed painting erotica, they rarely signed their works, preferring instead to remain anonymous and not harm their careers as more serious, classical artists.

While some Shunga canvases or prints (paintings on wood blocks) depicted sensual scenes of couples in love, others were intensely pornographic, revealing carnal love in all its splendor. Artists exposed the human anatomy in full detail, without any concern for discretion or modesty. However these works were always made with care and in good taste.

Often printed as tiny booklets called "pillow books" or in the West referred to as “sex education”, shunga and related art also served as teaching guides for the sons and daughters of the Japanese bourgeoisie. From the paintings they learned the art of foreplay, sexual positioning, and proper hygiene.

Victorian

Pornotopia is a theoretical fantasy world in which everyone is ready and willing to indulge in all kinds of sexual activity. The term was originally coined by literary scholar and author Steven Marcus to describe the setting in Victorian pornography, specifically commenting on the work Romance of Lust. The term is now in general use and has been used as the title of many pornographic books, articles, websites, comics and videos, as well as being a hedonistic ideal.

Impact of technology

Pornography, for centuries, has been an early adopter of technology. Japanese printing technology is one example.

Moving images

The first pornographic movies closely followed the first commercial cinema. Due to the relative inconvenience of projection, the movies tended to be shown in niche theaters, or at clubs. Video tape playback, however, made it easy for individuals to watch them; one cynic said they put pornography into the home, where it belongs.

DVDs, in turn, displaced video in the pornography market. Prerecorded media, are being displaced by the Internet.

Internet issues

Pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry, and, arguably, is among the most economically viable Internet applications.

One problem specific to the Internet is the deliberate "mousetrapping" of users, not in search of pornography, to be deliberately exposed to it. A major motivator of such activity is a revenue model in which advertisers pay websites "per click" of a user on their site.

Virtual pornography

Technology further confuses the distinction with "virtual pornography", when it can be demonstrate that no actual child or animal, only computer graphics, were used to create some images. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it was permissible in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Foundation (2002), there have been subsequent prosecutions. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Assistant District Attorney Dave Denny said "when you have the face of a small child affixed to a nude body of a mature woman, it's going to be the state's position that this is for sexual gratification and that this is simulated sexual activity,"