by Kay Falls

Created on: December 07, 2008   Last Updated: January 23, 2009

Is the use of the Internet causing a growth in porn, or is porn causing a growth in the use of the Internet?

Ever since humankind first wandered from the primordial ooze of the Garden of Eden, lust in all it's perplexing forms has been a part of our existence. Curiosity, of ourselves and others, lead children to "play doctor" long before puberty is on the horizon.

The understanding of ones sexuality, preferences and proclivities can be confusing or frightening not only to developing teens, but mature adults as well. The Internet provides information: good, bad, right, wrong, visual, written, informative, inflammatory, sensual, erotic or pornographic, it's all available. The underlying socialization structure of society has undeniably been altered by the Internet. From corporate meetings to family gatherings, "virtual" has become reality for many.

As humans, just as all animals, we are driven to mate. But as humans, we are the only animals blessed, or cursed, with the desire to mate for pleasure, not exclusively for procreation. The "real life" social isolation fostered by the Internet may be emotionally satisfied by email contacts, chat rooms and online friends, but the physical loneliness only becomes more acute. The desire to assuage physical yearnings is hampered by isolation, but further fueled by the anonymity and relative safety offered by adult sites of every ilk.

It seems to be inherently human to want to be naughty, provided we're pretty sure we won't get caught. The cookie jar of childhood was only the beginning. The possibility of being discovered plundering the cookie jar whilst teetering on a wobbly kitchen chair and two phone books is one thing, but in the privacy of your own home, your own room, on your own personal computer, discovery is much less likely. The desire to be naughty has so many more naughty possibilities on the Internet, and we do tend to indulge our desires.

While there are many aspects to pornography, it is generally defined as "obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, esp. those having little or no artistic merit." That leaves open only the question of what is obscene, which is largely defined by culture so it's safe to say a consensus will never be reached. But "porn" is generally accepted to encompass all forms of adult content material created for the sexual pleasure of others.

Web cams and digital imaging are the real culprits. The Internet has literally made it possible for anyone to be a "porn star" and have none

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