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All of WPKIOPHOWI's Comments + Replies

Open Thread for February 3 - 10
WPKIOPHOWI10

If you're implying that my bottom line is already written, I don't think that's the case. Both of the points I made in response to ChrisHallquist were things that I had already thought of before he posted, so I wasn't just searching for a rebuttal to his points.

If you're implying that the arguments I've made seem to have already convinced me to quit...well, yes. That's why I'm posting here: to find out whether there's anything I'm missing.

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Open Thread for February 3 - 10
WPKIOPHOWI00

Maybe 1 and 2 apply to entertainment in general, but I think there are a few things that make porn different:

  1. I suspect porn is in some way "more" of a superstimulus than most other forms of entertainment. At least for me, it seems to tap into a more visceral response. I don't know of any research about this, but that doesn't mean I should ignore that intuition.
  2. Many other forms of entertainment have plausible other benefits (albeit often minor). Reading fiction could plausibly improve your language ability and empathy. Gaming often has a social
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3lmm
It sounds to me like you've already decided you want to quit porn.
Open Thread for February 3 - 10
WPKIOPHOWI100

I've been thinking about whether it's a good idea to quit porn (not masturbation, just porn). Does anyone have anything to add to the below?

Reasons not to quit:

  • It's difficult, which may cause stress and willpower depletion, though these effects would probably only be temporary.
  • It is pleasurable (i.e. valued just as a "fun" activity. This should be compared to alternative pleasurable activities, though, because any "porn time" can be replaced with "other fun things time").

Reasons to quit:

  • It's a superstimulus, and might i
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1ephion
Porn gets me off quicker. That is it's utility. When I'm self-pleasuring for enjoyment, I don't watch it, because it's more fun to use my imagination. However, when I'm sexually frustrated and can't focus on what I want to focus on, pornography allows me to cut masturbation time down from 10-20 minutes to under 5. This is a great time saver, and allows me to spend my time more productively. It is superstimulation, and if you come to rely on it to come or develop an addiction (arguably the same thing), then you'll have a problem. But if it isn't having any negative affect on your life, then why drop it?
7Viliam_Bur
How about you make specific predictions (written) of what will happen if you abstain for a specific number of months, then abstain for the given number of months, and then evaluate the original predictions? For things like "clarity of mind", find some way of measuring it. For things like "motivation" instead focus on what exactly you will be motivated to do. Then compare with the same amount of time with porn. It's still very little data, but better than no data at all. Less meta -- I think it pretty much depends on what you replace it with. Which can be both someting better or something worse, and you probably don't know the exact answer unless you try.
0Vulture
Could you expand on what the red-flag qualities of these anecdotes are?
0A1987dM
So does porn... if you're young enough.
ChrisHallquist100

1 and 2 apply to entertainment in general. There's something to be said for cutting back on TV, aimless internet browsing, etc., but it makes more sense to focus on cutting back total time than eliminating one particular form of entertainment in particular.

As for 3, I'm not familiar with that particular study, but in my experience studies of "porn addiction" or "sex addiction" tend to rely on dubious definitions of "addiction." I'd advise against taking worries of porn addiction any more seriously than worries of "internet addiction" or "social media addiction" or "TV addiction" or whatever.

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