That's for sure. And, here in the US, I think alot of families of teenagers live in denial about sex before marriage, sex.transmitted diseases, etc.. The only slogan they can come up with is(like Nancy Reagan in the 80's)  just say no!! That really worked, huh??

I think that this whole thing about underage sex, sex before marriage etc., is such a big bloody mess.

On the one hand, children are bombarded by images and content that would have made a sailor blush 30 years ago. (and that's leaving the internet to the side)

On the other hand you have family, church and sometimes government trying like mad to undo this damage.

Does this situation make sense to anyone?

See where you're coming from, don't really agree with you, but I see what you mean.

Think that in the last while things have calmed down a lot (I mean we had a thread about bush a short while back and nobody insulted anyone else as far as I know)

Of course, face to face is much better, it's much more difficult to explain what we mean here, the problem is that we have a pretty unique constellation of people here, which usually don't come together (the smaller meetups haven't come to maturity yet).

So it comes down to a trade-off, take the risks and open things to discussion (not knowing where it will lead), or take it somewhere else which doesn't have the advantage of the different types of people that we have here.

I could do a church debate if you like, as I spent the greater part of my life working in the church. I believe that other regular members could also give you a good debate. Dont put down something that was sorely missed these last few days through hacker confusion.

Meant in the nicest and sincerest possible way.

It's a strange thing, here in the US, it's supposed to be such a "modern, evolved (?)world", yet people's feelings/idea's about "sex", I think, are so immature. That's why, I might think, that porn, etc.. are so rampant, because there is still titillation in keeping sexuality "undercover" or underwraps. If sexuality (not porn) was seen  for what it is, which could be in a myriad of ways depending on how one was raised, one's experiences, one's culture, etc., etc. it would just be what it is. There wouldn't be such an overlay of extra baggage put onto it. It seems that whenever things aren't acknowledged, they get distorted.

It's like, in some ways, people's relationship to food. Food is just food, but when it becomes a "psychological friend" or "comfort from the world" or a myriad of other things that it can become, it distorts something innocent and pleasurable, hence an addiction is born.

So, did some searching around, these figures are pulled from different places, so I reckon they are not so reliable. Just to give a general idea, and also remember they are only for legal forms of porn

Porn Industry

Total Turnover: 21/22 billion per year

Porn on the Internet: 12 billion per year

Turnover USA: 9 billion

Turnover UK: 3 billion

One survey said that 40 million North Americans reulary use porn sites (I can't really agree with this number, seems way to high)

Male/Female Ratio of Internet Porn Users: 78%/22%

(however, the report says that female users are increasing at a faster rate)

Couldn't find any numbers for Brazil, But I reckon because of the more relaxed attitude, would be pretty much lower.

, came across an article where a strip-joint owner was complaining that since there was so much sex on TV, that the numbers of people going to his place had really dropped off.

I'm with you here.

On the one hand, you have the situation where repression will lead to the titllation factor. (Here's one article I found, it doesn't touch on repression, but if you put in the missing links yourself, pretty easy to see what's going onhttp://camgirlnotes.15.forumer.com/index.php?s=8f98c9fe312 c939f29d94ef97a7180b5&showtopic=48)

On the other hand, you have the situation where it becomes banalized.

I see it as the two having the same result, the act of sex and the emotions become seperated. 

A pretty crappy situation on many levels. What gets me however, is that I see one as a normal phase in a country's growth and something that will be solved in one way or the other as pressure builds up. The other is basically something sponsered by a multi-billion dollar industry, like tobacco companies telling you that smoking is good for.

Never thought of it that way.

Also, don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing porn, whatever goes among consenting adults is the business of nobody else.

What I find worrying is how the subject in general is dealt with on a social level, it seems to go to one extreme or the other.