Pornography without labels

Originally understood under pornography images from the life of prostitutes and their clients. Same dictionary definition of pornography are not able to accurately describe the content of this concept. For example, "Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary" says that pornography - a "naturalistic vulgar, obscene sexuality in literature, visual arts, theater, film and so on." *. Non-vulgar-naturalistic - realistic, for example - the image of sexual activity - it's not pornography. Similarly nepornografiya - decent, decent picture sexuality. So is the case with the image of decency sexuality in literature, cinema, etc. Ultimately, it all comes down to proper moral notions of society, or more precisely, a particular social group. / * Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary. M., 1979. S. 1937. /The above definition is essentially valid. It corresponds to the ideas of the twenties. Thus, in one very authoritative in their time to work obscene declared "everything in conscious opposition to the dominant morality was intended physiological arousal of sexual feelings or fit the purpose" *. Only here the dominant morality of conformity explicitly mentioned. / * English P. Geschichte der erotischen Literatur. Stuttgart. 1927. S. 6. /Since then, the notion of pornography and obscenity were divorced. If pornography has to do with sexual arousal feelings, the obscenity - not necessarily. Pornography is related to anthropology, has an anthropological side of human existence - namely, excitable human sexuality. Obscenity is correlated with the ethical dimension of human existence, although it can also navigate sexuality. Here's what you can read in the work on the history of pornography: "Even if pornography is always obscene, this is not the basis for the identification of concepts. Other words, nasty things that cause a feeling of disgust, may, but need not be pornographic. Example, the description of the allocation of feces without doubt may be considered obscene, but it usually does not excite sexual desire. Recommended consider this distinction, because courts in their sentences from time to time identify obscene pornographic "*. / * Hyde M. Geschichte der Pornographie. Stuttgart. 1965. S. 12. /

It may seem that this distinction is unimportant. It should be noted that the clarity of ideas in these areas determines the fate of specific individuals at the level of judicial and administrative practices.In general, indecent can be pornographic. Pornographic, contrary to the author's opinion the above quotes (and the authors of "Soviet Encyclopaedia") may, but need not be obscene. Pornography can cause sexual arousal, but not contrary to the ethical sense, looking at what age groups, what person, what socio-cultural groups, strata or classes oriented pornographic work.Another definition - functional, such as in one of the most common in the West, the "Dictionary of eroticism" pornography - is "such texts, pictures and movies that are only or mainly to the excitation of sexual feeling" *. Perhaps it would be better to say: texts, pictures and movies produced with the aim of serving only or mainly to the excitation of sexual feeling. Because different people and different groups of people are feeling sexual stimulation or can serve as texts, images or movies created with a completely different purpose, and this is not intended: paintings on biblical subjects, textbooks on biology and anatomy, medical encyclopedia and t . etc. In addition, there are age-related features of perception of things related to sex. However, even if we accept this clarification ("with a view"), to prove that an artist or writer's intention had only or mostly excite sexual feeling - almost impossible. / * Lexikon der Erotik / Hrsg. L. Knoll, G. Jaeckel. Hamburg. 1978. /Moreover, contrary to the opinion of the authors of "Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary," the content of pornography (the desire to excite sexual feeling) can act not only vulgar naturalistic form, but can be expressed by means of highly artistic. Therefore it is very difficult to find any suitable criteria for separation of pornographic books, paintings, films from those who simply devoted erotic topics and have "own" scientific or artistic value. It is the absence of such criteria at the time led to the fact that in pornography accused Flaubert for "Madame Bovary", on the one hand, and Havelock Ellis for his sexological research - on the other. Closer example - with its Nabokov's "Lolita," which in our country is considered pornographic product, and now - after forty years - satisfy the most connoisseurs of literature. Even such works which deliberately focused their creators image is forbidden things, had, as it turns out, especially outside the floor area lying, value, namely the value of protest against the existing order, the existing morality - such as the novels of Henry Miller.Sometimes define pornography psychologically - as a result of fixing the sexual fantasies of the authors. It is assumed that the author expresses unconsciously in their products own psychic constitution own anxieties and fears. Mainly from unconscious psychological complexes, finding expression in pornographic "production" is allegedly "castration complex." Hence - sverhpotentsiya men, humiliation of women, generally phallic orientation of the majority of pornography. Such Freudian in its origins, explanation, at first glance, consistently and accurately explain the reasons and the content of pornographic works. But it is overlooked that the authors of the Freudian direction convincingly shown that complexes of origin related to sex, is not necessarily realized in sexual fantasies. This can happen in politics, artistic and scientific creativity. Freud strongly emphasized that substantially all of the wealth of human culture is the product of the realization ultimately unconscious impulses floor *. / * See the works of Freud on Dostoevsky, Leonardo da Vinci, "Moses and Monotheism", etc. /So in this way is difficult to detect differentia specifica pornography. Any of the possible definitions or explanations on closer examination to be deprived precise boundaries, and tend to be too narrow. Apparently, this is because their authors are guided primarily instrumental need: seeking to identify and isolate pornography as stand-alone, not connected with the diversity of the human individual and social life phenomenon to be convicted or even banned. In the already quoted "Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary" the following line after the above definition reads as follows: "In the USSR, the dissemination of pornographic writings or images is punishable by law." Similarly, in most Western countries pornography is severely restricted, and certain topic or area in general is prohibited. Although generally censorship is prohibited, such an exception from the general rule is justified by the fact that pornography harms the mental development of children and young people *. / * Of the harmful effects on children and youth will be discussed below. /Awareness of the impossibility of clearly distinguish pornography from a variety of forms of artistic descriptions and images that related to gender, sexuality, made "practical", ie lawyers, businessmen, government officials dealing with pornography, as well as scientists investigating pornography, to resort to a kind of "speed" classification of the corresponding products: steel distinguish "erotica", "soft porn", "hardcore porn". So, in a much more liberal than in the former USSR, the legislation in most western countries, banned "hard porn" and "soft porn" and "erotic" is not only allowed, but almost become socially acceptable and allowed in public places, such as in advertising. However, where this difference is not yet carried out, or it is not fixed in legislation and administrative practice - reigns Puritanism in practice public relations to sex and sexuality (such as in the Soviet Union until recently), or - with the abolition of censorship - comes the era of total war and unregulated "pornografizatsii" public life (such as in the former socialist countries as their liberation from ideological censorship).In this case, clear criteria differences "erotica" from "soft-core pornography," the last - from "hardcore pornography" theoretically difficult to justify. The practical criteria that can guide, say officials of the department concerned is obvious. It is, finally, that the block is or what is an "object description". Extreme Porn differs from soft only in that it focuses on the sexual act as such and - in all possible perspectives ... all physiological ratio described or demonstrated genitals. Physical violence (as an end) and all sorts of perversions are absent *. Later, speaking about pornography, we will be referring to hardcore porn, because it is more than other forms of pornography, free from ambiguity and uncertainty that are inherent in all pornography as a phenomenon of life as artistic and social phenomenon. / * Of course, there are forms of sadomasochistic pornography "bias" for homosexuals, etc. But this is a special genre - for an amateur. Extreme Porn as such is designed for normal heterosexual men and women. /Until now, we were talking about pornography as a phenomenon "extrahistorical." All of the above definitions and treat it as such. And even "practical" definition of hardcore pornography as the one where the focus is on the genitals, like giving reason to say that pornography is and always has been, and there was always the same. Indeed, the human physiology and anatomy have changed little over the millennia!However, the change over time ratings artistic works ("Madame Bovary", "Lolita" - as mentioned above) is reflected in the understanding of pornography. These changes are manifested in the perception and sometimes published in various editions of pornographic drawings centennial or sesquicentennial ago - most of them are unlikely to serve in our time "excitation of sexual feelings." Significantly attitude toward nude sculpture in our country now and in the period of sanctimonious morality few decades ago, when the ancient figure halts or aprons David fought genitals to "eliminate pornography." However, this was not just us. The famous sociologist Pareto wrote in a study on "immoral literature": "It is well known that the statue of Justice in Rome - works Guglielmo della Porta - Bernini put a copper clothes to hide her nakedness.'s Ridiculous, excusable, if we remember that it costs Church - in St. Peter's. Unfortunately, guards virtue is not limited to that put the statue. They even wanted to ban it in reproduction prints and photographs ... "*. / * Pareto W. Der Tugend-Mythos und die immoralische Literatur. Neuwied - Berlin. 1968. S. 93. /In short, the perception of pornography or, more precisely, the perception of certain facts depicted and described as pornography varies with time varies with the social context.