Attn, NYC Reasonoids: Talking about Porn, Monday, Nov. 21

The Donald & Paula Smith Family Foundation

present a debate

Porn in the Age of Instant Access:
What are the social effects of fast, cheap & stigma-free viewing?

Featuring Nick Gillespie, Editor, Reason Magazine; Rachel Kramer Bussel, Columnist, Village Voice & Penthouse; Pamela Paul, author, Pornified & The Starter Marriage; and Ben Shapiro, author, Porn Generation Robert W. Peters, president of Morality in the Media.

Moderator: Brooke Gladstone, NPR's On The Media

The Internet and digital cable have allowed the purchasing and viewing of pornography to become easier than ever. While porn consumers can now easily keep their interests private, the porn producers has become more public and corporate. The U.S. porn industry now generates $12 billion annually: more than the combined revenues of the major television networks. What are the culture effects of this mainstreaming? Can and should there be a political response to these trends?

Monday, November 21st 2005
6:30 P.M. Prompt
(Free and open to the public - Reception to follow)

The Graduate Center
The City University of New York
365 Fifth Avenue, New York
(Corner of 34th Street & 5th Avenue)

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Update: Ben S is sick, so Robert Peters, head of Morality in Media, will be taking his place.

Comments

[theCoach]

Is Nick Gillespie really going to grant Ben Shapiro credibility by appearing on the same stage as him? I wish I could be there to watch Nick make sure that does not happen.

[Ruthless]

Every event like this should take place in Sinincincinnati, home of the headquarters of Citizens for Community Values.

[Jeff P.]

Will they be handing out samples?

[Ruthless]

They'll just be "handing."

[Warren]

What are the social effects of fast, cheap & stigma-free viewing?

I hope Nick sidesteps this trap. The "social effects" are what they are. What's at issue is what we do about it. 'Free minds and free markets' should be encouraged what ever the results.

[V Moose]

Will Moana be there?

[Brian]

We should unleash the power of the blogosphere to buy Ben Shapiro a hooker. I'll kick in a shiny quarter.

[Ruthless]

V Moose,
You mean Mona.
Moana is her sister-in-law from Hawaii.
(They'll both be there.)

[ralphus]

What are the social effects of fast, cheap & stigma-free viewing?

I don't know about social effects, but he economic effect has been positive for the hand lotion industry.

[jotun]

economic effect has been positive for the hand lotion industry.

paper towel and kleenex tissue industries as well.

[VIking Moose]

MOANa. and mona. very good.

She's american polynesian. you know, amnesian.

[Jeff P.]

Let's hope the Graduate Center has vinyl seats.

[Jeezus]

stigma-free, maybe, but not necessarily stigmata-free

[Ruthless]

I thought all Amnesians were Armenian?

[V Moose]

Funny. They don't look Drewish.

Just bring several cans of lysol and containers of purell. you'll be fine.

Will Harry Palmb be another keynote speaker? He's got such a gripping style of discourse.

[Jeff P.]

Will we hear 70's wah-wah porn music as Nick strides out in his leather jacket? And how will Pamela Paul pay for that pizza she ordered?

[Hakluyt]

Sick? Right. 🙂

[Larry A]

You forgot to post the agenda.

• 6:30 PM (Sharp): Introductions.
• 6:45 PM: First question--Each of you define "Porn."
• 10:30 PM: Reception--Enjoy the refreshments and meet the surviving panelists.

[call me skeptical]

'Free minds and free markets' should be encouraged what ever the results.

[dhex]

you guys are always in town on days i can't be in town. fuckers.

[ChrisO]

"Talking about porn." Isn't that a little bit like talking about paintings? I mean, who cares about all the talk if you can't see the object being discussed...

[Akira MacKenzie]

call me skeptical:

Did you have a point?

[Brian]

Ben, I've got the quarter right here! It's got a picture of Indiana on the back.

[David Rollins]

23 posts in, and no one's mentioned how this further establishes OTM as the most liberal show on NPR. Can we at least agree that we don't want to see any porn involving Brooke Gladstone? This is like a discussion of Italian cuisine moderated by Chef Boyardee.

[SF Treat]

David Rollins,
Didn't you know most here are fudge-packin' liberaltarians?

[Croaky]

Pamela Paul's new book, Pornified is worth a read. You guys are lucky to hear her speak. Wish I was in the area.

I'm not sure that the Founding Fathers had the typical internet porn videos in mind when writing the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has also said:

"The dissenting Justices sound the alarm of repression. But, in our view, to equate the free and robust exchange of ideas and political debate with commercial exploitation of obscene material demeans the grand conception of the First Amendment and its high purposes in the historic struggle for freedom. It is a "misuse of the great guarantees of free speech and free press..." The First Amendment protects works which, taken as a whole, have serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value, regardless of whether the government or a majority of the people approve of the ideas these works represent. "The protection given speech and press was fashioned to assure unfettered interchange of ideas for the bringing about of political and social changes desired by the people," But the public portrayal of hard-core sexual conduct for its own sake, and for the ensuing commercial gain, is a different matter."

~ MILLER v. CALIFORNIA, 413 U.S. 15 (1973)

I have begun a more detailed discussion of this issue at The Inter-Galactic Jester, which I encourage you check out and comment on.

[kmw]

I'm going to beat Stevo to saying it... You can pry my porn from my cold, dead hand.

[David Rollins]

Nuthin' wrong with fudge-packing liberaltarians, but you would think we could at least get Ron Jeremy or Nina Hartley instead of this ripped-from-the-SNL-satire caricature.

I actually enjoy listening to OTM and get all quivery when I hear the right wing denounce this show as "lefty". Their smarmy style works well on the radio, but there's a reason radio people are not on TV. Brooke Gladstone is exhibit A.