I have been reading pornographic magazines since 1990, when I was in the 10th grade, and watching internet porn since 1997, when I landed my first job with an internet company.
Today, many wouldn’t believe that it was the pornographic industry that pushed the internet towards its present-day technological advancement. Right from images to videos to live streams, the adult entertainment industry played a significant role in driving internet technology forward. Otherwise, the internet was primarily being used to exchange emails and share information.
Before the advent of the internet, things were considerably different. In my times, it could take anywhere between six months and several years to see a completely nude woman. And there were simply too many factors that had to come together for that miracle to happen.
The VCR rental shop should be open. The person there should trust you. You should have enough money to rent the cassette. A friend should own a VCR or VCP. His parents should have gone out to attend some marriage and should return only after eight hours. And, on top of everything, the electricity supply shouldn’t go.
You could never watch a porn movie unless the divine intervened in the process!
And there was another problem. We would never know whose porn movie would be inside the cassette. No covers, no titles, no previews. Sometimes it would be Americans, sometimes Africans and sometimes Japanese.
And honestly, among guys, American porn was always the most preferred, while Indian porn was the least preferred. The bodies and skin tones were indeed major disappointments. No wonder the American adult entertainment industry has historically dominated the global business, with estimates of its economic value running into billions of dollars.
The Internet Changed Everything
Times changed after 2010, when every Tom, Dick and Harry could afford a smartphone and check out nude women of any race, nationality or ethnicity anywhere in the world within seconds.
Every man now knows what could actually be inside the wrapper, something that was absolutely impossible in our times.
But how does that affect culture?
When I travelled to the UAE, and for the first time, I encountered an Arab woman!
Never had I seen one before in my entire life, and honestly, my jaws dropped.
Who the hell are they? Why the fuck did God take more time to create them?
Even Americans lost their magic in front of an Arab woman, I thought.
No wonder Arab men will never allow their eyes to stray towards other women. Why would they, after all?
While you are driving a Ferrari, why would anyone bother about Maruti 800s?
I visited Dubai once again in 2020, after a couple of years.
What was the change I witnessed in Dubai after these many years?
Women belonging to other countries, particularly immigrants and expatriates, seemed to have taken physical enhancement to another level. Breast augmentation, Brazilian Butt Lifts and other cosmetic procedures were becoming increasingly visible.
They had to keep up with the competition. After all, when physical appearance becomes a significant part of the competition for male attention, nobody wants to be left behind.
Sad, but true!
What Happened to India?
And what happened to India in the last ten years?
Women flaunt more skin, more cleavage and more thighs in the name of modernism, both on social media and in real life.
But they are still struggling to end up getting a proper date!
Why is that?
They are crying on social media, blaming men, discussing dating problems and talking about safety.
And I have a rather uncomfortable explanation.
Most Indian men have seen a nude American woman. They have seen European women, African women, Japanese women and women belonging to practically every corner of the world.
Indian men aren’t as easily persuaded by visual exposure anymore.
Why?
Because pornography fulfils their sexual curiosity and desires.
Remember my previous lines. They know exactly what is under the wrapper!
The mystery is gone. The novelty is gone. And perhaps, so is some of the excitement that once came with pursuing women.
Women may have become more visually accessible, but that doesn’t necessarily mean men are more interested in pursuing them.
That’s the irony!
And Finally, The Psychology of Pornography
And yes, psychology has plenty to say about pornography and its impact on human relationships.
Pornography consumption has been associated with relationship dissatisfaction, unrealistic sexual expectations, intimacy problems, compulsive sexual behaviour, and broken marriages.
And that is precisely how pornography affects culture.
We have moved from a generation that had to wait months, sometimes years, to see a completely nude woman to a generation that can watch thousands of them in a single day.
From scarcity to abundance. From anticipation to instant gratification.
And we are still trying to understand the consequences.
Never underestimate the power of pornography!
PS – and here is the prediction for Indian women – they will very soon get into Breast augmentation, Brazilian Butt Lifts and other cosmetic procedures in large numbers.
— Astrologer Kennedi Gopalan