According to Marx, understanding religion is dependent upon the social purpose that religion serves and not upon the content of its beliefs. To understand pornography as the opium of the masses, I won't focus on its content, which would be difficult anyway, since the word ‘pornography' does not describe sexuality itself but the discourse about it. Therefore it is a relative notion, and its contents depend a lot on the historical and cultural context. Pornography, in our societies, is an underground market. In general it's more or less illegal, and the more it's controlled, the more its value increases. The consequences are impossible to fight against. It also represents an important, wealth-creating market. According to Marx, religion is an expression of material realities and economic injustice. Thus, problems in religion are ultimately problems in society. Religion is not the disease, but merely a symptom. According to Marx, religion is one of those social institutions which are dependent upon the material and economic realities in a given society.
[...] Lobotomization of the masses. They become passive consumers. Sex = consumption no feelings, because the other is just an object to be used, not a living and loving individual. sex, as consumption, is the basis of social order. pornography / recreational sex = consumption, no feelings no tensions ; but also dehumanization. + Pornography as an individual need creates a sense of community. porgy”—the conventional close of the Solidarity Service—uses group sex as a method of breaking down the perceived differences between people and so increasing social stability 1984 : Communautarism. [...]
[...] - Dystopias : pornography and stability of the social order satisfaction of human needs = stability Satisfaction of a human need, pseudo satisfaction of pornography: Satisfaction of an urge which is natural cf pyramid of Maslow Society can change, but human nature remains the same society must find ways to subdue human nature in dystopias: punishment or maintained happiness like in BNW. Direct satisfaction of needs, or chemicals: soma, chemical “Violent Passion Surrogate” once a month, chemically induced fake pregnancy for women to maintain their physical and psychological health. [...]
[...] Karl Marx's vision of the opium of the masses Marx's most famous statement about religion comes from a critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Law: Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. [...]
[...] "Where do I sign?" "Anywhere!" Marilyn Monroe provides her Near the front autograph, Korea 1945 Use of pin-ups to make soldiers fill in forms or read army documents. (The form required the unit to list the time and type of attack, the number of shells, the size and type of the armaments, direction, the damage, and other technical information.) - Gender / social stereotyping * Pornography maintains stereotypes a system of exploitation which profit to men. * Foucault : Power is everywhere and working in all directions. [...]
[...] - In our society : Pornography, the opium of the consuming masses Mainstreaming of pornography : pornography and ands Jean Baudrillard in La société de consummation : society has to be created, to produce needs, because the economy needs them. importance of ads Aim of advertisement : make you believe that buying an object can satisfy all your needs and hopes associates a product to a desire. In general it associates it with desires that are considered as ‘universal', that is, not eating or having a place to live in, but power and sex-appeal. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
