Sex, society and the Internet. These three explosive topics have sparked much conversation and controversy. Society has always had a fascination with sex. However, over the centuries the fascination has passed from closed doors to the open format.
What changed society’s willingness to discuss and view sex in an open forum? The term Sexual Revolution was first noted in 1929, when Thurber and White used the expression in their book, Is sex necessary? However, some historians believe that the sexual revolution really began in the 1960s. Prior to the 1960s, society as a whole had a very puritanical view of sex, and sex was not openly discussed.
Skip ahead a few decades to the explosion of the internet and a whole new kind of sexual revolution began. Sex was no longer a veiled and taboo subject that could cause scandal. The sex wasn’t hiding in a stack of magazines, secret drawers, or a stash of DVDs on a secret closet shelf, either. It was an open arena so anyone could participate.
The new sexual revolution focused on sexual freedom and experimentation. The Internet “highway” made sexual content easier to access in a way that society had never experienced before.
Chat rooms and instant messaging became the new way to “meet” and “communicate” with other people. Mega “superstars” were sometimes unknowingly born from sexual escapades recorded on “private” dates. (Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee, and Paris Hilton being the most notable.)
The question is whether society, as a whole, has become a better place now that knowledge of any kind is so easily accessible. There are pros and cons. Some of the extraordinary resources of the Internet are:
- Research can be done on a much larger scale and can be done with much more ease.
- Information can spread more quickly.
- Exposure to various cultures and societies is much easier to gain whether or not you can travel.
- In addition, the possibility of having your own business is within everyone’s reach.
However, the incredible downside is that our society has become:
- lazier.
- more overweight
- More disconnected.
- Face-to-face social skills are rapidly declining.
- The moral indicator of society is darkening.
- Sexual predators have gained much easier access to their prey.
Plus, cheating on a partner is just a click away and much easier to hide. Today, meeting someone online from anywhere in the world is easy, and many justify cybersex as flirting rather than cheating.
Due to the freedom for all, cyber sex and cyber affairs have proliferated. The divorce rate of 38% just a few years ago, is rising to over 50%. *(National Center for Health Statistics based on 46 reporting states. This measure is based on per capita.)
In addition to a higher divorce rate, young children, tweens, and teens have carte blanche to access the Internet. They are being exposed to sexual predators and pornography at an alarming rate as Internet addiction is reaching epidemic proportions.
The backlash from the mass exposure of the internet sexual revolution, coupled with societal neglect, has come at a great cost to humanity and the relationships we value.
While the Internet offers a vast world of possibilities and exciting exploration of the world around us, without limitations it has become an addictive danger that most people unintentionally use to destroy their families and relationships. Additionally, overuse is known to cause physical, financial, and emotional problems.
The Internet is a great tool to use. But it is just that, a tool. However, for far too many people their Internet connection has become their friend, lover, and world. The utopian culture that Internet addicts create for themselves is becoming a dilemma on a grand scale.
What is the solution to the world problem? The only answer is for society to start reconnecting with the real world and rein in its enthusiasm for its computers and the technology that powers them. The Internet is not the adversary; it is the uncontrolled use of the Internet that causes problems in all areas of an addict’s life.
* It should be noted that the higher divorce rate was not attributed to Internet use. Some studies cited the ease with which divorce is now available as one of the factors contributing to the increase in divorce.
