How You Got Addicted to P*rn

Quick Overview

Jordan Peterson argues that the near-universal access to pornography online, facilitated by the internet and a societal tilt toward narcissism, desensitizes young men, particularly those under 30, to sexual stimuli, leading them to seek increasingly extreme content, such as the non-consensual or incestuous material studied by researchers like Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, which in turn lowers their anxiety regarding real-life sexual encounters.

Key Points: The internet's expansion, particularly pornography sites like Pornhub, is noted as facilitating access to increasingly extreme sexual content. Research by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam in "A Billion Wicked Thoughts" showed that about 30% of Japanese young men (30 and under) who had never had sexual contact consumed this material. Exposure to visually explicit, shocking, or violent pornography can lead to a desensitization effect, where the novelty of less extreme content is no longer sufficiently rewarding. This desensitization can result in a narcissistic tilt where individuals seek extreme content, potentially reducing their anxiety about real-life sexual interactions. The interviewee (Lala Mckewat) confirms this, noting that 1 in 8 videos on Pornhub featured sexual violence or incest, and that such content is often consumed by young people who lack real-world experience. Peterson cites a high rate of virginity among young men in countries like Japan and South Korea (around 30%) correlating with this online exposure. The overall effect is that this constant, easily accessible stimulation makes it difficult for individuals to hold people accountable for real-world behavior and can normalize extreme desires.

Context: The video features an interview between Jordan Peterson and Lala Mckewat, identified as Episode 503, where they discuss the psychological and societal impact of widespread internet pornography access. Peterson frames the discussion around how constant exposure to extreme sexual content, which is easily available online, affects young men's sexual preferences and their ability to form real-world relationships, referencing academic work on the subject.