Is masturbation and the use of pornography unethical or irrational?

[B.T.R. 0]

Masturbation for men is healthy for several medical reasons and using pornography saves time. Also both masturbation and pornography allow a person to act out fantasies that the person may not be able to do with a real person. Is the use of pornography irrational as long as it is not the illegal type? If so please explain. I know that to a rational being, sex is the greatest expression of that being, but masturbation is like having sex with oneself. Is there anything unethical or irrational about masturbation as well? From the Objectivist view point must all sexual pleasure be achieved with a person whom one loves? Is self-love of this sort rational?

[Betsy Speicher 0]

I know that to a rational being, sex is the greatest expression of that being, but masturbation is like having sex with oneself. Is there anything unethical or irrational about masturbation as well? From the Objectivist view point must all sexual pleasure be achieved with a person whom one loves? Is self-love of this sort rational?

I know at least two Objectivists who are psychotherapists who have recommended masturbation in contexts where sex with a partner is not possible. Where sex with a partner is possible, it is usually more desirable than masturbation but, for Objectivists, this is more of a psychological issue than a moral one. As Leonard Peikoff wrote:

The subject of sex is complex and belongs largely to the science of psychology. I asked Ayn Rand once what philosophy specifically has to say on the subject. She answered: "It says that sex is good."

[Scott A. 0]

Masturbation for men is healthy for several medical reasons and using pornography saves time. Also both masturbation and pornography allow a person to act out fantasies that the person may not be able to do with a real person. Is the use of pornography irrational as long as it is not the illegal type? If so please explain. I know that to a rational being, sex is the greatest expression of that being, but masturbation is like having sex with oneself. Is there anything unethical or irrational about masturbation as well? From the Objectivist view point must all sexual pleasure be achieved with a person whom one loves? Is self-love of this sort rational?

Without in any way trying to make light of a serious and interesting question, I can't help but recall something funny an undergraduate psychology professor of mine said about this issue. He said, "Masturbation is something people do when they don't have anything better to do."

As funny as this was (and probably meant to be), there is a point in it. There are all kinds of productive ways to spend ones time, and even leisure activities are or can be productive in the right contexts. If sex, either with someone else or via masturbation, becomes a dominating focus, then one probably has a problem. And by "dominating focus" I mean an obsession and/or compulsion, something one cannot get off his mind or refrain from doing, even to his own detriment. This would also include spending a very significant amount of time in sex-related activities, such as searching for or watching pornography.

To some of your questions, I think it would be irrational to expect someone not to masturbate if he is not in a relationship. Sex is obviously an incredibly pleasurable activity, and with such direct access to the "equipment" of that pleasure, it is hard to imagine someone refraining from it.

In terms of pornography, one way to look at it is as sexual stimuli, and the question becomes how much and what kind of stimuli does one want or need. The amount and type of stimuli will say something about the individual's psychology. The more stimulation from it he needs and the more the pornography is deviant, the more likely he has a psychological problem.

In general, if someone who is not in a relationship engages in rational self-control, but also allows for the reasonability of masturbation in this context, he will be able to go for periods of time without masturbating (as he will also be focused on other, more productive things). By the time he is ready for a "release," he won't need much, if any, stimulation from pornography.

p.s. I am not a sex researcher nor is this my area of expertise. My view is rooted in other ideas in psychology, but it may not agree with what those who study this area have to say.

[herbDocJon 0]

If you enjoy it and you are NOT hurting anybody then this is a safe alternative to sex with another human being. If you currently have an outbreak of a spreadable contagious disease (Herpes, CHLAMYDIA) then yes, please masturbate because protection may not be covering that section of your body that is covered with the pathogen.

One other point is what is normal? Some fetishes may be normal for you but not for others. Frequency will definitely be higher in the teenage years--totally normal. The thoughts used for arrousal may not be "acceptable" to everyone but who cares what you do in the privacy of your own room

Also, from what I've been reading in health journals if you don't use it you lose it--especially for Senior citizens! The latest medical research to prevent prostate cancer is at least THREE times per week--no need to do it 3 times per day to stay healthy as this would be unnecessary for your health.