“Here’s a shocker: Porn is not No. 1. I’ve actually been puzzled by the decrease in visits to the Adult Entertainment category over the last two years. Visits to porn sites have dropped from 16.9% of all site visits in the U.S. in October 2005 to 11.9% as of last week, a 33% decline. Currently, for web users over the age of 25, Adult Entertainment still ranks high in popularity, coming in second, after search engines. Not so for 18- to 24-year-olds, for whom social networks rank first, followed by search engines, then web-based e-mail — with porn sites lagging behind in fourth.” [Entire Article]
The secular columnist gives credit to the idea that the social networking sites do two things:
#1 They draw the interest of this age group more than porn sites, stating that 18-24 year olds would rather talk with friends online than look at skin.
#2 They say that the social networking sites take up so much of the time of the 18-24 year old that they have no extra time to surf porn sites.
I however, believe this gives more validity to the Biblical world view that a lot of the more modern churches have been sharing for several years now. That view being that we were created to connect in authentic community. Is Facebook and Myspace authentic community? Some may say no, but I would bet that those individuals are from a less tech-friendly generation. If you were to ask a majority of high school students who it was that made up their friends list, I am sure an overwhelming majority of them would be friends from school, church, and social groups or clubs that they are doing life with outside of the virtual world. The next highest number of friends on their lists most likely comes from bands and movie stars. We all know that students are not having long conversations with movie stars and band members. These young adults are spending time with their friends.
Social Networking sites do connect us with people around the world, but through examining the profiles and comments of students you will see that their time is being spent with those that they are doing life together with, outside of the virtual world. Porn does not do this. Yes it gives cheap thrills and a limited amount of pleasure, but I believe that Generation Y as well as the Mosaic Generation is finding that they are more satisfied with real life connections. The principle that we were created to connect, is transferable to life outside of the computer box, and into our relationships. Porn does not provide a genuine connection with people, therefore it does not meet the need to connect.
This proof of a Biblical principle relates to premarital sex as well. Most students enter into a sexual relationship looking for an emotional bond with another person, they desire to connect and they desire to feel and be loved. They take the natural desire that God has given us to connect with one another and they combine it with what our secular society teaches about sex, and it ultimately becomes destructive for a majority of young people. While groups like Planned Parent Hood discourage and disagree with teaching on Abstinence, I believe the church and the home need to increase their efforts in teaching God’s plan for marriage, dating, and connecting in community. We have all heard negativity of the social networking sites, but it is always good news to hear that less people are visiting porn sites.
Nick
