Sex is all around us, and not just through music like Donna Summer's above, in which she hints strongly at a recording-studio orgasm. (Time counted 22 in total in her extended version of the song.) Lately, thanks to Republican efforts to repress it through subjugating legislation and moral hyperbole, the side effect for our politics has been more explicit language, not less.
The word "vagina" leading a newscast would have been verboten back in a more sexually-repressed era -- but now, in this only slightly less sexually-repressed era, it is not only a catalyst for sophomoric giggling, but also for legitimate and introspective political conversation. That is, if it's approached honestly. That is what we aim to do today, as we continue an adult conversation about sexuality and politics, concentrating today on the very problematic industry of pornography.
Before we get to that, though, we'll talk about how the presidential candidates' jobs plans compare, the struggle for cities to innovate with dwindling resources, Mitt Romney's various positions on the Supreme Court decision on health care reform, and the importance of musician Frank Ocean "coming out."
Our guests will include:
- Eleanor Clift, contributor to Newsweek and The Daily Beast.
- Dan Dicker, CNBC contributor, principal partner at MercBloc, and author of "Oil's Endless Bid: Taming the Unreliable Price of Oil to Secure Our Economy."
- Michael Eric Dyson, professor at Georgetown University and MSNBC contributor.
- Jaclyn Friedman, writer, educator, and activist. Jaclyn is also the author of "What You Really Want: The Smart Girl's Shame-Free Guide to Sex & Safety."
- Steven Mufson, energy reporter at the Washington Post.
- Ed Pawlowski, mayor of Allentown, PA.
- Tristan Taormino, sex-positive feminist and author of "The Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation."
- Zephyr Teachout, associate professor of law at Fordham University.
- William "Pete" Welch, councilman in Baltimore's District 9.
We hope that you interact with us during the show here in the comments of this post, on Facebook, and on Twitter, using the hashtag #nerdland -- and encourage others to do the same. We look forward to having you join us at 10am ET on msnbc!
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If nothing else, this week's show topic ensures that those affiliated with #nerdland a new and interesting set of followers on twitter.
When Mitt Romney says that he has a "plan" he reminds me of Richard Nixon who also campaigned on having a plan to get out of Vietnam. It turned out that Nixon had no viable plan and he actually esculated the war that went on for another 5 years.
It might be good to remember that Adolph Hitler got elected to office by promising to make sure everyone was employed after German unemployment rose to 30%. Hitlers policies match several items in Romney's jobs plan:
US fiscal policy caused the German unemployment because the US economic collapse of the Great Depression forced investors and banks to recall German loans and halt investment.
The US banking industry collapsed the stock market because the vast majority of investors used real estate as collateral for bank loans that were used to purchase stock. Those loans were recalled in the summer of 1929 after the real estate industry collapsed, starting in California.
US real estate industry collapsed because Mexican Repatriation created millions of abandoned houses by forcing 2 million residents out of the country, and those mortgages stopped being paid about 6 months after the Hoover administration reduced the 1929 number for "legal" Mexican immigrants to the number living in the country in 1909 just prior to the Mexican revolution.
There was no recovery during the Great Depression because a drought began in 1932 which created millions more abandoned dwellings because federal aid was not provided to farmers, which created a second wave of banking and stock failures.
The economic collapse of 2007 occurred because depression era banking regulations were eliminated by Clinton and Bush shortly before millions of Mexican residents were expelled from the country, which was followed by a drought in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and so on.
Neither Romneys's plan nor Obama's plan fully address with these issues.
So, instead of the CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) causing all of this and you know 'poor people', according to Fox and the right-wing fringe, it's really caused by CRS (Can't Remember S**t).
All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again...
Conservative news media is mostly to blame for looser television morals because of their choosing to make daily public statements about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky for years.
It's impossible to put the genie back after you rub the lamp and make a wish.
Bobby Jindal really believes what he says. F**k the poor.
The rich are the chosen ones. Moral hazard to help the helpless.
Jindal is simply trying to "fit" his ideals with Romney's.
Romney's plan for prosperity: Choose to be born to a wealthy family.
no Rommey's plan is get off ask and quit askin for free stuff
Professor Harris-Perry, please take the lead in correcting the media's misuse of the caduceus! The symbol your show used today (with the tax/penalty graphic) has two snakes and wings: that's Hermes staff; he escorts the dead the the underworld. Bad omen.
Instead, we should use the staff of Apollo and Asclepius, medicine's founders: one snake, no wings.
While this piece was amazing and I love MHP's show, I do have one major gripe about how incomplete this topic's discussion turned out to be. All this talk - about whether it's "ultimately bad" or "sometimes good," how it shapes society's views on women and ethnicity, how it affects the economy, all those who make money off of it, from Hotel chains to authors - and not a single mention of what makes it all possible...young, attractive women willing to have sex on film, for money. It would have been a much more complete piece, to have at least mentioned this point, if not to host a porn performer, along with the rest of this cast. I have my assumptions as to why this wasn't done, as finding an articulate porn performer is not an easy task. But regardless, the failure to acknowledge this most obvious aspect of porn, is to ignore valuable insights that most viewers may not ever consider...like the reality that these women, while largely being portrayed in the media as the ultimate "victims" of porn, are making high 6-figure incomes, working 3-4 days per week, with the vast majority of them (being on 1099's) never paying a dime in tax and living a super-high life for 2-10 years, before eventually slipping into the L.A. underworld and either disappearing into it, or eventually becoming a simple prostitute - the fate of the average porn star, once she is no longer young and attractive.
While this piece was amazing and I love MHP's show, I do have one major gripe about how incomplete this topic's discussion turned out to be. All this talk - about whether it's "ultimately bad" or "sometimes good," how it shapes society's views on women and ethnicity, how it affects the economy, all those who make money off of it, from Hotel chains to authors - and not a single mention of what makes it all possible...young, attractive women willing to have sex on film, for money. It would have been a much more complete piece, to have at least acknowledged this phenomenon, as well as to have acknowledged how it is becoming socially acceptable (if not outright celebrated) to be a porn performer, where as just 10 years back it was still, 100% taboo...the ultimate, dive off the deep end of life, if you will. Not they are "stars." It would have been a more objective piece if the show hosted a porn performer, along with the rest of this cast. I have my assumptions as to why this wasn't done, as finding an articulate porn performer is not an easy task. But regardless, the failure to acknowledge this most obvious aspect of porn, is to ignore valuable insights that most viewers may not ever consider...like the reality that these women, while largely being portrayed in the media as the ultimate "victims" of porn, are making high 6-figure incomes, working 3-4 days per week, with the vast majority of them (being on 1099's) never paying a dime in tax and living a super-high life for 2-10 years, before eventually slipping into the L.A. underworld and either disappearing into it, or eventually becoming simple prostitutes - the fate of the average porn star, once she is no longer young and attractive. I have no specific point to make here, other than to illustrate just how "safe" this news piece was, and how much more of a discussion could have been had, if the piece itself had been a bit gutsier.
Man is the sole biological species that has destroyed its own
natural sexual function and is sick as a consequence of this. Not a single neurotic is orgastically potent, and the character
structures of the overwhelming majority of men and women are neurotic. Clinical experience shows that, as a result of universal sexual
suppression, men and women have lost the ability to experience the
ultimate surrender to the involuntary. It is precisely this previously
unrecognized phase of final excitation and resolution of tension that
I have in mind when I speak of "orgastic potency." It constitutes the
primal and basic biological function which man has in common with all
living organisms. All experiencing of nature is derived from this
function or from the longing for it. Dr. Wilhelm Reich
EGZIABEHER Rapture Rhyme Haiku Quadratic Equation View
Le Petit Mort's Orgastic Potency
Le Grand Mort's That Long Black Train
All that can be shaken will be...
So Only Unshakables Remain
Truth, Equal Rights, Justice (or)Fire and Ice
Progesterone ain't nothin' nice...
Love, Joy, Peace and Elbow Grease for Empress Professor Melissa by Basic Black Eagle
Professor - Love being part of Nerdland; never miss a show.
Here's the thing, though. During your "coming out" discussion, you used the word "admit" (or some variation) regarding people coming out. To me "admit" implies a negative. Isn't what some folks are doing is "acknowledging" their orientation? I've never felf that I "admit" I'm straight, although I acknowledge it if asked.
Nerdland,
I've seriously tried to refrain from the constant stream of comments that cite the "technical problems" that online viewers have in viewing the show, but I find I can no longer resist.
Is it really necessary for the segments to be linked in a reverse chronology (or even worse, in a totally "out of sequence" order) when viewed online?
You're promoting yourselves as "Nerdland". Doesn't that at least imply that you are "technology savvy" enough to manage the presentation of your content in a "user friendly" way?
I appreciate that the show is "online" well ahead of Chris's, even though you broadcast two hours after his, but having to continuously click the "prior" segment in order to view the show in its proper sequence is tedious for those of us who view it online.
We appreciate the concern, and we share it. The fact that the show is out of sequence is not of our doing; it is a function of the program. You can watch the entire show in order here, at our video hub: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46979745/vp. Thanks for watching!
I am a regular viewer of the show and appreciate MHP's POV very much. However, I felt today's segment on pornography was not just poorly done, it was probably a mistake. Professor Harris-Perry, in taking on this role is creating a political dialogue about women in a talk show format. The show had an obligation to present all points of view, including the point of view of the professor that e-mailed her. Instead, the show presented an intellectual, feminist discussion that was better suited for a college classroom. We don't watch the show to watch you teach and philosophize. If I were to be unkind, I would say that this was a Rush Limbaugh type moment - where the comments of a legislator about her anatomy to advocate for women's rights were turned into, literally, a pornographic exercise, instead of a discussion of the politics of women's health and the war on women. Obama is mobilizing women on this issue, and your show eloquently and powerfully showed us how much work we have to do. Even really smart and educated women aren't tuned in to how powerful this issue is.
One in three women is affected by sexual violence in this country. 2.6 million women in the US are currently living after a diagnosis of breast cancer, where most have had life saving mastectomies. We can talk about the statistics for domestic violence, and we haven't even addressed the racial stereotypes that the panel addressed.
Talking about porn - in an intellectualized, college seminar tone in today's political climate is at best insensitive and tone deaf. At worst, its the wrong tactic for approaching the war on women at a time when women's bodies and lives need advocates now more than ever.
Hopefully this won't happen again.
It has often confused me why feminists have not embraced the Porn medium called Hentia. For those not aware of it, it is a from of pornographic cartoon made usually in japan. Setting the aside the reactions of "Ew weird cartoons" and "Ew weird tentacles", lets look a minute here.
1) No actors or actresses are involved. This means that people are not being exploited or degraded in the production of the material, and thus the material can be a "Pure Medium" for expression of views about sex and sexuality without harm to anyone in the process of conveying that message.
2) Nearly all Hentia are in the form of a story. While most mainstream porn revolves around the act of sex, Hentia usually involves massive amounts of context in relation to the people having sex, explaining why they are interested in each other and their goals and ideas about themselves (or at least their sex lives). This would allow people creating porn to add depth and express values in relation to sex and sexuality, promoting healthy ideas about sex through a medium of entertainment.
3) Several areas go completely out of their way to depict women as empowered and assertive in sex. In reference to Jaleen Starks post above, the genera "Ahegao" revolves entirely around the idea of people experiencing euphoric bliss during sex.
For those who are obviously going to reply "Its just about filthy tentacles" I offer two references. Please google : HHH+Distance , and then Fukudahda+"Honey Blonde". Neither involves tentacles, Both involve women who (in my view) express their sexuality comfortably and with authority. Obviously, other are welcome to argue the point.
The other day I heard that Bin Laden had a vast collection of porn. Although its not hard to believe, I am a bit skeptical because this "coincidental finding" seems to happen whenever some discredited tyrant not aligned with the US interests is unceremoniously removed from power by our government. Still the graphic images of the smoldering Twin Towers with thousands of lives lost is as pornographic as it gets.
I suspect that pornography is not restricted to a few crazy fanatics but is circulated widely in the halls of power and even amongst those who proclaim themselves as our spiritual leaders.
The fact that internet pornography in its crudest form is often readily tolerated within the military even as the record shows countless women within the US armed forces have been subject to sexual abuse not to mention all the rape, pillage and mutilation of women as well as men that has followed armed conflicts throughout history shows that war itself is the ultimate form of pornography and its glorification by our leaders both past and present sadly proves that we as a society have been delving very deeply in it since the early days of the republic.
great segments on frank ocean and on pornography. pretty incredible for mainstream media. as an aside, i want to shout out the backup-dancer choreography in the donna summer video you posted - a sort of 70s goblinlike ballet-jazz that's either atrocious or perfect!
The conversations that we are not supposed to have are the ones we really need to have. Joe Williams brings up race in an offhand comment he made about Romney being on Fox and Friends and he is not just reprimanded but fired. Crikies- no doubt is impossible for MHP to cover this due to MSNBC management politics, but for pete's sake- poll some non white conservatives- Fox and Friends is very white. It is has nothing to do with politics or race really- it is cultural.
Joe Williams said what everyone thinks but no one is supposed to say.
Similarly, discussions of sex on television have more to do with bumping ratings than honestly discussing and unraveling some of our socially demented ways we treat gender and sexuality in our culture. We aren't supposed to admit to self pleasure. Only Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert frankly acknowledge the unstated fact. In the US, 55 percent of men and 38 percent of women do so on a regular basis, and solo masturbation is common with married couples. (source)
Jaclyn Friedman made the point that there are many porn operators she'd like to see go out of business, but nonetheless porn is like novels- the genre is neither good nor bad in and of themselves. Others have a different view view the topic through the lens of purity themes. Regardless whether they are informed by progressive morality or Christian mores, the resonance with American puritanism is the same. The trouble it is not like repression is much of an option. Biologically my hormones are telling me to mate with as many fertile females as possible. I have random thoughts at the Sunday school as a kind caregiver leans over to pick up my child. I see down her blouse and my emotions lock on. Someplace in my brain there is this narrative on selection running- Saying- she is kind, she is fertile- and next thing I notice I am getting visibly aroused and my eyes are fixed. Most times I catch myself and defuse it. I am happily married really- many kids and I have absolutely no interest in any affair with anyone. Honestly. Maybe this is all a rationalization, but self pleasuring substantially reduces these sorts of problems and I my thinking is far less colored by these impulses. Visual imagery is essential but I imagine myself to be in a close relationship with the person, and a person whose personality I admire. It seems to me that if I secure images from people who are not being demeaned, and I am not imagining relationships that would promote narratives of domination in my mind that I am not harming people in the real world, nor my psychological health towards others, and is acting like a grounding wire for my sometimes intense hormonal impulses.
It seems to me that porn in this situation is providing a positive role. I have no idea how I am going to go into this with my two boys, but it is true that porn can influence their narratives of positive relationships towards women- so I will have to figure this out and talk to them bluntly about it before they start finding out on their own about it. I don't want portrayal of non intimate relationships to turn them into sociopaths unable to have meaningful relationships with whichever gender appeals to them. Like imagining you are orally pleasuring your partner. It's a huge romantic and natural feeling to want to give pleasure to the one you love or feel great respect and admiration for. But that sort of interaction with porn only works if you can somehow project an intimate relationship on the person. In a video, the depicted partner messes up all that personal narrative, and as far as I can see it is an objectified experience just based on sexual impulses. The depicted emotional relationships are so crude and un-tender, I never can relate to them. Nor have I seen a single porn film I would think would present positive models for my boys. Only stills of respectfully depicted partners they honestly imagine as a champions of excellent character- someone they would marry- only these sorts of images make any sense to me.
This is not idealism here, it is reality. You know the number of fan letters Ginger got versus Mary Ann? How about polls on which one men preferred. Kind Mary Ann was the one that turned on most of them, by a ratio of 3 to 1. Really. Guys are nuts, its true. But we are not as nuts as is often supposed. It goes to biological levels- Mary Ann would protect the brood. Ginger would not. Genetic selection pressures favor attributes that Mary Ann displays. It is so non conscious that it has little to do with social or cultural associations. It is predates our existence as hominids.
Anyway, thumbs up to the good doctor for speaking about yet another unspeakable topic with guests capable of discussing the issues in a substantive rather than prurient way.
I don't understand why I can't see previous comments; but still recommend that people check out another perspective on this show about porn:
If you want to find out more about the person whose email was read, Gail Dines, go to
Please correct me if I'm wrong but I think CivilSavage meant to post a link to Gail Dines' web site : gaildines.com. (btw- New contributors have links stripped due to problems with vandals attempting to get visitors to click into malicious sites. Until posting enough contributions, new users can inform others of sites by stripping the http: portion. I don't think you have to strip the dot, but if it doesn't take, then convert the period to "dot". )
Anyway, Dines makes an important (I think she would say overriding) point about the alarming trends in ever more violent and highly objectified depictions of women. It is hard for even the most licentious consumers of porn to be indifferent to the demonstrable psychological and sociological impact this has on our society's foundational relationships between people.
I think Dines' work to elevate awareness of this is good, but it is hard to believe that anyone sitting at the MHP table required extensive enlightenment on the subject. Friedman and Teachout did mention it explicitly but personally, I welcomed MHP's effort to put the boundaries our further into new territory.
I love your show, so when I was on vacation I missed it live. I love it so much you even got a shout out in my webcomic: (Yes, my words were "Off the Chain.) Last night I watched Saturday's show and you blew my mind.
My first date with my wife was in Allentown, PA. We went there to see a show, the Arrogant Worms were opening for Eddie From Ohio. We hit it off but she had missed the bus from Allentown to Baltimore. There was a layover in Philadelphia, so we drove to Philly. I was low on money and took the backroad to get there. We cracked up because every time we saw a porn shop on that road there was a doughnut shop right next to it. If we saw a doughnut shop and no adult book store we would comment, but it seemed that every few miles on that road there was Doughnuts and Porn.
Saturday's show had Allentown, PA, Doughnuts and porn. It's like you recreated my first date with my wife.
Thank you.