General Discussion

arely staircase

(12,482 posts) Fri May 9, 2014, 07:36 PM May 2014

pornography and erotica [View all]

What is the difference?

Lets have a real academic discussion. While anti porn folks and hard core free speech folks will certainly contribute. I am more interested in the opinions art scholars.

90 replies

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pornography and erotica [View all] arely staircase May 2014 OP

Both are mere fantasy and quite a bore... Cooley Hurd May 2014 #1

This ^ ^ ^ Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2014 #31

Which is this? elleng May 2014 #2

erotica arely staircase May 2014 #3

I think so too, elleng May 2014 #21

toro me rhat is also erotica arely staircase May 2014 #28

Is that Matthew Mcconaugheywith a mustache? Lint Head May 2014 #51

A painting Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2014 #32

Art... Cooley Hurd May 2014 #40

Nothing to be 'sorry' about, Cooley! elleng May 2014 #41

Serious question: armpit hair mathematic May 2014 #48

Dunno, elleng May 2014 #49

Porn is kitsch. rrneck May 2014 #4

so would you saybporn is purient without a truy artistic value? arely staircase May 2014 #5

Yeah but the problem is rrneck May 2014 #16

i don't consider the vag egg drop to be either arely staircase May 2014 #20

It's art. rrneck May 2014 #24

I agree it is art. not my cup of tea. but it is art arely staircase May 2014 #26

It's not erotic for me either rrneck May 2014 #29

"The minute we come up with an art canon some wise ass will drive through it with a Mack truck." nomorenomore08 May 2014 #62

Penetration. JaneyVee May 2014 #6

ok . nt arely staircase May 2014 #8

Erotica leaves a space for the viewer's imagination. Think the shower scene in Psycho- KittyWampus May 2014 #7

+ 1 nt arely staircase May 2014 #13

I'm on a phone so the spelling might be wrong rrneck May 2014 #17

Ah, you mean like Shunga & Kama Sutra? But they are not photographically realistic. KittyWampus May 2014 #22

Photographic realism is not that important. rrneck May 2014 #27

Porn vs. Erotica = Blatant vs. Subtle ..nt TeeYiYi May 2014 #9

best answer so far arely staircase May 2014 #10

not the thread i thought it would be lame54 May 2014 #11

must ask. what did you expect? arely staircase May 2014 #54

divorce lame54 May 2014 #12

lol nt arely staircase May 2014 #14

Tomato, tomata... Potato, Glassunion May 2014 #15

Porn has no point DonCoquixote May 2014 #18

I like that nt arely staircase May 2014 #55

Sounds like a good enough working definition to me. n/t nomorenomore08 May 2014 #64

Pornography is for those who know what they are watching and...... Bonhomme Richard May 2014 #19

I don't know if that's your line reflection May 2014 #39

I just thought of it so go ahead and use. n/t Bonhomme Richard May 2014 #44

I'm no art scholar kentauros May 2014 #23

The difference is whether you like it Prophet 451 May 2014 #25

Kind of like the old joke about the difference between a Faith, Sect, or Cult... petronius May 2014 #33

Very much so Prophet 451 May 2014 #38

No video? pintobean May 2014 #30

The price jberryhill May 2014 #34

150% of free is still free name not needed May 2014 #84

Porn is for men. Erotica is for women. Kablooie May 2014 #35

Or maybe (some) women just call the porn *they* like "erotica." nomorenomore08 May 2014 #65

I'm no art scholar libodem May 2014 #36

I agree that art classes help people to appreciate the human body kentauros May 2014 #58

I like smut c588415 May 2014 #37

Nothing, inherently. Sex is sex. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #67

"I know it when I see it" US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart. Historic NY May 2014 #42

A very old-fashioned definition eridani May 2014 #43

That is NOT correct... Jeff In Milwaukee May 2014 #46

This thread is useless without picures....(nt) Jeff In Milwaukee May 2014 #45

Here's a whole Italian archive, then: kentauros May 2014 #59

One costs more than the other (nt) The Straight Story May 2014 #47

What I like is erotica, what you like is porn Fumesucker May 2014 #50

I'm disappointed in this thread tularetom May 2014 #52

Well, what used to be considered porn, is today Cleita May 2014 #53

Another example.... rppper May 2014 #66

I'm sorry but.... De Leonist May 2014 #56

Good post. You summed it all up fairly well. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #71

Erotica is what gets you off. Porn is for everyone else. Major Nikon May 2014 #57

Al Goldstein publisher of Screw magazine, offered this...... msanthrope May 2014 #60

My question is who gets to decide? Major Nikon May 2014 #61

Every person has to decide for him/herself. Needless to say, I'm not in favor of any censorship. n/t nomorenomore08 May 2014 #72

Which means it's utterly and completely subjective Major Nikon May 2014 #77

It is pretty much completely subjective. You're right. n/t nomorenomore08 May 2014 #78

While I think calling themselves' "anti-porn" is rather pointless De Leonist May 2014 #63

The world does need better porn - more pleasurable, less exploitative. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #73

It's out there and in growing numbers Blue_Adept May 2014 #89

Yeah, pro-Kink, anti-Brazzars. joshcryer May 2014 #75

Give me smut and nothing but! edbermac May 2014 #68

I love both. cherokeeprogressive May 2014 #69

and that is cool. arely staircase May 2014 #70

You cannot judge art. Art is anything that elicits an emotion. Yavin4 May 2014 #74

Porn targets the loins, Erotica targets the mind. Ready4Change May 2014 #76

One can read that as lower and upper chakrahs... MrMickeysMom May 2014 #90

Pornography has drited towards erotica Harmony Blue May 2014 #79

The difference is a question of focus and intent Scootaloo May 2014 #80

I saw a cartoon years ago... rrneck May 2014 #81

What is BDSM? porn or erotica? darkangel218 May 2014 #82

Simply put, Erotica is of the mind Savannahmann May 2014 #83

Pornography is the stuff you hide, erotica is the stuff you show off. McCamy Taylor May 2014 #85

Also House of Roberts May 2014 #86

Erotica is accepted by the culture, Pornography is not intaglio May 2014 #87

"To know the difference between erotica and pornography retread May 2014 #88