I came across this post and found it profound because it so elegantly reveals a deeper truth. The fight against porn isn’t waged with iron, steel, or gunpowder. Nor is it merely a mental struggle; it’s a spiritual one. Porn is a destructive force, and to defeat it, you have to look inward and acknowledge that you don’t want to keep perpetuating someone’s trauma. This might seem obvious to some, but it was a revelation that only hit me recently. It was actually when Mike Cernovich laid this out on Tucker Carlson’s podcast.
His point was that we grew up surrounded by filth, so many of us didn’t realize any better. I vividly remember, as a young boy, the first time I watched porn: I just about reached the point of no return before even touching myself. I don’t say this with pride. I was far too young for it, but access through the internet was too easy.
Now please understand I’m not advocating for censorship; in fact, I’m a proponent of the opposite. I believe people should be free to debate their ideas in the open marketplace. But what I am pointing out is that porn has never been more accessible in human history. The internet is like a hammer; it can be used to build something valuable or destroy, depending on how it’s wielded. It’s all just a tool. With just a few clicks, you can share profound thoughts or waste an entire day immersed in violent, pornographic, and deranged content. Choose wisely!
I recall hearing a crazy statistic that 40% of the internet was porn. I don’t know if that’s true or accurate, but it’s certainly believable. One of my ex-girlfriends once broke up with me because I couldn’t kick the habit. At the time, I thought she was in the wrong because everyone did it. That was literally my rebuttal “Everyone does it what’s the big deal”. I feel great shame looking back. Not at my inability to quit at the time, but at the fact that I blamed her instead of seeing the truth.
We learn so much as we grow up and pain is the best teacher. It all worked out in the end and my fiance is a dime who I would not trade for anyone. I love her dearly and she blessed me with a beautiful daughter who is perfect. The point I hope to get across is I don’t know if I would’ve reached the same conclusion at this point in my life about porn had I not learned the painful lesson earlier in my life. Everything happens for a reason and my ex and me both found partners and had children so there was clearly a happy ending for everyone. I also don’t plan on ever reaching out to say, “Hey, you were right about how awful porn is, especially to young men” because our relationship is over, and no closure is needed. We split on amicable terms, but it’s eye-opening to look back and realize how wrong I was, especially when I once thought she was being ridiculous. A humble lesson, but an important one.
Quitting porn is hard . No denying it. But if you do so it will make you a better person, 1000% without a doubt. Beat those demons. I posted this on my Nostr, and someone had a beautiful reply:
12/8/24
Conor Jay Chepenik
