From Publishers Weekly
In his quest to debunk the widely held assumption that pornography warps its users' views of sexuality, journalist Loftus interviewed nearly 150 men about their relationships with pornographic materials. He admits that his set of interviews are not a truly random representation of society: a relatively high percentage are gay or bisexual, for instance, and many hold advanced degrees or have above-average incomes. The men are forthcoming and reflectve as they recount their first exposures to erotic materials and analyze how pornography has affected their lives, revealing emotional responses ranging from pleasure to indifference and disgust. However, the book stumbles when interviewees move from speaking as pornography consumers to sociological pundits and respond to more topical concerns. When asked about the possible link between pornography and violence or the supposed prevalence of sexual abuse among porn performers, their responses are understandably subjective and lacking in depth. Loftus's own arguments are at times simplistic as well. In an attempt to refute the feminist claim that pornography treats women as objects, for instance, he argues that the interviewees are not objectifying women because they do not explicitly say that they are doing so, not allowing for the possibility that the interviewees may not be aware of their own murky motives or responses. The lack of nuanced interpretation on Loftus's part and the limited cross-section of interviewees make some of the book's claims, such as the idea that a high percentage of men would prefer plot-driven, less explicit pornography, ring somewhat false. Yet the book opens a fascinating window on sub-kinks such as furry erotica (fantasy narratives involving human-like animals) and MUSH (Multi-User Shared Hallucination) role-playing. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


San Francisco Chronicle, February 2, 2003
"[H]e debunks issue by issue, line by line . . . Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin. His arguments are tight and fiery. . . ."


The Lake Oswego (Oregon) Review, January 9, 2003
"[F]or those who've never had the opportunity to talk pornography with 150 strangers, his findings are eye opening. . . ."


Book Description
The author of this book did something so simple and obvious that it never occurred to anyone before: Talked to guys about their use of porn. For decades, experts from every imaginable discipline and political perspective talked about what happens to men when they look at pornography, but none of them ever bothered to check the accuracy of their remarks against what the men themselves might have to say. David Loftus surveyed men about their experiences, perceptions, attitudes, tastes, and recommendations for social policy; let them say whatever they liked; then compared their comments to what the "experts" have said over the years. The contrast is astounding.


From the Publisher
The gulf between critics of pornography and those who use it seems unbridgeable. Not only do the two sides disagree about its effect on society and individual men and women, they cannot even agree on what it is. Where one finds objectification, subordination, degradation, and violence against women, the other sees beauty, fun, pleasure, female power and assertiveness, and fantasy. Freud never asked, "What do men want?" but Catharine MacKinnon asserts, "Pornography provides an answer. Pornography permits men to have whatever they want sexually. It is their ‘truth about sex’." Is this true? Dozens of books have been published on pornography, yet almost none feature the voices of the men who use it. Indeed, most of our ideas about men and pornography are theoretical, and most are entirely derived from women. Watching Sex explores pornography through the eyes of men who use it. The interviews with nearly 150 men — between the ages of 19 and 67, single, married, divorced and widowed, straight, gay, and bisexual — are telling and provocative accounts of what they think, feel, and do in response to pornography. Their answers confound the now conventional wisdom promulgated by anti-pornography feminists, who would have us believe, in the words of Robin Morgan, "Pornography is the theory; rape the practice." Watching Sex provides a window on the true nature of men’s sexuality that will prove of enduring importance.


From the Author
This book grew out of my admiration and respect for feminism -- going all the way back to college and before. In this one area, however, many feminist theorists missed the boat entirely, and were responsible for much confusion between the sexes, pain, and even some legislative/legal mischief. I would hope after reading my book, that men would become more comfortable with their tastes and desires; that women would become more understanding of men’s motivations and proclivities, and more accepting, whether or not the women find pornography that appeals to them; and that society would stop wasting so much time and energy worrying about trying to control pornography. We have far more important things to do.


From the Inside Flap
"As a longtime advocate of the right to read or see anything one chooses, I found Loftus's study of men who look at pornography refreshing and reassuring. Contrary to the anti-female, pro-violence messages that antiporn crusaders ascribe to it, many of its fans in fact see something totally different. It was long past time we heard from them, and Loftus is to be applauded for his unique contribution to the public debate." -- Nadine Strossen, President, American Civil Liberties Union and author of Defending Pornography "What seems clear is that in the light of Loftus's book, easy presumptions about men and pornography will hereafter need to be challenged and reexamined." -- Charles Champlin, author of Hollywood's Revolutionary Decade and George Lucas: The Creative Impulse "A breath of fresh air in the pornography debates. David Loftus has had the exceedingly original idea of asking men, lots of them, what they think about, and how they use, pornography. Their answers are both surprising and diverse. Neither a sociological inquiry nor a critical analysis, neither a condemnation nor a defense, Loftus's book nevertheless tells us much that we need to know about the everyday uses of pornography." -- Linda Williams, Director, Program in Film Studies, UC Berkeley, and author of Hard Core: Power, Pleasure, and the "Frenzy of the Visible" "In this 'politically correct' age when Orwell's repressive Anti-Sex League has materialized insidiously on the left and the right, it's heartening to read an honest, intelligent appraisal of the mercurial virtues of smut." -- Tom Robbins, author of Jitterbug Perfume and Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates


About the Author
David Loftus was born and raised in Oregon. He received his bachelor's in English and American Literature with high honors from Harvard. His other books include Boston College High School 1863-1983 and The Unofficial Book of Harvard Trivia. A distance runner, performing folk dancer (Scandinavian and English Morris), and free-lance journalist, Loftus has also sung in chamber and symphonic choirs as well as read literature aloud before live audiences, and for recordings and radio broadcasts for the blind. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, a dog, and cat.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The gulf between critics of pornography and those who use it seems unbridgeable. Not only do the two sides disagree about its effect on society and individual men and women, they cannot even agree on what it is. Where one finds objectification, subordination, degradation, and violence against women, the other sees beauty, fun, pleasure, female power and assertiveness, and fantasy. Freud never asked, "What do men want?" but Katherine MacKinnon asserts, "Pornography provides an answer. Pornography permits men to have whatever they want sexually. It is their ￯﾿ﾽtruth about sex'." Is this true? Dozens of books have been published on pornography, yet almost none feature the voices of the men who use it. Indeed, most of our ideas about men and pornography are theoretical, and most are entirely derived from women. Watching Sex explores pornography through the eyes of men who use it. The interviews with nearly 150 men—between the ages of 19 and 67, single, married, divorced and widowed, of straight, gay, and bisexual—are telling and provocative accounts of what they think, feel, and do in response to pornography. Their answers confound the now conventional wisdom promulgated by anti-pornography feminists, who would have us believe, in the words of Robin Morgan, "Pornography is the theory; rape the practice." Watching Sex provides a window on the true nature of men's sexuality that will prove of enduring importance.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly