Pornography is often portrayed as one of the ills of today’s society, evidence of modern moral decay brought to you by video cameras and broadband access.
As it turns out, modern times have got nothing on the past. Pornography existed long before video or even photography, and many researchers think evolution predisposed humans for visual arousal (it is a lot easier to pass on your genes if the sight of other naked humans turns you on, after all). Whichever way you slice it, the diversity of pornographic materials throughout history suggests that human beings have always been interested in images of sex. Lots and lots of sex.
“Sex has always played a super-important role for human beings and their relationships,” said Seth Prosterman, a clinical sexologist and licensed therapist in San Francisco. “What people do sexually has always been a curiosity, and of interest.”
The definition of “pornography” is famously subjective. After all, one
