We’ve been told that all men watch porn, and most of us have never researched whether that is true. Worse, we can use that unfounded statement as an excuse to justify our own behavior or to encourage others to do so.
Here’s another example. As a young person, I was told that it takes seven years to digest swallowed gum, so I never swallowed it. However, science says the gum goes through the same process and takes the same amount of time to digest as any other food.
I now understand what is true, but I still behave as if it were false. I still refuse to swallow gum and encourage my kids not to as well, because deep down, I still believe it will stay in my stomach for a long time. I justify my behavior based on something proven unscientific and flat-out wrong.
Do All Men Watch Porn?
Do all men watch porn? It’s difficult to answer the question definitively. What is meant by “all men watch porn”?
Does that mean that all men have seen pornography? If that’s the interpretation, then that is most likely true for not only men, but also women. A 2005 study of Danish adults ages 18 to 30 found 98% of the men and 80% of the women had seen pornography. In American culture, in 2018, the likelihood of anyone 18 or older never seeing pornography is nearly impossible. But I don’t think that’s what is meant by the phrase “all men watch porn.”
Does that mean all male adults watch porn daily? That’s certainly not the case. If you’re a man reading this article, you have gone at least one day without watching porn. So that’s not it.
Is the question getting at whether all male adults watch porn regularly? That’s mostly likely the most accurate assumption, but what does “regularly” mean?
A 2014 Barna Group survey revealed 65% of U.S. non-Christian men, and 64% of U.S. Christian men, looked at pornography at least once a month. Here’s the breakdown according to age:
- 79% of 18- to 30-year-olds
- 67% of 31- to 49-year-olds
- 49% of 50- to 68-year-olds
- 63% of 18- to 30-year-olds
- 38% of 31- to 49-year-olds
- 25% of 50- to 68-year-olds
Based on those statistics, we can say with all certainty, most men look at porn at least once a month. That’s quite a bit different from saying all men look at porn all the time, but statistics show it’s trending more that way than the other direction.
And those numbers produce consequences. Consider this, a 2016 study on Canadian adolescents revealed 45.3% admitting to having erectile dysfunction. A 2015 study showed men (mean age of 36) having erectile dysfunction accompanied with a low desire for sex with a partner is commonly seen in clinical practice among those seeking help for excessive sexual behavior who often “use pornography and masturbate.”
That’s the bad news.
Join the Men Choosing a Life Without Porn
The good news is that many men have realized the devastatingly negative impact pornography has on themselves, their relationships, and society.
Organizations like NoFap, Reboot Nation, Fight the New Drug, and Covenant Eyes, among others, are bringing this topic to light. Because of the work of these organizations and others, many men have found freedom through education and accountability.
So, do all men watch porn? No. However, a majority of men do look at porn at least once a month.
This article was written by Dan Armstrong of Covenant Eyes. You can find his original post here: www.covenanteyes.com/2018/07/30/do-all-men-watch-porn/