What is pornography? According to Merriam Webster, dictionary online pornography is defined as "the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement". Yet, many people have different definition of what they consider pornography and what is not. Susan Brownmiller is a feminist activist who wrote an essay "Lets Put Pornography Back in the Closet" argues that pornography should not be protected under the First Amendment. Jacoby on the other hand, disagrees with Brownmiller and says that any form of censorship of pornography is not right. So, should society, let government censor pornography just because they do not have an exact definition of what is considered pornographic? Pornography has no place in society as a whole and therefore should not be censored by our government. .
Society has a different opinion about pornography and some say that it is unhealthy or bad. According to Wicclair states that "different people have different criteria for deciding when something is degrading, humiliating, etc."(328). Wicclair is saying that there is not a clear definition of pornography because everyone is different and think differently too. Sometimes people can say that a certain movies like "Looking for Mr.Goodbar"(Jacoby 50), art, and ads are corrupting ones morality or judgment because they have sexual images or scenes. Everyone is different and not the same and hold his or her own definition. Another example to support this is an article by Susan Jacoby "I asked five women for their reactions to one picture in Penthouse and got responses that ranged from "lovely" and "sensuous" to "revolting" and "demeaning"."(49). Jacoby is saying that there is no agreement on what is pornography because people have different opinions. Wicclair and Jacoby agree that people do not have a clear definition of what is pornography because some people may think one thing and others another.