Porn addiction

 Pornography is a highly strengthened industry especially after the internet revolution. It's estimated that 35% of the online traffic is of such adult content and thus making a return of above 100 US Dollars every year. This Shows an increasing trend after the pandemic because of the lockdown isolation, joblessness and frustrations. Its scientifically argued that men are more prone to such content since it's significant that sexual arousal mechanism in males are very much associated with visual stimulations. It doesn't mean, the woman are not addicted to pornography .The data shows its wide circulation among women as well.

Causes.

 Anything that compels you to consume again and again is what we call addiction. It's the dopamine trap to which the person falls when they feel getting momentary pleasure or high. It can make the same a habit and then into addiction. Increased smartphone usage, Cheaper data plans, price drop in high- end smart phones, High degree of internet penetration are the main contributing factors behind porn addictions. The adventurism among youth to experience momentary pleasures and their crave towards fantasy is also a reason behind this. As we know, youth is the most productive as well as dynamic phase of anyones life. Physically and mentally youth population is very vibrant and ready to explore everything. During such a highly receptive period, the above said factors are driving these minds to the dopamine trap and then makes them addicted to pornography very easily. Targeted ads of VPNs are also another reason for stimulating one's sexual ecstasy.

Impact.

Unlike other addictions, Porn addiction is very difficult to understand. People may find lot of excuses and pseudo scientific explanations to advocate pornography. Ofcorse, pornography have an artistic freedom and creativity in it, its addictive tendency is very harmful. It will effect one's physical efficiency not just sexual but of other activities too. Some people will have a wrong perception that masturbation when considered as an exercise will develop their sexual prowess and make them more masculine. This is totally wrong. Frequent masturbation will derail ones physical strength and make them more lean.

Effect of Porn addiction is very personal or subjective. Most of the people who are succumbed to such content get impaired on their cognitive abilities. They may loose interest in academics and any other productive tasks. Short term memory loss, and depression are its bad prognosis. They will face attention deficit and sometimes fails to build friendly relationship with the opposite sex. Watching excessively disturbing contents like object penetrations, BDSMs, Group sex, swinging, child pornography, etc may cause sexual perversions and often incite people into violent sexual practices and sadistic behaviour.

Pornography is an exaggerated version of sexual practice. Highly skilled physically attractive actors who perform such things that are well scripted to suits ones fantasy and imaginations that are not at all real. Youth, by their age, if start imitating such insane acts and expecting the same kind of falsified sexual experience may feel highly disappointed in coping up with real life sex and sometimes results in sexual abuses and crimes. Porn addiction also hampers ones arousal and orgasm. There exist a powerful racket for human trafficking and there are amble data to suggest that 80% of the porns generated are with immorally trafficked women. So, if a person addictive to porns is in principle promoting human trafficking too.

Solutions.

As the youth population is the most vulnerable age group in this issue, proper sex education is a solution to prevent misinformation of reality.

Limiting the use of smart phones and filtering out adult only websites will restrict ones accessibility and thus will gradually reduce addiction. The best way to escape from this dopamine loop is to reward your brain with any other positive thoughts like finding a hobby or practicing any art forms or engaging in sports. If a person is an addict, he might have saved a particular time to watch porns and to masturbate, as its a habit. It may be an isolated hour in one's daily life routine. Substituting these timing for other activities will help to divert the urge for porns. Finally, accepting one's addiction and seeking help from experts and counseling will also contribute alot for deaddiction. Awareness about legal actions and its consequences will definitely work as a deterrent.

Porn addiction , even though we usually find lot of excuses to normalise it as a natural instinct, always be clear that sex and porns are not taboos but addiction is.

Superstition is not at all super.

Every religion has lots of influence in so many aspects of indian society. Indian form of secularism that's enshrined in its constitution, not just permits one's religious rights but also assures equal promotions to such affairs. When religions completely mask one's scientific temper, people are becoming blind to basic science. The beliefs of such an unstable mind are easily subjected to get infused with unscientific assurances and promises from witchcrafts. Though Falling prey to such exploitations is a very dangerous trend, that has no place in a modern world,  people still follow such practices in secret, with lots of inhuman, immoral and unscientific activities for experiencing miraculous changes in their life. Be it some drop of water to heal an inoperable cancer and these are sometimes reach upto the level of human sacrifices.

As per 2021 report of National Crime Record Beuro( NCRB), 68 killings were occured as a part of witchcraft in 2021. And 6 deaths were happened purely as a human sacrifice. In 2020 also, 88 deaths were reported and 11 lives have sacrificed. The maximum number of cases were from Chattisgarh(20), Madhyapradesh(18), and Telangana(11). 

When we look at the legal remedies for these, section 302 can be taken against the culprits of human sacrifice as punishment for murder. Section 295(A) can also come into play if there is misuse of ones religious feeling in such superstitious practices. Article 51(A) of Indian constitution also Highlites the need for developing scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform, as a fundamental duty of an indian citizen. Drug and magical remedies act, 1954 stand against superstition when it comes in conflict with any scientifically established medical practices. 

Although there are provisions to punish the culprits of these kind of practices, peoples drive towards such things are still remain irresistible. States like Bihar( in 1999), Jharkhand( 2001) Chattisgarh (2008), Odisha (2013), Maharashtra (2013), Rajasthan (2015), Assam (2018) and Karnataka (2020) have enacted separate laws to prevent witchcrafts, we don't have enough central laws in this regard.

So, it's time to enact a comprehensive central laws with very lucid provisions. There should be awareness programs to facilitate scientific temper among the people. As most of such practices are circulated through social media platforms, regulating such contents is the need of hour. Mental health awareness is also to be incorporated in this mission to bring back the people from their frustration and to give them more mental health support.

Democracy is meaningless if you didnt get the answer to your questions.

The right to information is a basic right that's in line with the principles and spirit of Democracy. India, being the largest democracy in the world enacted this wonderful piece of Legislation in 2005. It's intended for ensuring accountability and transparency of a Govt office, or such offices that are substantially funded by the Govt Exchequer. RTI being the worlds mostly used legislation, has made a tremendous impact on Governance as it often referred to as a Damocles sword hanging above the rulers. But, the recent trend of stockpiling the RTI applications is an alarming reflection of the weakening democracy.

It's noticed that there are 3,14,323 RTI applications are now pending in India at different levels. As it have four layers starting from Central Assistant Public information officer, Appellate Division, State public information officer, and then Central public information officer, in a bottom- up fashion, delay in reply from any of these layers(30 days+ further 15days) is smockscreening on transparency and accountability. The most number of pending cases are reported from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal. There is a shocking estimate that the information commission will take another 24 years to clear the pending cases under RTI in West Bengal. With respect to the RTI act, 2005, the authorities are bound to pay penalties if they fail to provide the information unless that are not considered with confidentiality. But in case of 95% pending applications, there is no penalty imposed by the state so far.

Another reason for stockpiling of RTI, is the lack of Human Resources. In the state of Jharkhand and Tripura, the state information commission was defunct for 29 months and 15 months respectively. In Manipur, Tripura, West Bengal, and Anthrapradesh there is no Cheif public information commission. In total, one fourth of the posts comes under information commission remain vacant. There is only 5% women in the entire workforce, so women are also not adequately represented.

As we all once cherished for RTI, now these trends show the picture of RTI as a toothless tiger. The Govt, despite the intentions of incumbency, should act immediately to uphold the power of RTI and the principles of democracy. The vacant posts need to be filled immediately and the backlogged cases should be disposed by launching some special interventions. Without the right to question and the Right to receive answers, 'Democracy' is a meaningless word.