VR Porn And Its Influence on Masturbation
Several years back there was a rumor that TENGA created a full body sex suit, complete with VR goggles and a set of imitation breasts to fondle. Apparently on the other end of the goggles was an animated woman as your playmate, and the suit would respond with sensations as well as the attached TENGA CUP , moving all in perfect orchestrated action to what you were seeing. Obviously, this was an April Fool's prank, created by a Japanese adult video game developer. But word spread fast and wide, even making the pages of various social media at the time.
Now TENGA would never make such a suit for several reasons. For one, technology has not advanced to this level yet, and another reason is that TENGA's goal as a company is to enhance masturbation and add something new to compliment people’s sex lives, not to replicate or replace sex itself. That's why you may notice that our products are not anatomical, and have no strict guidelines on how our products should be used - that's the fun part and is totally up to you!
And no, we’re not knocking the porn industry at all. Despite the negative publicity the adult video industry sometimes receives, we may need to give them credit for some of the advances they have contributed to. Without their embrace for early adoption of new technologies the internet would never have advanced to its current level of ease-of-use and speed, nor would online payments be as seamless as they are, not to mention even earlier how it helped standardize the videotape industry in favor of VHS over Betamax (what’s VHS and Betamax, you say?). However, the adult video industry is once again venturing into new frontiers using virtual reality, or VR, to create a new future in the experience of virtual sex and masturbation. Where it will eventually lead us only time will tell. Is it a blessing, or the beginning of the downfall of humanity? Seriously, let’s not get ahead of ourselves! There are, however, some concerns over whether VR porn could actually be damaging to the sexual or masturbation experience for many. Let's explore this topic and what the future may hold for many of us.
CONTENTS
- More Than Half of Us Use Porn
- Virtual Reality Porn
- The Hazards of VR Porn
- The Future
- Should YOU Jump On the VR Bandwagon?
More Than Half of Us Use Porn
Back in 2016 TENGA first published our annual Self-Pleasure Report, a survey of adults and their habits related to sex, masturbation, and sex toy usage. Thanks to this research, some assumptions were confirmed as well as some eye-opening findings revealed. One of those findings in the 2019 survey showed that more than half of those adults surveyed used some form of stimulation such as watching porn, fantasizing or looking at pictures while masturbating. In short, adult material is a widely used masturbation tool. And that’s totally okay! The question is what kind of influence can advanced technology have on people viewing pornographic material? Will expectations towards pleasure change? Could these technologies cause a huge change between what is real and what is perceived as real through the goggles of the virtual world? Will technology be so convincing that we no longer will know the difference, or care?
Virtual Reality Porn
It is ironic that the coronavirus pandemic has caused us to distance ourselves from literally millions of people every day, and yet due to the state of isolation, it allowed some media influences and influencers to gain even greater access to us. We found some activities were curtailed, while others were increased or even enhanced, such as masturbation, which had seen an increase of 37 percent according to the 2020 Self-Pleasure Report.
And it does appear that VR is here to stay, as other industries, such as education, the military, gaming and corporate training, also plan to use VR as a tool to enhance their effectiveness. The porn industry is also stepping up its availability of entertainment adapted for the VR world. As one company surveyed, out of the top 50 VR websites, 60 percent were adult-related. So the question remains, how will this new technology change the way we view and use pornography, and will our perceptions of porn and masturbation be altered by this? While most of us value self-pleasure as a freedom with the right to choose how and when to exercise it, it is also very important to be aware of who is pulling the strings and who might be trying to influence your thoughts.
The Hazards of VR Porn
One of the obvious issues with pornographic material is that what you are looking at has been planned and produced by someone else. You are literally taking someone else’s idea or fantasy and incorporating it into your world, making it a part of yours. It’s perfectly okay if you like it, but what if what is shown to you is not to your liking, but you still watch it anyway? For example, what if it is too violent, or if the actors are portrayed in a way that feels unsettling or dehumanizing to you? Will it affect your behavior without you even being consciously aware on a certain level? Also, will adult movie producers eventually take paid advertising and incorporate it into their movies, trying to sway us into buying one certain product over another, kind of like what has already been done in movies and TV?
We all make choices every day and decide upon what we like and dislike, but sometimes we get fatigued mentally and emotionally, and some choices that we make aren’t always coming from a place of good judgment. If this repeats over and over again, these inputs can become habits of ours, numb to the influences and consequences of someone else’s subtly directed actions. If you find your attitudes and behaviors are starting to cause issues with your real relationships, or issues with your health, your money, or your safety, then taking a closer look at the acts and consequences of what you put into your mind are very important.
There are also the other known issues that online adult entertainment has always had, such as hacking into your accounts and stealing personal or financial information, or perhaps losing productive time, or even becoming addicted to a “virtual” connection to an adult actor or actress. The results could culminate into depression, a lack of social stimulation, even inability to perform in real life, such as an inability to masturbate, to have sex, and may even lead to impotence. In addition, because your brain thinks you are in motion but you are not when using VR goggles, there are other physical symptoms, called cybersickness, that can also occur, such as nausea, headaches, dizziness, and eyestrain.
The Future
With all signs pointing towards increased application of the metaverse within Web 3.0, and numerous companies developing virtual playgrounds (pornographic and non-pornographic), virtual reality appears to be heading towards a larger user base. Not only Meta (formerly Facebook), but Apple and Google have been working separately on marketable models of VR headsets. Many of the developing hardware prototypes not only allow you to see out through the goggles, but have built-in sensors monitoring your facial expressions, collecting data on when you are feeling happy, sad, angry, or even feeling pleasure. No doubt some companies will use this data in the future to sense your “pleasure points” and try to influence your experience.
Even avatars may become more human-like and take on facial and physical features mimicking your most ideal partner with the best physical features and personality traits. You may be able to pick and choose your digital partner’s body parts and “Frankenstein” everything together into one perfect model. Could this affect one’s perception of most humans out in the real world who are by nature “perfectly imperfect”? In the virtual world, we would not have to tolerate anyone’s quirks or annoyances, having an easy escape into virtual reality and into the welcoming arms of your perfect partner. Because of this new option, will many of us become home recluses even without a pandemic? Will we become socially separated and lose our ability to connect with one another? Of course, this does not have to happen. We all have the power to make choices and we can make the right ones at any time, under any circumstances. Look at how some of us have made working from home a more balanced and successful way of living. This major social shift alone should be a good sign that we can make adoption of new technologies work to our benefit.
Should YOU Jump On the VR Bandwagon?
The “reality” of virtual reality is that it is still in its development phase. And while it develops, maybe there will be a few more conversations about its use and how it can enhance the human experience so that it won’t end up being an addiction which we cannot control. It is perfectly normal to feel pleasure when using adult entertainment so long as there is no harm to others, and hopefully none to yourself. As we have mentioned, fantasizing or using porn as a tool to gain pleasure is far more common than many may be aware of. We still feel that it needs a few more tweaks and some serious discussions to gain a better perspective on how to use it without harm. While VR porn can potentially create unrealistic expectations that may never be fulfilled, always remember that however “smart” technology gets, you always have control. It only takes one press of a power button to turn this influence off and get back into the “real world”,so don’t worry, the power will always be with you! Take it slow, and for now, it may be best to keep investing in yourself in other pleasurable ways. Wait and see what the future holds with VR technology.
About TENGA’s Line of Products
We know that VR may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Some of you out there are just starting to explore and experiment with toys out on the market. And although TENGA does not offer VR technology at this time, we do have some great advancements in pleasure! From the very beginning, TENGA’s commitment to providing you with the freedom of choice will always remain first and foremost. Our company has always believed in the individual’s right to choose, without fear or prejudice. And masturbation is a free form of self-pleasure, honoring the self, and is anyone’s right to practice. And in order to practice the right to self-pleasure, TENGA has developed many styles, textures and ways to feel great for all genders which you can take advantage of now. Please enjoy and explore our website, and look at all the options we have available in expressing your sexuality now. With our current line of products, rest assured, you are always in control of your pleasure. However, we do offer various options and technologies to make your experience even more exciting! If you are interested, please take a look at our reusable line of Flip Zeros and EV options.
