I had no idea that pornography was this popular in America. People in the U.S. are voting with their feet, according to an article on pornography published by cracked.com:
A new pornographic video is being created every 39 minutes in the U.S. [I]n hotel chains that offer in-room X-rated content alongside major Hollywood releases, porn movie rentals represent 55 percent of the overall pay-per-view usage. . .
In 2005, there were approximately 425 films released in Hollywood, including a Star Wars prequel and a Harry Potter movie, with domestic grosses of $8.597 billion. That’s very impressive. In 2006, the cumulative grosses for porn videos in the U.S., leveraging video sales, rentals, mobile phone content and Internet revenues–came out to… $8.65 billion.
You’ll also find that adult sex terms are wildly popular on search engines. The search term “Obama” overtook the adult sex search terms for only 23 minute during the entire year, and that was on election day.
Fascinating stuff.
This is always (strangely) surprising to Americans, but not to others (European or Oceanian!). It is another fact that highlights the dichotomous nature of American life!
The most controlled and prurience-obsessed network (and near-network) television; a public arena full of 'proper behavior' and indignation at any suggestion of normal human behavior; the largest porn industry 'per capita' in the world.
That one country could produce Playboy and Penthouse, strip clubs, peep shows, and mardi gras parades full of flashing breasts, while simultaneously registering shock and indignation at a nipple on TV or that a politician would have an affair, or use prostitutes!
I heard an NPR report a few days ago about two brothers, in either Pakistan or Afghanistan, who have carved out a great living for themselves exporting torture gear reworked as S & M gear for the sex trade to – you guessed it – the good ol' US. They keep the purpose of their "garments and tools" secret, the seamstresses, etc. make them piecemeal and don't know what they are for. Supposedly, at least. Because of course it goes against every aspect of their culture. But they are making great money, even still in the recession. Business has slowed a little, but not enough to hurt them. The biggest worry they have now is that their president is poised to start taxing exports and that will eat into their profits.