The pornographers are not a deviation from the norm. Their presence in the mainstream shouldn't be surprising, because they represent mainstream values: The logic of domination and subordination that is central to patriarchy, hyper-patriotic nationalism, white supremacy, and a predatory corporate capitalism.
Interpretation
The quote argues that pornographers reflect the dominant cultural values rather than being an exception to societal norms.
In this quote, Robert Jensen asserts that pornography is not an outlier within society but rather a manifestation of prevailing ideologies such as patriarchy, nationalism, white supremacy, and capitalism. He suggests that the values represented in pornography align with broader cultural currents that endorse domination and subordination, indicating that these harmful ideologies permeate mainstream society.
In practice
During a lecture on media ethics, one could use this quote to illustrate the intersection of sexuality and societal norms.
People routinely assume that pornography is such a difficult and divisive issue because it's about sex. In fact, this culture struggles unsuccessfully with pornography because it is about men's cruelty to women, and the pleasure men sometimes take in that cruelty. And that is much more difficult for people-- men and women-- to face.
This is the simple discovery which we must confront. We were given a place in the creation, with a beauty beyond telling, and we have failed to care for it. And as our collective contempt for the non-human world has intensified, so has our contempt for each other. We have failed to care for each other.
Even when tied in a thousand knots, the string is still but one.
As long as a man thinks, this struggle must go on, and so long man must have some form of religion.
Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics.
The universe has become not only conscious and aware of itself but capable in some respects of choosing its path into the future--though all three, the consciousness, the knowledge, and the choice, are dispersed over a vast crowd of beings, acting both individually and collectively.
Nothing is so false as human life, nothing so treacherous. God knows no one would have accepted it as a gift, if it had not been given without our knowledge.
When I had my sheep, I was happy, and I made those around me happy. People saw me coming and welcomed me, he thought. But now I'm sad and alone. I'm going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I'm going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine. And I'm going to hold on to what little I have, because I'm too insignificant to conquer the world.
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