Link Found Between Pornography and Casual Sex as Means of Escaping Existential Boredom

Unraveling the Connection

Recent studies by psychologists shed light on the correlation between engaging with pornography and existential ennui, the feeling of life lacking meaning. A study involving 179 adults from Ireland and the UK revealed that individuals endorsing statements like "my life lacks clear purpose" often struggled to find engaging activities. In such instances, pornography became a means to distract oneself from problems and inject novelty into life.

This recent work builds upon previous findings by the same group of researchers. It indicates that individuals grappling with a sense of life's meaninglessness suppress it through casual sexual encounters. The study involved 890 participants of both genders, including married, committed, and single individuals. Surprisingly, the presence of a partner didn't deter this behavior; even within relationships, existential boredom pushed people toward seeking casual liaisons. Those experiencing boredom were more inclined to find something intriguing in every new encounter.

Similar results were obtained by American researchers in 2009, examining 290 married couples (580 individuals). Despite regular sexual activity, people turn to pornography to evade the mundane sense of life's emptiness. Psychologists define existential boredom as arising when usual leisure pursuits fail to yield desired psychosocial outcomes. It occurs when one's activities seem to have no impact on improving life or helping achieve set goals, as if efforts are going nowhere.

What drives individuals to spend time watching porn and seeking casual relationships, even within marriages? According to psychologists, it's the sense of life's purposelessness—a desire to drown it out through primitive hedonism.