--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The big problem with pornography is…" description: "\"“The big problem with pornography is defining it. You can't just say it's pictures of people naked. For example, you have these primitive African tribe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/dave-barry-222_big-problem_the-big-problem-with-pornography-is-defi_1601954.jpg" --- # The big problem with pornography is defining it. You can't… ![“The big problem with pornography is defining it. You can't just say it's pictures of people naked. For example, you have these primitive African tribes that exist by chasing the wildebeest on foot, and they have to go around largely naked, because, as the old tribal saying goes: "N'wam k'honi soit…” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/dave-barry-222_big-problem_the-big-problem-with-pornography-is-defi_1601954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/dave-barry-222_big-problem_the-big-problem-with-pornography-is-defi_1601954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/dave-barry-222_big-problem_the-big-problem-with-pornography-is-defi_1601954.jpg) > ““The big problem with pornography is defining it. You can't just say it's pictures of people naked. For example, you have these primitive African tribes that exist by chasing the wildebeest on foot, and they have to go around largely naked, because, as the old tribal saying goes: "N'wam k'honi soit qui mali," which means, "If you think you can catch a wildebeest in this climate and wear clothes at the same time, then I have some beach front property in the desert region of Northern Mali that you may be interested in." So it's not considered pornographic when National Geographic publishes color photographs of these people hunting the wildebeest naked, or pounding one rock onto another rock for some primitive reason naked, or whatever. But if National Geographic were to publish an article entitled "The Girls of the California Junior College System Hunt the Wildebeest Naked," some people would call it pornography. But others would not. And still others, such as the Spectacularly Rev. Jerry Falwell, would get upset about seeing the wildebeest naked.”” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirically highlights how cultural context determines what is labeled as pornographic, showing that definitions shift with perspective and intent. **In simple terms:** What counts as porn changes with culture and intent. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about media labels. Themes culture media ethics humor subjectivity Mood ironic critical playful Type satirical commentary humorous When to use this quote - journalism - advertising - artistic expression - legal regulation Key Concepts social norms contextual relativism satire Questions to Reflect On - How does context change moral judgments? - When should humor be used to critique social norms? A Different Perspective Definitions can be manipulated to serve moral or political agendas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problem/) [Considered Pornographic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-pornographic-6093811/) [Pornographic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pornographic/) [Pornography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pornography/) [Pornography Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pornography-defining-6093810/) [Problem Pornography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-pornography-2523415/) [Wildebeest Naked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wildebeest-naked-6093812/) ## Related quotes > [And young women, please understand that if you dress immodestly, you are magnifying this problem by becoming pornography to some of the men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/and-young-women-please-understand-that-if-you-dress-immodestly-you/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I have a huge problem with pornography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-johanson/i-have-a-huge-problem-with-pornography/) [Sue Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-johanson/) > [The problem of pornography is that it does not reveal too much of a woman but too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-problem-of-pornography-is-that-it-does-not-reveal-too-much-of-a/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [There is no dignity when the human dimension is eliminated from the person. In short, the problem with pornography is not that it shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/there-is-no-dignity-when-the-human-dimension-is-eliminated-from-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [At the moment my art is situated between the pornographic tendency to reveal everything and the erotic inclination to hide what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/at-the-moment-my-art-is-situated-between-the-pornographic-tendency-to/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [The liberal paradigm of regulation and license has led to a society where an 18-year-old girl has the right to public fornication in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/the-liberal-paradigm-of-regulation-and-license-has-led-to-a-society/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) > [“Where is the line between art and pornography? But there’s always been a huge overlap between the two; you can see scenes of copulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-macaulay/where-is-the-line-between-art-and-pornography-but-there-s-always-been/) [Alastair Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-macaulay/) > [Intelligence always had a pornographic influence on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/intelligence-always-had-a-pornographic-influence-on-me/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“In real man, the “god-given” genital embrace has turned into the pornographic 4-lettering male-female intercourse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/in-real-man-the-god-given-genital-embrace-has-turned-into-the/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [I keep the pornographic stuff in a bus station locker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-rockwell/i-keep-the-pornographic-stuff-in-a-bus-station-locker/) [Norman Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-rockwell/) > [“Sex may be completely out in the open now, but it's still defined and controlled by a powerful subset of elite men. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carina-chocano/sex-may-be-completely-out-in-the-open-now-but-it-s-still-defined-and/) [Carina Chocano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carina-chocano/) > [What turns me on is erotica; what turns you on is pornographic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/what-turns-me-on-is-erotica-what-turns-you-on-is-pornographic/) [Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/) > [“One second, he was in my mouth, my tongue flicking over the broad head of him; the next, his hands were on my waist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/one-second-he-was-in-my-mouth-my-tongue-flicking-over-the-broad-head/) [Sarah J. 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Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! 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For example, you have these primitive African tribes that exist by chasing the wildebeest on foot, and they have to go around largely naked, because, as the old tribal saying goes: \"N'wam k'honi soit qui mali,\" which means, \"If you think you can catch a wildebeest in this climate and wear clothes at the same time, then I have some beach front property in the desert region of Northern Mali that you may be interested in.\" So it's not considered pornographic when National Geographic publishes color photographs of these people hunting the wildebeest naked, or pounding one rock onto another rock for some primitive reason naked, or whatever. But if National Geographic were to publish an article entitled \"The Girls of the California Junior College System Hunt the Wildebeest Naked,\" some people would call it pornography. But others would not. And still others, such as the Spectacularly Rev. 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