In the last analysis, the place we assign to pornography depends on the goals we set for our own consciousness, our own experience. But the goal A espouses for his consciousness may not be one he’s pleased to see B adopt, because he judges that B isn’t qualified or experienced or subtle enough. And B may be dismayed and even indignant at A’s adopting goals that he himself professes; when A holds them, they become presumptuous or shallow. Probably this chronic mutual suspicion of our neighbor’s capacities—suggesting, in effect, a hierarchy of competence with respect to human consciousness—will
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