Dr. Bill von Hippel

But we evolved in a world that didn't have pornography. And so it's kind of hijacking our system a little bit. It feels like you're having sex when you're on OnlyFans or whatever those sites are that interest you. It mimics a lot of the features. And so...

But we evolved in a world that didn't have pornography. And so it's kind of hijacking our system a little bit. It feels like you're having sex when you're on OnlyFans or whatever those sites are that interest you. It mimics a lot of the features. And so...

You know, I've become interested in the social media world we live in and this possibility that social media makes so many things so easy that you stop going out. You stop – you know, because you can connect with your friends on social media. Why go through the snow and go across town and maybe not know anybody at the party, et cetera?

You know, I've become interested in the social media world we live in and this possibility that social media makes so many things so easy that you stop going out. You stop – you know, because you can connect with your friends on social media. Why go through the snow and go across town and maybe not know anybody at the party, et cetera?

And I think what's happened is that as we get lazy and we start putting our life online, you know, our social life, we even start to – put more, you know, our sexual life online. And so there's even evidence, the evidence is very tentative as to what it might mean. But recently in the United States, at least, if you look at young single people, their actual sexual behavior is going down.

And I think what's happened is that as we get lazy and we start putting our life online, you know, our social life, we even start to – put more, you know, our sexual life online. And so there's even evidence, the evidence is very tentative as to what it might mean. But recently in the United States, at least, if you look at young single people, their actual sexual behavior is going down.

They're having less sex than they were 20 years ago. And if you'd asked me 20 years ago when Tinder, whenever those things got invented, I would say, oh, sex is going to go way up. This is going to be, you know, this is going to be the best thing for hooking up ever. In actual fact, although it went up for a little bit, it went back down. And instead of what's going up is pornography watching.

They're having less sex than they were 20 years ago. And if you'd asked me 20 years ago when Tinder, whenever those things got invented, I would say, oh, sex is going to go way up. This is going to be, you know, this is going to be the best thing for hooking up ever. In actual fact, although it went up for a little bit, it went back down. And instead of what's going up is pornography watching.

And so maybe the pornography is getting better tailored to what people want. Maybe people are just getting lazy and they, instead of going to the party and maybe meeting somebody who they would have sex with, they just pick it up and watch it on TV. I don't know.

And so maybe the pornography is getting better tailored to what people want. Maybe people are just getting lazy and they, instead of going to the party and maybe meeting somebody who they would have sex with, they just pick it up and watch it on TV. I don't know.

Which is remarkable. These are young, single people. You know, this is when we are most likely to have sex with, you know, partners or random hookups or whatever. So they're at the peak of their sexuality. And nonetheless, 20 years later, they're less likely to have sex and more likely to be watching porn.

Which is remarkable. These are young, single people. You know, this is when we are most likely to have sex with, you know, partners or random hookups or whatever. So they're at the peak of their sexuality. And nonetheless, 20 years later, they're less likely to have sex and more likely to be watching porn.

It's been accessible over that entire time period. But basically, what I think those data—I refer to this—I know it's an absurd acronym. I refer to this as smilching. Smilching. That's social media-induced laziness in our social habits. I know it'll never catch on. But I think that what they're doing is smilching. They've got friends who are at a party. It's across town.

It's been accessible over that entire time period. But basically, what I think those data—I refer to this—I know it's an absurd acronym. I refer to this as smilching. Smilching. That's social media-induced laziness in our social habits. I know it'll never catch on. But I think that what they're doing is smilching. They've got friends who are at a party. It's across town.

It's kind of a pain to get there. It'll cost you Subway and everything else. And you're not sure if you're going to have fun when you get there. And so you go, screw it, I'm not going to go. Now, what you didn't know is that's the party where you would have met that person who you would have ended up hooking up with either as short-term or long-term partner. But you didn't go.

It's kind of a pain to get there. It'll cost you Subway and everything else. And you're not sure if you're going to have fun when you get there. And so you go, screw it, I'm not going to go. Now, what you didn't know is that's the party where you would have met that person who you would have ended up hooking up with either as short-term or long-term partner. But you didn't go.

And instead what you did is you stayed home, and so there's a decent chance you watched porn. And so we're letting these fake substitutes take over in place of our actual real socializing, which I think is hugely problematic.

And instead what you did is you stayed home, and so there's a decent chance you watched porn. And so we're letting these fake substitutes take over in place of our actual real socializing, which I think is hugely problematic.

Yeah, we are.

Yeah, we are.