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Gemmabeta t1_ivb3w7a wrote

> The topics depicted in the novels and poems were wide-ranging, including women's suffrage, physical disability, sexual impairment, secret sex societies, bestiality, India-rubber dildos, slave rape, duels, mock crucifixions, Turkish harems, and prophylactic devices. The Pearl often contained extensive political commentary, including references to the Reform Bills and Contagious Diseases Acts.

Back when people preferred to intersperse their wanking with deep discussions on the property requirement for voting.

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enderandrew42 t1_ivb552e wrote

The joke used to be "I only read Playboy for the articles", but in reality it had tons of great journalism, short fiction and very few pages of nudes. People were interspersing their wanks with political commentary with Playboy.

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Individual-Equal-230 t1_ivc0kxc wrote

Basically. I mean, you had pulitzer/Nobel winners writing essays, and showing some bush.

Then Larry Flynt shows up with people pounding it out, showing clits & what not

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candygram4mongo t1_ivd1sie wrote

> you had pulitzer/Nobel winners writing essays, and showing some bush.

You wouldn't think to look at him, but Norman Mailer had an incredible set of gams.

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enderandrew42 t1_ivc0x95 wrote

You're not wrong.

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Individual-Equal-230 t1_ivc1qsa wrote

Hugh Hefner was generally trash person, & likely abuser. But that dude had great taste in authors/contributors

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Carighan t1_ivebnva wrote

It's always weird to me because it's difficult to know how to feel about it, but yeah. The publisher Hugh Hefner did some amazing work, even though as a boss and a person he apparently was an utter asshole from all I can find on it.

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CrieDeCoeur t1_ivbnrgl wrote

Penthouse mag too, iirc. Then Hustler arrived on the scene and it was all about the wanking from there on out.

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enderandrew42 t1_ivbobel wrote

Penthouse seemed to straddle the line with journalism but more nudes, more explicit nudes and "Penthouse Letters". Hustler leaned fully into porn and taboo humor.

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P2029 t1_ivcsjj8 wrote

Gotta have some good material when the post nut clarity kicks in

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j_cruise t1_ivczsg8 wrote

Also, for literally decades, they only showed bare breasts.

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Pligles t1_ivdxeay wrote

Turns out post nut clarity is amazing for reading about politics and understanding social commentary

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NeokratosRed t1_ivdnui8 wrote

The wisdom wank might have helped readers think clearly about important matters!

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HiveMindKing t1_ivebd39 wrote

Isn’t that what people do on Reddit now? For you all know the very person replying to you could be guilty.

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