as a general rule, i tend to avoid engaging in these discussions, as it's so easy to get accused of one thing or another, but I think the biggest concern isn't whether or not it becomes a "gateway drug" for actual abuse or 'satiates' pedos and keeps them from abusing children, it's that as ai gets better and better at creating realistic depictions, it may become a shield for actual abuse. "it's not real, it's just ai, I swear!" if you will.
as to your actual question, there seems to be two major arguments, social normalization (ie: it becomes socially acceptable and breaks down the cultural taboo against sexual abuse of children), and that pedophilia is less about sex than it is about power and/or sadism (ie: the thrill comes from having power over someone else and/or the damage it does to the child). I don't know if that answers your question, but it's the best i've got.
I do not expect definitive answers from anyone at all, don't worry about that. Just being able to articulate specific arguments is good enough for me. I think of it like a trellis for a vine to grow on; I need something to work with or I can't go anywhere with the thought.
it can be hard to articulate an argument when there's an emotional element to it, which is unavoidable with anything even remotely related to pedophilia. it's a taboo that crosses species, let alone cultures, to one degree or another.
as a general rule, i tend to avoid engaging in these discussions, as it's so easy to get accused of one thing or another, but I think the biggest concern isn't whether or not it becomes a "gateway drug" for actual abuse or 'satiates' pedos and keeps them from abusing children, it's that as ai gets better and better at creating realistic depictions, it may become a shield for actual abuse. "it's not real, it's just ai, I swear!" if you will.
as to your actual question, there seems to be two major arguments, social normalization (ie: it becomes socially acceptable and breaks down the cultural taboo against sexual abuse of children), and that pedophilia is less about sex than it is about power and/or sadism (ie: the thrill comes from having power over someone else and/or the damage it does to the child). I don't know if that answers your question, but it's the best i've got.
I do not expect definitive answers from anyone at all, don't worry about that. Just being able to articulate specific arguments is good enough for me. I think of it like a trellis for a vine to grow on; I need something to work with or I can't go anywhere with the thought.
it can be hard to articulate an argument when there's an emotional element to it, which is unavoidable with anything even remotely related to pedophilia. it's a taboo that crosses species, let alone cultures, to one degree or another.