The Erotic Engine: How Pornography has Powered Mass Communication, from Gutenberg to Google

by Patchen Barss

The force for change that has been written out of the history of world culture.

From cave painting to photography to the internet, pornography has always been at the cutting edge in adopting and exploiting new developments in mass communication. And in so doing, it has helped to promote and propel those developments in ways that are rarely acknowledged. Without pornography, the internet would not have grown so quickly. The e-commerce payment systems that are now commonplace would be at a far more primitive stage security and usability. Without video streaming software developed for pornography sites, CNN would be struggling to deliver news clips. Without advertising from sex sites, Google could not have afforded YouTube.

This smart, witty and well-researched history shows how a vast secret trade has bankrolled and shaped mainstream culture and its machines.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pornography, Technology, Internet, Cultural, Science

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2010

About the author

Patchen Barss is a Toronto-based science journalist who has contributed to the BBC, Nautilus magazine, Scientific American , and the Discovery Channel (Canada), as well as to many science and natural history museums. His previous books include The Erotic Engine: How Pornography Has Powered Mass Communication, from Gutenberg to Google, and Flow Spin Grow: Looking for Patterns in Nature.

Reviews

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read! A little of it was kind of disturbing!

The first third of the book was pre-Gutenberg, but once the computer stuff started happening, it was hard to put down. Porn has driven technology, so I guess we have to give it some credit in the respect that most of us can benefit from broadband, 500 cable channels, etc! He covers all the topics like the vcr format battle (but not the dvd battle), cable, pay channels, PayPal and the like, etc.

The future seems really strange though, the stuff that is coming down the pike! I won't give any spoilers, you are going to have to read this one yourself! :-)

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this book to get a five star review from me when I started reading it, to be honest. I mean our favorite pastime is supposed to be the driver behind some of our greatest technological advances? Come on!
Yet this book is brilliantly written. The author illustrates his argument in a very coherent and entertaining way and gives plenty of example to support his train of thought. Plenty of interesting background information too. There’s really nothing more to be wishing for. I'm pleased.

[Matt Chisling (MattyandtheBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patchen Barss' work serves as a thorough, albeit simplistic, survey of the impact of role of pornography in the process of innovation. Breezy, punctuated writing serves to make this work enjoyable and engaging. However, Barss needs a bit of academic weight to bring his points home at times.

[Beverly Akerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought this book had a great idea, but it turned out to be an idea that might have been better suited to a magazine article. it became repetitive though the original notion,that porn was a major driver of virtually every new communications technology, is still pretty amazing.

[Hyacinthe Fallu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid information. However close to the truth it is undeniable that porn, sex and the lure of it shape our technology, culture and minds. But how much are we willing to admit it. The book gives great examples and references concepts I was unaware of. I feel like a second book could capture many other advancements not mentioned or obscured my their counterpart’s mainstream success.

[Hussein Harbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

معلومات جديدة بالنسبة لي، أن يكون (البورنو) سببا للتكنلوجيا لا نتيجةً لها!
الترجمة والطباعة سيئتان..

[Nixx · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main subject is really interesting, but repetitive.

[Julius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Empiezo por confesar algo: cogí este libro esperando que me explicara por qué el porno ha sido sistemáticamente la vanguardia tecnológica de cada nuevo medio de comunicación de masas, y termino sabiendo exactamente qué pasó pero no demasiado por qué. El autor desfila ante nosotros una procesión de personajes -pioneros del VHS, primeros en montar pasarelas de pago seguras, primeros en hacer streaming de vídeo viable a escala, primeros en monetizar con banners- y en cada capítulo el patrón se repite: alguien en la industria del porno resuelve un problema técnico o comercial antes que nadie, y el resto de internet, semanas o años después, copia la solución sin reconocer de dónde vino. Es un argumento llamativo, y Barss lo defiende con la convicción de quien ha encontrado una verdad incómoda que la historia oficial ha preferido olvidar.

El problema es que esa convicción se queda en catálogo. El libro funciona como una sucesión de "esto pasó, y luego esto otro lo imitó", capítulo tras capítulo, pero apenas se detiene a preguntarse qué hace estructuralmente del porno un early adopter tan consistente. Hay ahí un análisis fascinante esperando a escribirse -sobre anonimato, sobre disposición a pagar, sobre tolerancia al riesgo regulatorio, sobre públicos dispuestos a sufrir fricción técnica a cambio de acceso inmediato- y Barss lo roza varias veces sin llegar a aterrizarlo. Se queda, como señaló alguna reseña de la época, en un tono de entusiasmo tecnológico un poco acrítico: aquí innovaron, aquí copiaron, siguiente capítulo.

Lo curioso es que el libro mejora notablemente cuando entra en el terreno que cualquiera de nosotros reconoce mejor: la era de internet, las plataformas, los hábitos de consumo digital. El primer tercio, dedicado a pinturas rupestres y a la era pre-Gutenberg, se hace cuesta arriba; en cuanto aparecen el streaming, PayPal y las guerras de formato, la prosa coge ritmo y el libro se lee de un tirón. Y es justo ahí, en el tramo más vivo, donde más se echa en falta el armazón teórico: tenemos los hechos, pero no el modelo que los explique.

Al final, The Erotic Engine es un libro de personajes y cronología, no de mecanismos. Demuestra con solidez el "qué" -y demuestra que merece la pena contarlo, porque es una historia real y poco contada- pero deja sin construir el "por qué" estructural que su propia tesis pide a gritos. Se lee bien, se queda corto, y deja la sensación de que la pregunta interesante empieza justo donde el libro decide cerrar el capítulo.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough study, but still a quick read.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of dull.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise but writing and lack of strong supporting evidence leaves a weak impression.