Masturbation

This is definitely a strange topic - I don't see how masturbation (a.k.a wanking, beating the meat, gagging the clam, muffin buffin', backstroke roulette, boxing the clown or choking kojak etc) can be considered wrong or even bad (it's not harmful to anyone and can even be considered a natural behaviour), but that still doesn't dispel the discomfort and embarrassment which most people (including myself) feel when faced with the possibility of actually discussing the topic.

Social attitudes towards masturbation could also explain the way in which masturbation is often depicted in popular entertainment - either as a source of humour (as in American Pie, Something About Mary, Fast Times at Ridgemount High etc) or as something disturbing (the Exorcist, Single White Female, the remake of Psycho). Whilst sex scenes are an acceptable addition to mainstream films of various genres, without necessarily having to be either funny or disgusting, it seems that for the most part, masturbation scenes have to either evoke laughter or revulsion to distract from the discomfort which people might feel otherwise.

It seems that we have been conditioned to view masturbation as a taboo subject - we are much more accepting of it today than in past times, when "self-abuse" was considered one of the worst kinds of sins. Measures to prevent people from masturbating included the spreading of myths (that masturbation causes blindness, the growth of hair on the palms and even death) as well as some pretty nasty devices...

However, clearly not everyone feels embarrassed by the subject as there are regular masturbation marathons, mainly held in America (I read that the current world record is 9 hours 58 minutes): http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23185910-c4-to-cover-marathon-masturbation-session.do

Masturbation in music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLfasMPOU4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUaVprkR6jQ

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Icicle-lyrics-Tori-Amos/47834A5FEB6529B04825688F0027A5FD