The current era, in which the internet has brought us closer to each other than ever before but has also led to a turn towards the “Indoor Generation” by keeping us confined to our homes, finds everyone striving to showcase themselves in some way and make money from this performance. Each new technology and social platform offer us new possibilities, and those who capitalize on these opportunities – in a debatable manner – produce both high-quality and low-quality products. The real question here is not the quality or value of the product itself but rather the representation of the product and what it stands for.
Onlyfans is just one of these new platforms, but alongside TikTok, it is also one of the most criticized. The underlying reason behind this criticism is that it is built on a foundation that goes against moral values. The fundamental purpose of the platform is to commodify the female body and undermine our ethical principles. Onlyfans users have recently been heavily criticized on television and various social media platforms. They are constantly being attacked for their supposed immorality and are inundated with advice on why they should pursue education instead of choosing to showcase their bodies.
The purpose of this article is not to debate the morality of Onlyfans, nor is it to fill half of the article with statistics about the platform. I will mention some statistics in the article, but I will do so solely to reinforce and support the main point I want to make. When it comes to social media platforms, we have a tendency to point fingers and blame others. We keep asking content creators why they produce the content they do and sometimes even belittle them. However, we never question the consumers of that content. Yet, we should be questioning the consumers, especially when the content is personalized.
All social media platforms have a certain structure, but over time, it is the users who determine what they will become. Onlyfans offers a simple service: you create a profile, and those who pay for it gain access to whatever content you produce. Especially during the time of the pandemic, Onlyfans experienced a surge when people were confined to their homes. Those who could not display their content outside turned to Onlyfans to showcase it. However, after its establishment, the platform quickly became populated by sex workers, giving rise to a new network of opportunities.
Many women are using Onlyfans to showcase their bodies and make money from it. Some share semi-nude photos and videos, while others opt for complete nudity. People become subscribers to these individuals’ accounts to see these contents. The owners of these profiles, especially using Instagram and TikTok as advertising platforms, direct traffic to their profiles, and this system works quite successfully. Many people are earning serious money through Onlyfans. However, as the earnings increase, criticisms follow.
Let’s get to the main point. Why do people subscribe to Onlyfans? What is the fundamental reason behind it? Essentially, the driving force behind people’s choices lies in sexuality. When combined with curiosity, sexuality becomes a potent force. Actress Bella Thorne earned 2 million dollars in the first two weeks after opening her Onlyfans account. Bella Thorne is already a character who doesn’t shy away from showcasing her body on Instagram. But why did thousands of people pay for her Onlyfans account? Because they wanted to see something they couldn’t see on Instagram. What Onlyfans provides is the feeling of exclusivity. The opportunity to see something that not everyone can. Watching a porn film is just a few clicks away. However, seeing Bella Thorne’s intimate parts is impossible. And to gain access to this chance costs only 10 dollars per month.
The problem is that the focus of criticism is always on women. Why do they showcase their bodies? Why do they resort to such immorality? Why do they expose their intimate parts to thousands of people when they could be part of the system through education?
I have never believed in the concept of supply and demand. The public does not have a demand; they have, at most, deficiencies. The producer or creator offers something, and the public consumes it. Nobody asked for a spinner toy to be made. Someone came up with an interesting idea, produced it, and people bought it.
If there is one place where the supply-demand relationship truly operates, it is in the realm of sexuality. Men demand, and women fulfill. We continue to blame women for meeting these demands, but personally, as someone who has never used Onlyfans and probably never will, I find all women justified. I write this with a clear mind. When there are men out there who get aroused by your bare feet, a provocative pose you strike, or simply hearing your name and are willing to pay thousands of dollars, why should women put forward a moral stance and say, “No, I shouldn’t do this”? Life doesn’t work that way.
Since the day I started using my mind properly, I have stopped blaming brands and producers and solely blame the consumers. Why? Brands are not obliged to act conscientiously. Let me summarize it this way: of course, a brand should test the impact of the product it will put on the market and identify any potential issues beforehand. Those who know about the Balenciaga fiasco will understand. Especially the distorted use of a child’s body is causing the brand trouble even today. If the problems are not on a societal scale, brands do not have to be mindful of the content. Brands look at their profits. If a famous clothing brand releases a bag with a logo shaped like feces tomorrow, thousands of people will be eager to buy it. Of course, the brand has the right to say, “Let’s not put this on sale.” They should say it. They should question their products. But if they decide to sell, I blame the buyer, not the brand. Brands cannot be blamed for the ignorance of the public.
Brands are not obliged to uphold our morals or measure our quality standards. Managing the masses is not the concern of brands; it is the government’s responsibility. The government fundamentally has the duty to consider its citizens as fools and be obligated to take precautions. The primary task of governments and administrations is to make decisions on behalf of their people. Otherwise, the train derails. Governments are entities that have the obligation to think for you. Otherwise, we human beings, fundamentally conscious but still harboring all the savagery of nature, are ready to engage in all kinds of immorality, perversity, and war.
The person who explains this matter best is Thomas Hobbes and his theory of the Nature of the State.
Hobbes’ theory starts with the “state of nature,” a hypothetical scenario where there is no government or authority to enforce laws. In this state, individuals are seen as inherently self-interested and driven by their desires and fears. Without any external constraints, people are naturally in conflict with one another, leading to a perpetual state of war where life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
Let’s turn to Onlyfans. There is no obligation for any woman on Onlyfans to be morally righteous. They do not feel the need to urgently stop promoting porn or sexuality, nor should they feel that need. Women have been showcasing their bodies for thousands of years. It’s not something new. It has always been there, and it will always be. Because the buyers have remained the same for thousands of years, they have not changed.
Because consumers are so unconscious while making these individuals wealthy, I fail to understand why we constantly criticize those who become rich. Is Onlyfans illegal? No. Is Onlyfans a public place? No. Is seeing the content on Onlyfans dependent on the discretion of the buyer? Yes. Then why do we keep attacking those who become rich with Onlyfans while we don’t talk about the men who have their hands on their penises, enriching these individuals? Because we approach these matters with the psychology of the patriarchal order, we are still trying to break down. Deep down in our subconscious, we still consider women as beings that lead men astray. We don’t talk about how easily men are led astray, how they flush their brains down the toilet just to see tits. Because we are still seeking a place to blame women fundamentally. We do not burden men with any responsibility.
Let me delve deeper into the matter with some statistics. Every day, 500,000 people become members of Onlyfans. 69% of the users are male. 60% of the users are males between the ages of 18 and 34. With millions of users, 70% of the content on this site is sexual in nature. Millions of men sign up for the profiles of hundreds of women producers, the neighbor’s girl whose tits they are curious about, or the woman they saw on Instagram and found sexy. I’m not even discussing what they do while watching these photos and videos. But ultimately, we always prefer to focus on hundreds of female producers rather than millions of male users.
One of the best sources related to Onlyfans is Piers Morgan’s television broadcast with Elle Brooke. I’ve always admired Piers Morgan. Although he may be old-fashioned, he tries to understand our times. He generally tries to talk over his guests all the time. However, against Elle Brooke, he was completely knocked out. Seeing him being silenced so appropriately was terrific. Let’s remember the video. The crew guy laughs behind the camera makes my day better every time.
Elle is not someone I would follow; in fact, I learned about her existence thanks to Piers Morgan. However, it is evident that she understands our times very well and makes use of it. The answer is not that complicated, is it? Why should I spend years becoming a lawyer when I can make so much money? Why should I spend hours poring over dozens of books when one doggy pose in bed can save my whole day? While men are yearning to see me and spending tens of thousands of dollars, why should I stress myself in courts?
We are all trying to survive in this world in one way or another. Everyone has a different survival method. Some sustain their lives by making funny dances in front of the camera, while others do it by striking sexy poses. Do I find all these absurd and ridiculous? Yes. But that’s the colorful side of life. In this life, everything exists. It exists because someone brings it into existence. It seems that in this life, everything has its buyers. From the most perverse thoughts to the most absurd inventions, everything has a value. However, when it comes to women, everyone experiences a mental blackout. We still cannot think of holding men accountable.
So let’s do this. A promise I made to myself is that if I am going to write an article, unlike many others who filter topics and summarize them, I will try to provide a response or solution at the end. I believe that we need a solution regarding Onlyfans. The solution is actually quite simple: instead of putting content creators on the screens, let’s put the consumers there. For example, Piers Morgan can invite the names mentioned in this article to TalkTV and ask them why they follow the women on Onlyfans.
Believe me, after this program, it will become evident who is more self-confident and who is less. We will see that the women we accuse of immorality for showcasing their bodies are much more self-assured individuals than those who follow them. The solution is that straightforward. Let’s stop talking about these women on social media and talk about men a little more. Let’s ask them why they cannot control themselves. Why do they focus on fantasizing about the neighbor’s girl? Until now, we have approached the debates about Onlyfans unilaterally. Not just Onlyfans, we are one-sided on many issues. We always avoid holding men accountable. But now, let’s start discussing the consequences of their actions a bit. How about talking about them for a change?