# Thoughts and Masturbation
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 27, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662 "2010-08-27T13:23:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/1 "2010-08-27T13:23:33Z")
All of us masturbate, but I believe we think varied things while doing so. I’ve often spoken to my lovers about what we choose to think about while flying solo, and I’ve been surprised by the variety of inspirational and exciting thoughts. Me, for example, I usually think about women I’ve met IRL but haven’t yet enjoyed the pleasure of boinking yet but I’ve found that my lovers think of past sexual encounters, or encounters with past lovers that went much better than they did IRL, and of celebrity hotties whom they’ll almost certainly never get to meet IRL, while others think about themselves inserted into fictional scenarios (from movies, novels, etc.). My current GF tells me that she thinks about me when she masturbates, but I think she’s lying—too shy to reveal what she really thinks about, or just trying to flatter me. I imagine that some people think about situations too edgy for them IRL (S&M, B&D, R&D, etc.), while others imagine 3somes, same sex arrangements, and all sorts of things but would like to know and not merely speculate. Hence this poll.
Do your masturbation fantasies feature
You and current SO
You, recreating past encounters IRL
You, and someone you’ve met but never known Biblically
You, and someone you’ve never met (a celebrity, for example)
you, and someone who exists only in fantasy (a movie, book, etc.)
you and some porn star whom you’re watching as you do the deed
simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene
you and someone you’ve had sex with but in some new way (this is like choice #1, but with the new way added)
other (please specify, if you choose this one)
CREATING A POLL
To create a poll, just do your usual “Post New Thread” process. The OP you type will appear _below_ the poll, as this one does. After you’ve entered the title and typed the OP, scroll down to the “additional options” box and look for “post a poll.”
Check the box “Yes, post a poll with this thread,” and fill in the number of options you’ll have available.
Click “Submit New Thread” and you’ll be taken to a new screen, where you can create the poll itself.
Under “Poll question,” fill in the text you want people to see above the poll (remember, your OP will show up below it).
Under “Poll options,” fill in one answer per box. If you goofed on the number of answers, go to the “number of poll options” box, change the number, and click “Update Options.”
The “Poll timeout” allows you to create polls that only stay open for a specified number of days. Leave it blank to leave the poll open indefinitely.
There are two new options under “Miscellaneous options”:
- “Allow multiple choice” presents viewers with checkboxes instead of radio buttons, so they can choose more than one option. This is for the “check all that apply” polls, as opposed to the “pick the one best answer” polls.
- “Make votes public” means that everybody will be able to see how everybody else voted. This is handy when you want to make a poll like “Who wants me to send them $100”? You don’t just find out how many people said “yes,” you get to see their names so you can send them the $100 (just assume I voted yes on that poll, okay?).
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/2 "2010-08-27T13:26:40Z")
I simply watch porn. I don’t really consciously insert myself into the scene.
BTW, why did you give us instructions on creating a poll?
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/3 "2010-08-27T13:32:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> BTW, why did you give us instructions on creating a poll?
It’s what he thinks about when masturbating.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/4 "2010-08-27T13:33:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > BTW, why did you give us instructions on creating a poll?
>
> It’s what he thinks about when masturbating.
Oh, cool. Gotcha.
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### Author:  [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/5 "2010-08-27T13:48:11Z")
Sorry. First poll, and I had the instructions (and my options) in the list and forgot to erase them before posting
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/6 "2010-08-27T13:51:47Z")
I voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene.”
I would have voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with FULL OR PARTIAL consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene”, but oddly, that wasn’t an option.
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### Author:  [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/7 "2010-08-27T14:17:25Z")
we can only pick one option?
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### Author:  [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/8 "2010-08-27T14:37:56Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> I voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene.”
>
> I would have voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with FULL OR PARTIAL consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene”, but oddly, that wasn’t an option.
I chose other for that reason. I watch porn and insert myself into the scene… it helps me get out of the box, per se, and fantasize about sex acts I’ll never do (or never do again). I don’t really fantasize about the other actors, past lovers. Sometimes I imagine my husband, but usually I’m more focused on the act than the people involved.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/9 "2010-08-27T14:40:40Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> I voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene.”
>
> I would have voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with FULL OR PARTIAL consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene”, but oddly, that wasn’t an option.
> [@Serenata67](#):
>
> > [@tdn](#):
> >
> > I voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene.”
> >
> > I would have voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with FULL OR PARTIAL consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene”, but oddly, that wasn’t an option.
>
> I chose other for that reason. I watch porn and insert myself into the scene… it helps me get out of the box, per se, and fantasize about sex acts I’ll never do (or never do again). I don’t really fantasize about the other actors, past lovers. Sometimes I imagine my husband, but usually I’m more focused on the act than the people involved.
One of the options is “you and some porn star whom you’re watching as you do the deed”. That would have suited your response just fine.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/10 "2010-08-27T14:41:58Z")
I don’t think about anything other than the sensations I’m actually feeling. In other words, I don’t _think_ a narrative of any type, I’m just focusing on physical sensations. A few people I’ve shared this with find this strange. _shrug_
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### Author:  [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/11 "2010-08-27T14:44:45Z")
> [@PSXer](#):
>
> we can only pick one option?
Seriously- do people really get themselves off always to the exact same scenario? That would get pretty dull.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/12 "2010-08-27T14:46:30Z")
Depends on mood. I would have chosen several off your list. Past experiences, current SO, porn. But with the exception of porn, which I just watch and don’t insert myself into (madam!), it’s almost always based in things I’ve actually gotten up to with the past.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/13 "2010-08-27T14:48:38Z")
Should have been check marks, as I fit in several of the categories.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/14 "2010-08-27T14:55:13Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> I don’t think about anything other than the sensations I’m actually feeling. In other words, I don’t _think_ a narrative of any type, I’m just focusing on physical sensations. A few people I’ve shared this with find this strange. _shrug_
What’s your gender?
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/15 "2010-08-27T15:23:08Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> > [@Hello\_Again](#):
> >
> > I don’t think about anything other than the sensations I’m actually feeling. In other words, I don’t _think_ a narrative of any type, I’m just focusing on physical sensations. A few people I’ve shared this with find this strange. _shrug_
>
> What’s your gender?
female
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/16 "2010-08-27T15:26:01Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> One of the options is “you and some porn star whom you’re watching as you do the deed”. That would have suited your response just fine.
True. It was just worded in a way that doesn’t quite fit my experience.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/17 "2010-08-27T15:27:54Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> I don’t think about anything other than the sensations I’m actually feeling. In other words, I don’t _think_ a narrative of any type, I’m just focusing on physical sensations. A few people I’ve shared this with find this strange. _shrug_
Just for the record, I don’t think that there’s a legitmate sex therapist out there who would think that that’s anything other than completely healthy. A lot of them recommend throwing out all porn.
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### Author:  [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/18 "2010-08-27T15:33:03Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> > [@tdn](#):
> >
> > I voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with no consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene.”
> >
> > I would have voted “simply watching (or reading, etc.) porn with FULL OR PARTIAL consciousness of yourself inserted into the scene”, but oddly, that wasn’t an option.
>
> > [@Serenata67](#):
> >
> > I chose other for that reason. I watch porn and insert myself into the scene… it helps me get out of the box, per se, and fantasize about sex acts I’ll never do (or never do again). I don’t really fantasize about the other actors, past lovers. Sometimes I imagine my husband, but usually I’m more focused on the act than the people involved.
>
> One of the options is “you and some porn star whom you’re watching as you do the deed”. That would have suited your response just fine.
But I’m not fantasizing about the porn star. I’m fantasizing about that act. For example, I may watch gang-bang porn and fantasize about a gang bang. I’m not fantasizing about those particular dudes boning me… I’m fantasizing about being gang banged. I’m fantasizing about being in that situation, not about that dude being in my situation. Likewise, when I watch lesbian porn, I may fantasize about having a chick do me… not necessarily Belladonna.
So that option doesn’t really fit me, either.
ETA: I’m female, BTW.
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### Author:  [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/19 "2010-08-27T15:48:38Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#):
>
> . . . I imagine that some people think about situations too edgy for them IRL (S&M, B&D, R&D, etc.), . . .
Does R&D involve wearing lab coats and goggles in the bedroom? 😃
I voted “current SO,” basing it solely on my last three goes. Otherwise I’d have had to pick “other” because a few of those options cover my bases.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-and-masturbation/551662/20 "2010-08-27T15:49:35Z")
> [@Serenata67](#):
>
> But I’m not fantasizing about the porn star. I’m fantasizing about that act.
That’s pretty much why I didn’t choose that option. If I’m watching a movie about a virgin cheerleader, I’m fantasizing about having sex with a virgin cheerleader, not a well-seasoned porn actress who’s wearing a cheerleader outfit.
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