There would appear to be a number of misconceptions about 'European permissiveness' on this thread. Nudity isn't 'taboo', OK, but that varies hugely across the continent. The thought of a bunch of British folk going to a Finnish-style sauna en famille does not work (sweeping generalisations aside). The age of consent varies from 12 to 18 across the continent, too.

While a bare breast on television wouldn't shock (as I'm sure it doesn't shock a huge proportion of the US, by the way), there is quite a difference between nudity and pornography. As there is between sex and pornography. There are plenty sexually active 14-year-olds in the UK: that doesn't mean it's particularly helpful to have access to pornography.

Personally, I'm no great fan of pornography, with the objectification it presents. It's far from being the only outlet promoting objectification, and the 'objects' are hardly limited to being women any more (even if it is still skewed that way). On the other hand... There appears to be an inverse correlation between liberal attitudes towards sex and pornography and instances of rape and unwanted pregnancy (to be taken with a pinch of salt - I can't back this up with stats right now). Where's the balance? Well, I don't know.

But this isn't the issue, as I see it. This is a simple issue of appropriateness. Yes, there is a grey area and a margin of error as to what is appropriate in a given context, whether that be the people in your immediate proximity, the fact you're sat on an aeroplane, or even the country you're in. Pornography is rarely acceptable in public, in Europe or North America: to believe otherwise is, IMO, a little sociopathic.

But while we're on appropriateness, shouldn't the reaction fall into that category too? With a touch of pragmatism thrown in. If you don't like what someone next to you on a plane is doing, talk to them calmly and politely. It's almost always more effective, and, well, you don't even know why the person is reading that paticular publication in front of you. It could be little more than a stunning lack of self-awareness. This should equally apply to the old flyertalk favourite: seat-reclining...