Sex and Violence

[Hurricane]

I was reading discussions (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034032/board/nest/146623609?p=1) about the movie Gamer over on IMDB. One person asked if the movie had any nudity or sexual content in it because she was taking some religious friends and didn't want them to be offended. Several other posters posed the question of why her religious friends would be okay with seeing people killed, blown up, and mutilated, but would have a problem with seeing naked people in the same movie.

The original poster made a comment about how people should mind their own business because her friends being offended didn't effect anyone else in any way.

Everyone has their own opinions and you can all get defenceful about your thoughts of what religion should be/not be but the fact in the matter is that it was offending to others. That's it. It's not affecting you in your life so just relax and move on to another post.

Another person shot back with:

It does affect my life. The simple fact that people are offended by sex at all is the whole reason for the Janet Jaackson/Justin Timberlake Superbowl half-time show uproar, and the fear of the FCC that followed, which affects programming, which affects me. People being offended by things leads to censorship, which affects all of us.

Someone else said that openness to sexuality would lead to more people getting raped as hormones would rage and people would seek out ways to get their sexual kicks. This was met with:

If that were true, there'd be more rapes (per capita) in Greece, Switzerland, and those other countries that are sexually liberated when compared to America, AMIRITE?


Someone else claimed that nudity and sex hurt Watchmen in theaters, but others countered that it was "heavy handed" directing that ultimately hurt the film.

The last post in the thread says:

Oi, things like tits and a dick wouldn't be so offensive if people didn't make a point to brainwash themselves into thinking the human body is innapropriate. Can't be. Everyone has and has therefore seen it before. Same thing with swear words. They're just words, an innocent combo of letters, and are only dirty because someone deigned them to be so.

Which I agree with completely. I want to get your thoughts, though. Why is violence okay, but sex/nudity isn't.

[Michael P]

I couldn't begin to tell you why, but it's one of the ironclad double standards of our time. Blood good, jism bad.

[Joshua Pantalleresco]

When I lived in the US, that was the biggest surprise and the oddest quirk. In canada nudity is nowhere near the issue it is down there, yet as offended as people got with a nipple, no one complained about watching someone getting their head blown off. It makes no sense to me and never did.

JP

[Hurricane]

Leprechaun 4 came on tv the other day and this woman takes her top off. You can see her entire breast, but they had a tiny blur over her nipples. It just looked like a naked breast with no nipples. Why are nipples so bad? And in a movie about a murderous leprechaun no less!

[Romero]

"Yes" to both!

I can't think of too many reasons that nudity/sex is less accepted than has already been mentioned. Many people seem to have a problem with sex and nudity.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who don't like lots of violence but probably aren't necessarily "offended" by seeing it. Maybe because they know it isn't real, whereas nudity is all right there?

[FeminineMystique]

I was reading discussions (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034032/board/nest/146623609?p=1) about the movie Gamer over on IMDB. One person asked if the movie had any nudity or sexual content in it because she was taking some religious friends and didn't want them to be offended. Several other posters posed the question of why her religious friends would be okay with seeing people killed, blown up, and mutilated, but would have a problem with seeing naked people in the same movie.

The original poster made a comment about how people should mind their own business because her friends being offended didn't effect anyone else in any way.


Another person shot back with:



Someone else said that openness to sexuality would lead to more people getting raped as hormones would rage and people would seek out ways to get their sexual kicks. This was met with:



Someone else claimed that nudity and sex hurt Watchmen in theaters, but others countered that it was "heavy handed" directing that ultimately hurt the film.

The last post in the thread says:



Which I agree with completely. I want to get your thoughts, though. Why is violence okay, but sex/nudity isn't.

Everyones entitled to their own opinions but whoever posted the "Sexual liberation= rapists" comment is seven kinds of absolute stupid. Openess about sexuality wouldn't turn everyone into marauding rapists:rolleyes:

And both are "Okay" but in the eyes of some people (Including, it seems to me at least, a lot of Americans/the american media) it seems that violence is somehow "safer" than sex. Perhaps because it's easier for repressed or prejudiced parents to explain why someone isn't breathing anymore than it is to explain why that man/woman/man/man/woman/woman just took off their clothes and started getting frisky

[NickThompson]

Which I agree with completely. I want to get your thoughts, though. Why is violence okay, but sex/nudity isn't.
I see it as a thing of scales. Violence is okay for many, but not on a really really over the top extreme gore level. So on a violence scale you start with a fight with no particuarly gruesome stuff, on the other end is the hardcore over the top bloody gorey stuff. If violence is always okay, why is GI Joe rated differently from Saw?


Sex/nudity is the same thing IMO. sex/nudity is the semi-high/high level on the scale that scales down from near-nudity to vaguely revealing, from sex to fully clothed but heavy non-sex to mere major kissing.

[Terry121]

I guess that depends on the nudity and on what you can see (a double standard of sorts). I remember a while back when everybody was in an uproar that you could a nude guy(full frontal) in the game GTA 4 (or 3 who knows). What was funny to me was that in that game you blew people up, dismebered people, were a pimp and the only thing that most of people complained about was the nudity part.

If it had been a pair lesbians going at it chances were that half of the offended wouldn't have complained.

And thirdly I disagree with Romero if somebody's nudity is offending you then look away problem solved. But turning your head doesn't really work if somebody is trying to bash your skull in.

[Hurricane]

if somebody's nudity is offending you then look away problem solved. But turning you're head doesn't really work if somebody is trying to bash your skull in.


I'm stealing this. :biggrin:

[Cam63]

Nudity, swearing and sex isn't going to bring about the Apocalypse.

...unless a fornicating couple leans on the red button in the " Bomb Russia " building.

[kane]

I was reading discussions (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034032/board/nest/146623609?p=1) about the movie Gamer over on IMDB. One person asked if the movie had any nudity or sexual content in it because she was taking some religious friends and didn't want them to be offended. Several other posters posed the question of why her religious friends would be okay with seeing people killed, blown up, and mutilated, but would have a problem with seeing naked people in the same movie.

The original poster made a comment about how people should mind their own business because her friends being offended didn't effect anyone else in any way.


While I think the whole "no nudity" attitude is ridiculous I have to agree with this person (the original poster). She wanted only to know if this movie would offend her friend. She said nothing about protesting against this movie, writing angry letters to the producers etc. So the other posters should really have minded their own business.

[Hurricane]

While I think the whole "no nudity" attitude is ridiculous I have to agree with this person (the original poster). She wanted only to know if this movie would offend her friend. She said nothing about protesting against this movie, writing angry letters to the producers etc. So the other posters should really have minded their own business.

No one accused her of any of that stuff. They simply asked why graphic violence is fine, but sex and nudity isn't.

[Village Idiot]

A friend of mine revealed to me the other day that his wife loved Deadwood.

His wife, of course, making that fact germane to this discussion, is devoutly religious. I have never heard her say a disparaging word to or about anyone. I have never heard her say any foul word.

For the first time, I realized how to use the word gobsmacked. I totally was.

[Village Idiot]

When I lived in the US, that was the biggest surprise and the oddest quirk. In canada nudity is nowhere near the issue it is down there,

When I was a youngster, I lived close enough to Canada to get Canadian television. I was delighted to see the occasional female chest.

[DavidAllred]

I think it boils down to control (or lack of) for many people. I mean most of us are fully capable of controlling our violent urges -- I might feel like slapping my co-worker silly, but don't. I also might feel like taking off my co-workers clothes and bumping uglies. One is easier to manage than the other, so the people that are all bent out of shape about sex in movies, probably think that it would cause them to lose more control.

Just a wild guess.

[FeminineMystique]

I think it boils down to control (or lack of) for many people. I mean most of us are fully capable of controlling our violent urges -- I might feel like slapping my co-worker silly, but don't. I also might feel like taking off my co-workers clothes and bumping uglies. One is easier to manage than the other, so the people that are all bent out of shape about sex in movies, probably think that it would cause them to lose more control.

Just a wild guess.

I never thought I'd say this but: I think I have a higher opinion of humanity as a whole than you do darling.

Sex scenes in movies don't affect people any more than violence does

[Reverend Smooth]

I think it boils down to control (or lack of) for many people. I mean most of us are fully capable of controlling our violent urges -- I might feel like slapping my co-worker silly, but don't. I also might feel like taking off my co-workers clothes and bumping uglies. One is easier to manage than the other, so the people that are all bent out of shape about sex in movies, probably think that it would cause them to lose more control.

Just a wild guess.I'm generally of the opinion that folks who are afraid that people will lose control if they're exposed to something are really folks who are afraid that THEY will lose control if they're exposed to something.

And then they project it onto others to validate their own lack of self-control.

[DavidAllred]

I never thought I'd say this but: I think I have a higher opinion of humanity as a whole than you do darling.

Sex scenes in movies don't affect people any more than violence does


I definately agree with you, but my guess is that it's the perception that these people carry that cause them to forgo films with T&A, but not bat an eye at violence. They somewhat unconsciously believe they're more likely to sleep with their neighbor's wife than shoot her with a 12 gauge. And statistically, I suppose they're right.

[Sally Sensational]

Sex scenes in movies don't affect people any more than violence does

I don't know about that - I could name a few movie sex scenes that get me pretty hot and bothered.

That whole paint scene in Better Than Chocolate, for instance. Oh, look there! A CANADIAN example!

Sometimes I think I'll just move.

And then I remember that north generally equals cold. Dangit.

[CutterMike]

I often wonder whether some of the anti-nudity crowd might be worried that nudity on-screen will make people lose all self-control and they STILL won't make a pass at them!

I mean, consider the possibility that those movie nude scenes have everyone jumping each others' bones in the parking lot afterwards and no-one goes after you... Think ho depressing that would be!

[Terry121]

I think it boils down to control (or lack of) for many people. I mean most of us are fully capable of controlling our violent urges -- I might feel like slapping my co-worker silly, but don't. I also might feel like taking off my co-workers clothes and bumping uglies. One is easier to manage than the other, so the people that are all bent out of shape about sex in movies, probably think that it would cause them to lose more control.

Just a wild guess.

Ohh for Pete's sake.

Yesterday I saw a japanese horror movie where a girl had a set of teeth in her.... lover regions (the region which usually includes in the bumping uglies) which she used to get revenge on guys.

And being a sensible and (arguably) rational person I was freaked out as hell (by the movie, what can I say the japanese sure know how to make scary movies). But you won't see me taking my dentist with me everytime I go on a date.

The reason for that being that most off us (98%) can seperate reality from fiction, my point: you see a naked guy/girl whatever doesnt mean that the first thing you'll do afterwards is jump smebody in a dark alley. I mean sure some movies and scenes can serve as a turn on (heck that's what most of them are inteded for) but we are still responsible and in control of our actions and most people get that.

Now the other 2% are usually nutjobs who see a movie/play a game/read a book and are "set off" going on a kiling spree etc. Well let me tell you, those guys already had a problem waaaaaaay before seing a pair of breasts on TV. Quite frankly if scenes of gore/violence/sex drive people nutters then we might just go ahead and ban pretty much every piece of fiction ever written drawn or filmed.

Lastly if something offends you JUST DON'T WATCH/READ IT. Problem solved.

[DavidAllred]

I think a much more interesting question about all this, is why human beings are so different from animals with regards to sex.

I grew up with lots of animals and always thought it was funny that they could break out and just start having sex around all the other animals... and the only animal that ever noticed was me. It's interesting that when other animals have sex, the rest of the pack or troupe or whatever, just go about their business. They'll walk right by two mating friends and continue grazing like nothing's happening. But if two human beings put their groove on in the middle of a crowded bus station, heads would start turning.

In fact, I think we're the only organism that will expend time and energy to watch others of our kind copulate. Any zoologists out there know of another one? Do chimps?

[Alan Lynch]

The whole concept of Page 3 must blow some people's minds. Boobs in a daily newspaper? Shit, Britain is going to Hell fast.

[FeminineMystique]

I don't know about that - I could name a few movie sex scenes that get me pretty hot and bothered.

That whole paint scene in Better Than Chocolate, for instance. Oh, look there! A CANADIAN example!

Sometimes I think I'll just move.

And then I remember that north generally equals cold. Dangit.

okay maybe "Affect" wasn't the right choice of word:wink:

[section 8]

Everyones entitled to their own opinions but whoever posted the "Sexual liberation= rapists" comment is seven kinds of absolute stupid. Openess about sexuality wouldn't turn everyone into marauding rapists:rolleyes:

Anyone that sees a pair of breasts and thinks "Let's go a-rapin'!" Isn;t the kind of audience I'd want.