# Gore, titties and the United States of America. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216 "2011-09-22T17:40:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/61 "2011-09-23T14:53:37Z")
The OP doesn’t make sense unless the porn is graphic. Otherwise there’s no equivalence and no question. It also doesn’t make any sense to use both hardcore and explicit unless the former does not mean the latter. So people are going with the other definition. As for my answer: in the scenario given, I’d have to go with the violent video, if only so the child doesn’t associate sex and violence together due to the guy trying to kill him. And, the more I think about it, the only way my choice wouldn’t also be violence in some other situation is if I know the kids scares easily. (For instance, I’d show young me the porn, easily.) ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/62 "2011-09-23T15:22:41Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Not all porn is violent. Unless you consider oral sex to be violent. In fact I’d say that 99% of porn is just straight-up sex that’s been video taped. Why everyone is focusing on that other 1% is beyond me. Because the OP said hardcore. Soft Porn is showing sex, that’s what you get in the telephone sex ads shown after 10 pm. Hardcore is showing rape or other unsettling stuff, otherwise it wouldn’t be hardcore. It’s like violence - if it’s Saw, it shows drastic violence, and therefore rated adult, if it’s a Bud Spencer/Terence Hill movie, it’s just staged fisticuffs. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/63 "2011-09-23T15:25:24Z")
The definition problem is that the OP gave examples for hardcore violence, like Saw, but no example for hardcore Porn, so people are using different definitions when answering. The South Park ep. mentioned didn’t show the porn itself, but the attempts of the parents to explain why there was nothing wrong with it and the shocked reactions of the kids could maybe used as example for why this was hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/64 "2011-09-23T15:27:11Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > Hardcore is showing rape or other unsettling stuff, otherwise it wouldn’t be hardcore. I think we have very different definitions of what hardcore means. **Machine Elf** got it right, it’s just another name for explicit. It _could_ include some rough stuff, but it doesn’t have to. At any rate, the OP cleared it up. He meant garden-variety Hollywood porn. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/65 "2011-09-23T15:40:49Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > Hardcore is showing rape or other unsettling stuff, otherwise it wouldn’t be hardcore. Either you’re severely mistaken, or your “other unsettling stuff” category is remarkably vast. Hardcore = shows actual penetration, oral/genital contact, erect penises, etc. Softcore = doesn’t. (E.g., late night fare on Skinemax.) ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/66 "2011-09-23T15:51:19Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > The OP did say it was explicit hardcore porn. To me that means porn that pushes the boundaries, not just steamy sex. To me it just means wang out and proud, rather than waist-up swaying viewed through a billowing silk curtain. [grumpy old man]Kids these days don’t know they’re born - can’t get it up without the involvement of at least three nationalities, a ball gag and a koala :mad:[/grumpy old man] ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/67 "2011-09-23T15:51:58Z")
Softcore = Tits and ass Hardcore = Cocks and pussies ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/68 "2011-09-23T16:10:41Z")
I voted for the porn, then once out of the situation (say the invader is arrested, and all’s well), I’d lawyer myself up in order to protect myself from a potential lawsuit from the parents. As for screwing the kid up, I don’t know if either the porn or the violent footage _itself_ would do any damage, as much as the fact that someone broke into the house and threatened the kid with a gun. In other words, I don’t think it matters so much if the DVDs show hardcore porn, extreme violence, or the show _Extreme Couponing_, the act of someone breaking into the house with a gun would be traumatic in and of itself, and could mess the kid up for life. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/69 "2011-09-23T16:15:05Z")
As far as getting arrested for showing a kid whatever it was you settled on, I’m pretty sure that doing so at gunpoint is a mitigating enough circumstance to get you off the hook. But I wouldn’t want to come under heat for making the choice that I did. Either way, someone’s going to be mighty pissed off. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/70 "2011-09-23T16:19:37Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > My first inclination was the gore, just because I’d be more comfortable with that. > > But considering my comfort, the comfort of the child, and what will be less damaging to the child, let’s consider that THERE’S AN ARMED MANIAC IN THE ROOM THREATENING TO KILL US. What’s on TV is of little consequence. Yup yup. I just find it easier for the child to associate the traumatic situation of being held at gunpoint with the violent movie - neither should be done. If the porn is shown, then the child associates sex with this traumatic situation. It’s easier to say ‘Kid, that guy with the gun showed us a movie that has people like him. Violence is bad, and just like you should never want to do what that bad man did, you don’t want to do anything on that video.’ ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/71 "2011-09-23T16:20:51Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Either you’re severely mistaken, or your “other unsettling stuff” category is remarkably vast. > > Hardcore = shows actual penetration, oral/genital contact, erect penises, etc. > > Softcore = doesn’t. (E.g., late night fare on Skinemax.) So if softcore porn (!) is just naked bodies, and “Hardcore Porn” is just penetration - how do you classify the really serious stuff, like rape, multiple, anal, etc? I just can’t understand why you would want to throw everything into one category. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/72 "2011-09-23T16:23:29Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > So if softcore porn (!) is just naked bodies, and “Hardcore Porn” is just penetration - how do you classify the really serious stuff, like rape, multiple, anal, etc? I just can’t understand why you would want to throw everything into one category. Nor do I understand how rape would ever be included in one category with multiple or anal sex. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/73 "2011-09-23T16:25:04Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Yup yup. I just find it easier for the child to associate the traumatic situation of being held at gunpoint with the violent movie - neither should be done. I’m sure that the OP simply meant that you’re forced to show a video to the kid which you otherwise wouldn’t show him; for the purpose of the discussion, let’s assume that the gunmen is behind the curtain and the kid doesn’t see him and has no idea why you show him the DVD. If you dislike the gunman in the house, then imagine getting a call on the phone that the gunman has your mother at gunpoint and you have to show the kid one of the two DVDs being delivered to your door right now. So the kid isn’t traumatized by the gunman, just by the DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/74 "2011-09-23T16:28:12Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Well, given your accurate description of the state of affairs in the USA, I could probably be safe in assuming the boy had already seen extreme violence in movies, and one more won’t hurt him. In vacuum, however, I’d agree with you the sex video is better for him. I made this assumption too. If I have to worry about prosecution I’d pick the gore. **Argent** also raised a good point. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/75 "2011-09-23T16:49:19Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > What’s that supposed to mean? As in garden-variety hardcore shoots, the sort of stuff that gets shot California - as opposed to weird and disgusting stuff. Hardcore is to make the distinction between softcore (that is, just T&A), explicit is to make it clear that you can see everything and nothing is left to the imagination. Maybe redundant in this case, but just so it’s clear. Wish I’d have thought of that scenario for the OP…but if it’s any consolation in the OP the gunman only threatens you, not the kid. The hiding behind the curtain assumption would actually be more useful for OP purposes…damn. And \*\*panache45 \*\*what’s wrong with the word ‘ward’? It’s perfectly cromulent. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/76 "2011-09-23T16:53:21Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Maybe redundant in this case, but just so it’s clear. Fail. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/77 "2011-09-23T17:02:29Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > So if softcore porn (!) is just naked bodies, and “Hardcore Porn” is just penetration - how do you classify the really serious stuff, like rape, multiple, anal, etc? I just can’t understand why you would want to throw everything into one category. The movie [Deliverance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deliverance) infamously featured a scene that depicted male-on-male homosexual anal rape, but nobody would call that movie (or that scene) explicit or hardcore. [Hardcore](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hardcore) (“pruriently explicit; graphically depicted…”) and [explicit](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/explicit) (“fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied…having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted…”) are synonyms. They have nothing to do with the abstract meaning of the entire scene; instead, they relate to the slippery, sliding, mucosal details (or lack thereof). As far as classifying “really serious” (:dubious:) stuff, browse around the web a bit, and you’ll see that purveyors of such material simply use the appropriate descriptor (usually immediately after “hardcore” or “explicit”), just as you did above. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/78 "2011-09-23T17:06:29Z")
I think in this case, it matters whose titties are gored. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/79 "2011-09-23T17:27:19Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > I’m sure that the OP simply meant that you’re forced to show a video to the kid which you otherwise wouldn’t show him; for the purpose of the discussion, let’s assume that the gunmen is behind the curtain and the kid doesn’t see him and has no idea why you show him the DVD. > > If you dislike the gunman in the house, then imagine getting a call on the phone that the gunman has your mother at gunpoint and you have to show the kid one of the two DVDs being delivered to your door right now. > > So the kid isn’t traumatized by the gunman, just by the DVDs. Argh, that’s a hard one, given that I’m not allowed to give context to the kid. In that case, the violence, to cover my ass. I get nixed off the babysitting list in the city forever, but the situation will blow over - the newspapers will say it was the worst case of bad judgement ever. Show the kid porn? That will follow me wherever I go and even get me sent to jail. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216/80 "2011-09-23T18:10:51Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Fail. > > 🙂 It’s not my fault Doper’s minds automatically plunge into the depths of depravity! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gore-titties-and-the-united-states-of-america/597216.md?page=5)