Please tell me how looking at a flash of tit on a mag cover is going to lead to the downfall of civilization. I guarantee every kid has seen a lot more skin (and genuine porn) on the Internet way before 18, and probably before puberty.
I chalk it up to global warming.
That time was roughly 1930-1968, so it’s a little late to be complaining about it now.
Now, if your complaint were about prime-time network television then I’d agree that there are shows now with racier content than one would have seen in the relatively recent past. However, there are still shows on network TV that aren’t particularly racy, plus 24/7 children’s programming available through various basic cable channels. It’s not like parents are forced to choose between Whitney and nothing when their kids want to watch TV. (Although “nothing” should be the clear winner in that situation, regardless of age.) There’s even a TV rating system to help parents decide if a show will be appropriate for kids and what sort of “adult” content it might contain.
The offensive part of this is the “bad girls” vs. “good girls” thing. Having great sex is “bad” or “naughty”? I don’t have a problem with my kids seeing sex-related headlines, but I don’t want my boys to think that “good girls” don’t like to have good sex.
Worse, I certainly don’t want my *girls *to think that “good girls” don’t like to have good sex.
It does seem to me that there is much LESS nudity in mainstream movies than in the '70s. Yeah, the teenage slob comedies and the cheesier horror movies still have a good bit, but mainstream dramas, even the “R” rated ones, are quite puritanical by comparison.
ETA: By the way, I quite like the girl on the right-hand cover.
Clearly you haven’t been watching any German porn…
Yes, why can’t we go back to the good, wholesome magazine covers of yesteryear?
:rolleyes:
Totally agree, I just happen not to have any of them.
My daughter, then 12, was somewhat interested in seeing the Watchmen movie. Mama Zappa (her mother) and I said no way - we’d read the graphic novel and were of the opinion that the nudity, sex and violence would be inappropriate for her. Mama Zappa and I saw the flick and liked it, but thought we’d made the right choice for our daughter. One of her friends (same age) saw it. The kid liked the movie OK, but barely noticed the giant blue dong swinging throughout the movie, and thought the sex scene was dull. So much for kids not being able to “handle” it. Maybe our daughter would have been fine seeing the flick.
I find it beyond credulity that a former reader of Cosmo would be shocked - SHOCKED! - that their articles now discuss sex (clutching of pearls and Victorian era fainting goes here). GMAB! That’s been Cosmo’s schtick since its inception.
Answering point by point. I realize children will learn life’s facts, one way or another, but none of us (especially him and his mother) want my pre-teen son to watch an explicit fucking scene. He is very intelligent, enjoys watching thrillers of various sorts with me. It’s a loss when an otherwise-good movie has a sex scene ruling it out (or requiring quick reflexes and a fast-forward click). Do you really want specific examples? First to mind is Godfather, with a sex scene … though using it as example contradicts the “decades ago” motif in OP. :smack:
I’ll admit to watching Saving Ryan and Reservoir Dogs with him and wonder if such movies are far worse for him than the sex scenes. (It’s his mother and him who object most to his watching those.) I could start a thread titled “Ask the Dad who thinks he’s a very bad parent.”
PS: I m NOT advocating censorship, merely expressing regret that many otherwise excellent movies become unsuitable for view with my children. Googling before purchase would be inconvenient and, anyway, outrule many I’d want to watch.
Wasn’t it Mae West who said that sex was dirty only if it was done right?
Actually, I will join in the whine and cheese party on this point: there’s hardly anything entertaining for BOTH parents and kids these days. It’s either grit my teeth through The Electric Company (which is the best of the worst) again, or watch another Dirty Jobs. I mean, I like Dirty Jobs, but it’s getting tiresome.
Although, I will admit, being without cable for a year, I did discover some awesome over the air channels with the classics, which was cool. Still, I’d like to watch something fictional made after cell phones were developed sometimes, and I’d like to watch it *with *my six year old.
What I miss are shows like Family Ties and The Cosby Show - sanitary enough for kids but still entertaining for grown-ups. Now I can’t find a sitcom without a dildo joke or a “that’s what she said” every 30 seconds. I have no problem exposing my kids to healthy sexuality, but let’s face it… Barney on How I Met Your Mother is not a really great role model for healthy sexuality. I love HIMYM, but it’s not something I want to watch with my 6 year old. Or my 18 year old, for that matter!
But yes, I’d rather she see parts of Whitney than NCSISVU Whatever. At least the sexual jokes are mostly over her head. The violence and sexual elements of those others combine to create truly inappropriate television. Again, not a problem, I don’t want to take them away from adults who like them. But where are the Our House or Little House on the Prairies of today? Is there truly no room for an hour long family drama, but there’s room for 412 police/investigator procedurals?
I know, I know, ratings sucked and no one wants to risk the money to take another stab at it. Bah, humbug.
I agree that things are too explicit these days (and perhaps back in ‘those days’, as I am only 26). There have been some “kid-aimed” movies my kid couldn’t watch because of sex/boobs. I’ve complained about it on SDMB before, but I got “meh” responses.
So we’re probably in the minority here. I really wish PG-13 movies weren’t marketed in Happy Meals, though.
How is spending a few seconds on Google inconvenient? There are whole websites devoted to explaining what potentially objectionable “adult” content is in various movies. Some appear to be run by people with what I’d consider rather…extreme…religious views, but Kids-In-Mind seems like a good one. They assign each movie a score indicating how much sex, violence, and profanity it contains*, and also provide a list describing the specific content if you want to know exactly what is involved.
*ETA: That is, a separate score for each facet, so Glengarry Glen Ross receives a very high profanity score but a 0 on sex/nudity and a 1 on violence for threats and psychological abuse.
I think our society is pretty fucked up in it’s priorities when we turn nudity into a horrible shocking taboo, but we wallow violence and gore.
The sight of a female breast should not be fodder for frothing at the mouth in rage and carrying on in a way that traumatizes children. I guarantee you that children are NOT psychologically damaged by the sight of the breast. They’re messed up by their parents and role models reactions, which are what teach them how they should react and think.
You watched Reservoir Dogs with your pre-teen? Really?
I don’t see how Googling is inconvenient, especially when the alternative is to assume that stuff will be inappropriate, which would rule out pretty much everything that isn’t specifically kid-friendly.
And yet, when asked to provide an example of these “many otherwise excellent movies,” the only one you can come up with is The Godfather, which is:
a) almost 40 years old, and
b) so violent that the one sex scene is hardly the main reason for not allowing a minor child to watch the movie.
Great effort in support of your argument!
Oh I know. The Godfather is such a great childrens movie! Pity there had to be a ptooey sex scene to distract him from all that wholesome violence!
(Yeah, I now think this thread is just one big whoosh.)
I call bullshit on the idea that Cosmo covers have gotten any more explicit. They were talking about orgasms right there on the cover when I was a kid in the 80s.
lulz
I’d like to know what the family friendly films are that are marred by one or two gratuitous sex scenes. Because I’ve been wanting to see “We Bought a Zoo” and now I’m getting a funny feeling about it…