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  1. #1
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    Default Why do some think violence is more accepted than sex in western media?

    Power Rangers was perceived as being too violent by parents in the 90s.

    4Kids was infamous for censoring violent content in the anime they adapted.

    Game of Thrones's use of violence, particularly rape, drew heavy criticism and even now people have expressed dissatisfaction with the House of the Dragon prequel due to the creators saying that rape will still be used in the show.

    The Joker movie was being accused of glorifying violence and potentially causing another mass shooting before the film even began.

    The controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat and Grand Theft Auto are well documented.

    Remember when Trump tried to blame mass shootings on violent movies and video games?

    And yet despite all that and much more, people act like violence never gets any pushback at all because the new Street Fighter game gave Chun-Li and Cammy pants in their default outfits and the new Bayonetta gives people the option to turn off the nudity.

    We keep getting shows, movies, comics and games that frequently push the envelope when it comes to sexual content, some of them even achieving mainstream success. Look how many entries the American Pie franchise has and this is a film largely about horny teenagers and young people wanting to have sex. So why is there this perception that violent media is accepted and sexual media isn't?

  2. #2
    Ultimate Member Tendrin's Avatar
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    This is specifically *American* rather than Western. In many western cultures, this isn't the case. And in America, it's roots go back to puritanism.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member CaptainEurope's Avatar
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    I remember watching the news in the 90s on CNN. There had been shelling of a marketplace in Bosnia, viewers were warned that the images were shocking. And indeed, I had not seen that much blood, body parts, entrails on the news before.
    At the end of the same newscast, they tried to lift the mood with images of some US soldiers being welcomed back to Florida by some topless women on a yacht, cheering and jumping up and down. The breasts were blurred out.

  4. #4

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    Some of it is definitely puritanism, but it could also be because the media in general is still mostly geared towards men.

    Violence, blood, gore are largely seen as masculine elements, while romance, tenderness and by extention sex are largely seen as feminine (therefore less). This is an example of sexism that is harmful to both genders.

    Thankfully, things seem to change for the better in this area.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Catlady in training View Post
    Some of it is definitely puritanism, but it could also be because the media in general is still mostly geared towards men.

    Violence, blood, gore are largely seen as masculine elements, while romance, tenderness and by extention sex are largely seen as feminine (therefore less). This is an example of sexism that is harmful to both genders.

    Thankfully, things seem to change for the better in this area.
    Sex (without the romance or tenderness) is still seen as a manly pursuit.

  6. #6
    Extraordinary Member CaptainEurope's Avatar
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    Violence is also (to a degree) considered "all ages."

    You are much more likely to see a murder on a kid's show, or on a g-rated afternoon drama series, than a sex-related crime.

  7. #7
    Astonishing Member Zelena's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Agent Z View Post
    Sex (without the romance or tenderness) is still seen as a manly pursuit.
    There’s still a risk of feelings and complications… Violence isn’t complicated. No-brainer… Relaxing as a show?
    “Strength is the lot of but a few privileged men; but austere perseverance, harsh and continuous, may be employed by the smallest of us and rarely fails of its purpose, for its silent power grows irresistibly greater with time.” Goethe

  8. #8
    Amazing Member Adam Allen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptainEurope View Post
    Violence is also (to a degree) considered "all ages."

    You are much more likely to see a murder on a kid's show, or on a g-rated afternoon drama series, than a sex-related crime.
    This really tends to be where the controversy arises. When it is media clearly intended for and at least mostly consumed by adults, you can really get away with practically anything sex or violence related. People have been "pushing the envelope" forever, so when it comes to media consumed by adults, it's only vaguely notable when something super bloody and gory or -- I don't know, whatever 50 Shades of Gray was -- when something like that gets enough success that it's considered "mainstream" ... you know, some people will get to write or shoot stories about how some other people are so offended or outraged or whatever, but really, as long as adults are viewing it, no one really cares, I don't think.

    It's the gray area of stuff that is not specifically made for kids, but still accessed by kids (like GTA, or I don't know, rap music with curse words) that seems to get some folks really upset.

    And I don't know, but I think the perception that the general public is more indifferent about kids seeing violence than sex might not be far off the mark. I mean really, for all that they're careful to make it "bloodless", the MCU is pretty violent, but kids as young as 5 and 6 may be allowed to watch Infinity War and Endgame. And I don't really remember American Pie much, but I don't think it really had a lot of actual nudity, but more just had crude humor around sex a lot. But yeah, nobody is letting their kid see that.

    Star Wars, too -- so obviously geared towards kids, but really pretty violent too, if you think about it. I mean, WAR is apparently a cool name to slap on something that you can sell to kids. Could you do the same with some kind of sexual term?
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  9. #9
    Loony Scott Taylor's Avatar
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    I guess for me personally, the emphasis on violence over sex is a thing for certain. Sex is seen as worse for some reason. But I think it should be the opposite, because sex is natural and violence really is not. Not in the way that it gets shown, anyhow.

    Take the second GotG movie, where Yondu, Groot and Rocket casually murder well over a hundred people to the tune of "Come a Little Bit Closer." And the murders were done for the sake of humor, for the most part, ending with the killing of Taserface just as someone makes fun of his name. Maybe its a Gunn thing as much as a society thing because I had the same kinds of thoughts about the "humourous violence" in Suicide Squad 2.

    Violence in media does have rules, for instance it is distinguished from gore. So its ok to have tons of people get shot, get whacked with hammers, etc. as long as you don't show blood. See - your typical Disney movie. Somewhere along the way it became ok to show mass murder but if you show the consequences of it then its rating time.

    Sex has more rules in place, obviously. It didn't used to, you could easily see lots of sex in PG movies back in the day. Not now, though.
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  10. #10
    Extraordinary Member CaptainEurope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Allen View Post
    This really tends to be where the controversy arises. When it is media clearly intended for and at least mostly consumed by adults, you can really get away with practically anything sex or violence related. People have been "pushing the envelope" forever, so when it comes to media consumed by adults, it's only vaguely notable when something super bloody and gory or -- I don't know, whatever 50 Shades of Gray was -- when something like that gets enough success that it's considered "mainstream" ... you know, some people will get to write or shoot stories about how some other people are so offended or outraged or whatever, but really, as long as adults are viewing it, no one really cares, I don't think.

    It's the gray area of stuff that is not specifically made for kids, but still accessed by kids (like GTA, or I don't know, rap music with curse words) that seems to get some folks really upset.

    And I don't know, but I think the perception that the general public is more indifferent about kids seeing violence than sex might not be far off the mark. I mean really, for all that they're careful to make it "bloodless", the MCU is pretty violent, but kids as young as 5 and 6 may be allowed to watch Infinity War and Endgame. And I don't really remember American Pie much, but I don't think it really had a lot of actual nudity, but more just had crude humor around sex a lot. But yeah, nobody is letting their kid see that.

    Star Wars, too -- so obviously geared towards kids, but really pretty violent too, if you think about it. I mean, WAR is apparently a cool name to slap on something that you can sell to kids. Could you do the same with some kind of sexual term?
    I once read on the internet that while a series called "Murder, She Wrote" was considered all ages, there would never be a series called "Rape, He Muttered." At least not on network TV. Although one might rightfully argue that rape is more violence than sex.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptainEurope View Post
    I once read on the internet that while a series called "Murder, She Wrote" was considered all ages, there would never be a series called "Rape, He Muttered." At least not on network TV. Although one might rightfully argue that rape is more violence than sex.
    Yes, it is.
    I thought that the discussion was about consensual sex. I am more than fine with rape not being shown or even hinted at in stuff that children can watch. I would be fine if it wasn't present so much in stuff for adults too. Some time ago, I had to stop watching a few series, because there was rape and sexual violence almost everywhere, including series where you wouldn't expect it.
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  12. #12
    Invincible Member numberthirty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaptainEurope View Post
    I once read on the internet that while a series called "Murder, She Wrote" was considered all ages, there would never be a series called "Rape, He Muttered." At least not on network TV. Although one might rightfully argue that rape is more violence than sex.
    Forget "More..."

    Rape is violence.

    End of the story.

  13. #13
    Astonishing Member Zelena's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Taylor View Post
    Violence in media does have rules, for instance it is distinguished from gore. So its ok to have tons of people get shot, get whacked with hammers, etc. as long as you don't show blood. See - your typical Disney movie. Somewhere along the way it became ok to show mass murder but if you show the consequences of it then its rating time.
    True, violence is codified: someone is falling, moaning, holding his ribs and that’s the pretty much of it. Or his body is shaken by a gust before collapsing. Violence is usually not really shown, it is trivialized.

    Takeshi Kitano, the Japanese moviemaker, is doing exactly the opposite: violence is felt as a disguting thing. I saw once one of his footages: someone was being beaten and it lasted a long time. Kitano explained that violence on screen must trigger distate, revulsion… for it’s not a pretty, sanitized thing. It mustn’t be attractive.
    “Strength is the lot of but a few privileged men; but austere perseverance, harsh and continuous, may be employed by the smallest of us and rarely fails of its purpose, for its silent power grows irresistibly greater with time.” Goethe

  14. #14
    Take Me Higher The Negative Zone's Avatar
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    The violence in television shows and the situations and reasoning for them feel infinitely less real. I don't think this should be an invitation to have all sorts of extreme blood and gore, I doubt that's good for the mind. But my main point is watching overly violent things makes me feel disgusted, it does not make me want to commit violent acts. On the other hand, if something on the screen is "too sexy" it very well may influence me. A large amount of people used to want to avoid that.

    Also, violence is everywhere, sex is more hush hush. Easier to shield children from sexual knowledge than it is violence.

  15. #15
    Loony Scott Taylor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zelena View Post
    True, violence is codified: someone is falling, moaning, holding his ribs and that’s the pretty much of it. Or his body is shaken by a gust before collapsing. Violence is usually not really shown, it is trivialized.

    Takeshi Kitano, the Japanese moviemaker, is doing exactly the opposite: violence is felt as a disguting thing. I saw once one of his footages: someone was being beaten and it lasted a long time. Kitano explained that violence on screen must trigger distate, revulsion… for it’s not a pretty, sanitized thing. It mustn’t be attractive.
    Yes, exactly. There is a certain removal and disconnect from harsh realities that occurs in the name of entertainment. Personally I agree with Kitano, its better to be grounded and knowledgeable of consequences than it is to constantly be surrounded by fantasies.
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