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how a three year old would react to the video. I was watching it and my two and half year old snuck up behind me unnoticed and asked "what's that daddy?" Now I'm feeling like a bad parent.
But with regards to your post:
Because they are shown in what is effectively a public space, they ought to pass a higher level of standards than films showing in a movie theater, rather than lower.
I certainly agree with that. No question.
But I always get very leery of campaigns like this. Often it seems that underlying these campaigns is an agenda that is hostile to the concept of free speech in general. So I find myself very conflicted. Those quotes from airline execs are inane; they really reflect a laziness and unwillingness to take responsibility for the choices they have made. So, par for the course for the corporate world.
One final comment about this topic in general that always troubles me. You can show a kid a movie like Apocalypto, Saw or Hannibal and nobody raises an eyebrow. Nobody is bothered. But if Janet Jackson shows a nipple on TV we - our culture - acts like the world has ended. Isn't there something really, really wrong when we willfully and almost gleefully immerse children in so much violence and yet teach them that the naked human body is a terrible thing?
The other day at work someone was talking about letting their three year old son watch 300 with them. I listened in stunned amazement as she reassured her audience that I didn't let him see the part where the girl danced naked or the wife had sex with Leonidas.
I said why didn't you let him watch those parts? Those were probably the least harmful scenes in the whole movie?
There was this awkward silence and another woman said quite sternly: That's not even funny. It's inappropriate for kids to see that kind of thing.
WTF? They should see arms and legs lopped off, corpses stacked like a wall, spears thrust through chests, decapitation complete with spurting blood, a spike driven into an eye and much, much, much more instead?
Yes, I was the guy in the kilt at Yearly Kos.
by Andy Ternay on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 11:30:08 AM PDT
I agree with the sentiment of your post, Andy, especially with regard to the dichotomy between sex and violence.
by pine on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 03:04:29 PM PDT
[ Parent ]
Two great points.
First, the double-standard between violent content and sexual content. Violent content is regarded as harmless, whatever the moral message of the film, whether positive or negative.
The reaction to sexual content is much more conflicted. Definitely there are some people on the left and the right who are concerned with the inappropriate sexualization of young girls. The best example I've seen of this is the numerous articles in which parents of young girls complain that the girls' options in terms of clothing, music and role models are overly-sexualized.
That said, the reaction to a few seconds of Janet Jackson's nipple was far stronger and more unified. If people could direct that same anger against over-sexualized advertising images of women and girls, then society would really benefit.
Second, the concern that movie watchdog campaigns are often opposed to free speech in general. This is a tough one, because some conservative groups are opposed to progressive values in the media. But I think there is a methodological distinction between a group using boycotts and protests to encourage media producers to change, and using legal methods to cut away at the First Amendment. The former approach can be quite effective and moral, depending on the content being protested, and I would like to see religious liberals use it more.
by Shelby Meyerhoff on Sun Sep 02, 2007 at 07:17:59 AM PDT
Andy,
As I reread your post, I see that you are also concerned about the over-reaction to appropriate displays of nudity and sexuality. I can't think of an example off the top of my head where folks protested a respectful depiction of the naked female body in the media (maybe because there are so few!) But I agree that we need to communicate to children an appreciation and celebration of healthy bodies and healthy sexual expression.
by Shelby Meyerhoff on Sun Sep 02, 2007 at 07:24:29 AM PDT
Two points: Believe me, I am not crazy about the oversexualization of our children - girls in particular although I'd say that some portrayals of boys are distasteful as well. Kids need to be allowed to be kids without adults foisting this garbage on them.
Second, one example is the draping of the statue of Justice. Fortunately that has been undone.
by Andy Ternay on Sun Sep 02, 2007 at 09:06:13 AM PDT
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