ProfessorLayton said:
...it's just a little too much, in my opinion.
There is a difference and if you disagree, then I want you to think of watching movies with your parents. I can bet that you'll be fine through all the violence, but the minute a sex scene shows up you'll start feeling uncomfortable.
A little snipping for brevity, but I am addressing your entire comment.
Your opinion and that discomfort of watching sexual content with parents or other authority figures is a cultural artifact. It's a commonly held belief (whether or not it's actually true, I can't say for certain, not having experienced it myself) that in European cultures sexuality and sexual imagery is not as frowned upon and most people have more liberal attitudes about it.
The fact that you contrast watching violence or sexuality that way with your parents really shows your cultural bias. Your society has said "violence is ok, sexuality is not". You might think nothing of watching a TV show where a man is murdered by being shot. Where that man is shown being shot, bleeding, possibly treated in an ER before finally succumbing to a fatal, criminal action. At the same time, a pair of breasts on the same screen can make you squirm if your parents are watching with you.
When and why did violence become more culturally acceptable than sexuality? Humans are capable of both, yet one is demonized, one is glorified.
ProfessorLayton said:
If it's not universally socially acceptable, chances are you shouldn't push it for the time being. Times will change and so will people's opinions on what is and isn't socially acceptable. I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from people aren't exactly very smart or accepting. I personally don't think it's worth it to offend them for no reason (even if they shouldn't be offended in the first place) when you could easily edit the image and make it fine. I honestly believe that in 50 years or so everyone will look back at the fact that we felt the need to censor this and laugh about it but right now there's no reason to be upset when something like this happens. You can still buy a game with the original art so there isn't a problem.
I understand that you actually do seem to have a more liberal and mature view, but at the same time, your attitude of "wait for the change to happen" will have us perpetually waiting for change. Change has to come from somewhere, somehow. If that means pushing the boundaries of "good taste", exposing people to sexuality in ways they may not be comfortable with and normalizing sexuality instead of hiding it away and painting it as somehow harmful, then that's what needs to happen. If people aren't exposed to sexuality in a positive way (i.e. not harmful, not criminal) attitudes will never change.
In the scheme of things, changing the box art is not an earthshaking event. On the other hand, it gives the conservative mindset, the ignorant, the fearful power over what other consenting adults can and cannot view. Sure, there is the "what about the children angle", but it's up to parents to control what their children are exposed to to some degree while at the same time educating and preparing them for the times when they are not under parental supervision. We can't shelter our children until the age of 21 and then thrust them into the adult world with no exposure to adult situations and materials and expect them to be able to deal with things like sexuality in a thoughtful, mature and positive manner.
In the end, the box art change says that a certain mindset still has the power to rule over everyone, regardless of whether or not we all agree with that mindset. It takes away the power of choice, which in my opinion is never a good thing. I'm glad that the option to buy the racier versions in N. America is still available for those who choose it.
