What They Play Poll Finds Parents Fear Sex in Games

[Karisse]

All I can think of is the South Park movie.

"...violence is okay, so long as there's no smut involved."

What the hell.

 

[TomNook]

I believe it is time to share my own theory on human behavior. Through arduous study, long hours of interviewing hundreds upon hundreds of subjects, I have discovered this universal truth, *clears throat* PEOPLE ARE FUCKING MORONS!

 

[TomNook]

Violence is more acceptable than sex, mainly because people (Especially Americans it seems-don't get me wrong, I love America but the place seems to delight in its own idiocy)accept violence as something that can be right. which is the most fucked-up logic but hey, what can you do. I guess that the socialisation of a great part of society has left them with the idea that somehow violence is less odious than sex. if its dangerous/deviant sex then, yeah, okay, its prohibition is understandable but, if were talking 'normal' (as far as there is such a definition) sex then, hell, your child should be (and proboably is) used to it by now, and its far less likely to harm him than, say, karate-kicking people considerably larger than him.

Its because we got Europe's crazy right wing Puratins as our founders. Fire and brimstone was great for church BUT NOT DANCING!

 

[Wazzelbe]

It's funny to think of two dudes kissing beating out a severed human head in the "Cover your eyes, kids!" contest. Not much else to say about it. It sucks, but then, we've come quite a ways since the past few decades. I don't see why things shouldn't change some more.

 

[Saskwach]

Part of the problem is people are taking the poll (and the issue of sex and violence in the media) as if your opinion on *seeing it in a game* is the same as your opinion on *wanting it to happen in real life*. Those opinions aren't necessarily the same for some people. edit: I think because while it's true as people posting here are saying that sex is more a part of modern life than violence, the people who responded in the poll aren't thinking about encountering 'sex *in real life*' vs. encountering 'violence *in real life*' but rather encountering 'sex *in a video game*' vs. encountering 'violence *in a video game*'

In fact, my guess is it would be most accurate to say they are thinking about 'sex *in real life* delivered by a video game' vs. 'a *depiction* of violence delivered by a video game'.

Also, there might be a key difference between *seeing* sex or violence in a game, and *playing* sex or violence in a game in the same way it's pretty hard to rock out on Guitar Hero using the standard controller the way you can with the guitar accessory yet shooting a gun in real life or an FPS both involve pulling a trigger, but, that's maybe a little off-topic.

I don't think anyone here is making the mistake you've pointed out. No one (sane) here would think that parents, however fucked up, would slightly prefer their kids seeing a real severed head over a real sex scene. Both are pretty mature stuff but decapitation is just so beond the pale in real life that any parent would put their foot down.
The problem everyone has is why the hell is this feeling inverted for games and, more generally I'm guessing, for entertainment media? Why is something your kids will be doing in around a decade (or something they probably won't) scarier than decapitation once it's on a tv screen?

 

[Mstrswrd]

While I could talk about how I find the poll results a disgusting representation of people, I instead will ask a slightly humorous question. First, however, I would like to say that "protecting" these kids from these things isn't really protecting them. It's just keeping them innocent. And innocence is useless because the world preys on the innocent. Not saying you should smother your kid with that stuff, but guess what? Your refusal to allow kids any exposure to it isn't helping.

Now, here is the question.

"What would happen if those parents who voted on that poll found their kids looking at a picture of a man and a woman having sex, while the man makes out with a graphically severed man's head, and the woman has a speech bubble in which she utters the word "F--k!" over and over?" They would die of a heart attack, I think

 

[Saskwach]

You know what, I totally misread your post and in fact I actually agree. That's what scanning will do for you.
I also agree that it's a stupid but valid that parents are more worried about protecting kids from what they might do rather than from something far more repulsive taht they would never do and might only give them nightmares for a week (brilliant).

 

[stompy]

Well, I always knew that in the US, people are more anti-sex than anti-violence, so no big shocker. The surprise for me is that 2 guys kissing is seen as more offensive than a decapitation. Oh wait...

- A procrastinator

 

[PurpleRain]

All I can think of is the South Park movie.

"...violence is okay, so long as there's no smut involved."

What the hell.

So sadly true. Severed head ok. Two men kissing or, shock horror, two consential adults doing something natural? Open the fucking flood gates people! (Saying fuck is cool by their standards)

 

[Anarchemitis]

All of those things are found in games that you'd only want to be looking for them to find. And so far (and God forbid) there are no games with all those things in one.