So honestly is there too much Sex, violence, and profanity on T.V?

[I.R Joey]

(PG thread.)

I've been pondering this for a long while and I don't know. On the one hand you have these over reactive media watchdog groups, that are on an unjustified witchhunt for anything remotley resembling quality television, but on the other side you have some writers, directors, and executives who want to make their shows as raunchy as possible just to garner better ratings. Opinions?

[Sheamon]

Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is. If parents these days weren't so lazy this would be a topic in the first place. TV reflects soceity. The soceity promotes sex and violence to an insane degree, so you certainly can't expect TV to restrain itself.

[Eraserhead]

Originally posted by Sheamon
Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is. If parents these days weren't so lazy this would be a topic in the first place. TV reflects soceity. The soceity promotes sex and violence to an insane degree, so you certainly can't expect TV to restrain itself.

'nuff said

[SonGoku V3]

Originally posted by Sheamon
Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is. If parents these days weren't so lazy this would be a topic in the first place. TV reflects soceity. The soceity promotes sex and violence to an insane degree, so you certainly can't expect TV to restrain itself.

Or does Society reflect TV? If society is promoting sex and violence, don't you think that they need a means of promoting it? And what is that "means for promoting the sex and violence"? TV. I mean, we have shows where the characters just have sex and blow things up for no apparent reason. So yes, I believe TV just has way too much sex and violence, and most of it has nothing to do with what's going on in the show. It's just there to create ratings- ratings they don't even get sometimes.

[Karkull]

Personally, I don't think that we have enough sex and violence on television. I mean, we're good on the violence, but the television shows in Europe and Japan have way more sex than American shows do! We're falling behind!

(In fact, if there was more sex on television I bet that street crime would drop. Why? Simple--everyone would stay home to watch, :D.)

Seriously, networks air what people will watch. And, whether they'll admit it or not, the majority wants to watch sex and violence. Frankly, they deserve each other.

[SonGoku V3]

Originally posted by Karkull
Seriously, networks air what people will watch. And, whether they'll admit it or not, the majority wants to watch sex and violence. Frankly, they deserve each other.

Good point, but sometimes I just think that TV over does things. I mean, once there is sex and violence on one show, every other show has to copy it and clutter the night with mindless shows, kind of like they did with the game show fad. Hopefully, in a few years, people will start getting sick of the sex and violence, and TV producers will come up with something new(or recycle something old) and shove that down their audience's throats. Then once people get sick of that, sex and violence will be back in it's full glory, like a little cycle that never ends.

As for Japan and Europe having more sex show than us, well, I think the TV producers over there are a little TOO horny.;)

[nightwing_38116]

Parents in this time and era are too self absorbed and selfish. I child who shoots up his high school doesn't do so because of the lobby scene in the Matrix. He does so because he can't talk to his parents. The media is not to blame either. For every R rated action movie that comes out there are three "family" movies that are released as well. People need to take responsibility for their actions. To be honest, I like a little sex and violence in my entertainment. Most televisions allow channels and programs with certain ratings to be blocked out. Parents needs to use tham and not blame the artists and entertainers that entertain (an at times offend) us.

[Sheamon]

Crime existed before television did.

Underage sex, prositution and pornography existed before television did.

Entertainment always has and always will be a reflection of society, nothing more. You obviously noticed the atmosphere of the entertainment industry after 9/11, didn't you? Thats because entertainment reflects what society wants.

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by LilSonGoku


Good point, but sometimes I just think that TV over does things. I mean, once there is sex and violence on one show, every other show has to copy it and clutter the night with mindless shows, kind of like they did with the game show fad. Hopefully, in a few years, people will start getting sick of the sex and violence, and TV producers will come up with something new(or recycle something old) and shove that down their audience's throats. Then once people get sick of that, sex and violence will be back in it's full glory, like a little cycle that never ends.Yes they are like little kids playing soccer, they all dive for the ball and no one moves to where to ball may go.


As for Japan and Europe having more sex show than us, well, I think the TV producers over there are a little TOO horny.;) LOL. Seriously it is not that they are more horny it is just they look at it with a differnt view.

[Jedigreedo]

Actually Fox on the Japan issue I think it's both. :D

TV stations and stuff thesedays, you think they care about creativeness, originality, and good quality stuff? Watch Fox, MTV, TNN and UPN and you'll see what I mean. They know sex gets ratings because of all the teenagers out there that constantly search through each channel for something like that too watch. I think theres too much because everyone in show business are turning into greedy jerks who care nothing about what they're doing as long as they get money in their pockets to use to get more and more sex on the air.

[James]

Originally posted by Sheamon
Crime existed before television did.

Underage sex, prositution and pornography existed before television did.

Entertainment always has and always will be a reflection of society, nothing more. You obviously noticed the atmosphere of the entertainment industry after 9/11, didn't you? Thats because entertainment reflects what society wants.

Couldn't have said it better.

People look at TV as a representation of how valueless society has become. Rubbish, we live now in the best time there ever has been. In particular, the West is more toleratant, liberated and protecting of it's people than any civilization has been throughout history.

People who stand back and say that television is indicitive of a currupt society that it indocrinating their young with filth (and they must have a great deal of breath to say that!) should trying living just 100 years ago.

We no longer tolerate child abuse, unconsentual prostitution, rape, sexism, racism, hatred, terrorism. Sure, we still have all these attributes, but as a society we are struggling to stop, or at the least, help prevent such acts.

TV does not affect, it reflects society and society is comparitively pretty good to what the rest of the human civilization has endured.

If we want to point fingers we have to look at parents. There are too many parents who want to blame other sources for the problems with their children rather than look at their own failings. It's the families that affect the child.

Simply, it's far easier to blame a TV programme than come to terms with your own short comings.

[Supernovametalstar]

I've watched violence on tv for as long as I can remember, and I don't have a desire to hurt people. The reason: my mother. She gave me a whooping when I threw a book at my sisters eye when I was seven and I never hit anyone else since :D . She taught us that hitting people for no reason is wrong. I saw the consequences of people commiting violent acts on television all the time, both in reality (the news) and in fantasy (cartoons and prime time). You hurt someone, you get hurt back. You kill someone, you go to jail and/or die. It's a simple as that. For me at least. Now that I'm older I know that criminals are not always brought to justice in real life (on tv the case was always solved and the criminal brought to justice). But the best way to keep your butt out of jail is to not commit any crimes.

[Overkill of ASE]

TV is supplying what people want, and basically people want trash. I suspect, however, that TV has driven this attitude by constantly pushing the envelope. I think this is stupid because it cheapefies vulgarity and violence (odd paradox). If things don't change, in ten years, Broadcast will look like HBO, and then it will only be trite and pedestrian, not interesting or useful. In short, TV's quality goes down as it gets more and more unecessarily raunchy.

So I'm more worried about the quality than the psychological effects it has on kids or some bogus junk like that.

[SonGoku V3]

Originally posted by Sheamon
Crime existed before television did.

Underage sex, prositution and pornography existed before television did.

Entertainment always has and always will be a reflection of society, nothing more. You obviously noticed the atmosphere of the entertainment industry after 9/11, didn't you? Thats because entertainment reflects what society wants.

But really, do you see a building exploding just about "every Tuesday at 10" in real life, like you do on television. Sure sex and prostitution existed before TV, but these days, can you HONESTLY tell me that you see more sex and prostitutes on the streets than you do on TV? I'm not against sex and violence on TV at all, just as long as it's relevant to the story, which in most cases, it's not. Finally, I did notice the atmosphere after 9-11. For a few weeks, it seemed like there was going to be a turn in what we saw. Actually, for a few weeks, there was. Shows tried to educate it's viewers on what's going on and they did tributes to the firefighters and policemen. Skip to November, I can easily turn to UPN and watch a cheap movie with random acts of violence and sex. Turn on MTV late at night, I'll probably catch an episode of that stupid show "Undressed"(which I feel is nothing more than soft porn without the nudity). So not much has changed. I'm not saying that people should ban all these shows, or that these shows are the causes for school violence or whatever. I'm just saying that television is filled with too much sex and violence, and just like the "Millionaire" rip-offs that came along for awhile, we should get rid of these brainless shows trying desperately to get ratings by adding sex and violence.

[Fantasie117]

First, I agree wholeheartedly with pretty much everything that's been said.

Second, here's a novel concept to those people (and I mean those Family Leadership Groups or whatever you want to call them) who moan about violent content: Don't watch it! No one is forcing you to watch this stuff. Instead of watching tv, find something else do to. TV Producers hate nothing more than people not watching their shows 'cause then ratings go down and they lose money. It might be more effective to not watch it than yelling until their throats are sore.

Part of the reason why I love The West Wing so much is that there is almost no sex or violence, and yet it's consistently in the ratings' top ten. It proves that strong writing and strong acting make for better television.

[spectre316]

For younger kids, it's a problem with not watching it. If there's something on the television that's different from what they've ever seen or different from what has been taught to them, it's hard to resist. I remember being a kid wondering about such things like violence and then witnessing it on a television show. It's not like I liked watching it... it's just that I wanted to see it to see what it looked like.

[I.R Joey]

well don't let me stop the party, keep it going.

[Lachesis]

The level's fine right now for the adult crowd. What I think bothers most people is whether it's the right level for kids and teenagers who, despite all the good parenting in the world, are going to be exposed to it. And, yeah, in that sense I do have a problem with the levels sex and violence on TV and, more importantly, the increasingly casual attitude towards them. It freaks me out when I hear these cynical, jaded little kids talking about South Park. I've just got this awful feeling that the whole media thing has just gone out of control. Maybe it's just me. I don't know.

[Albright]

I'd like to shoot the people who think violence on TV affects me.

--The slightly butchered words of the all-knowing Calvin.

[BibidiBabidiBuu]

The is never enough sex and violence, sex in particular :D

[Kal-el]

As for sex and violence, I think there could actually be more of it on TV with one difference: network agendas.
So many shows push agendas that eventually become commonplace in society. Does TV mirror society? In ways yes, in others no. I feel that in many cases TV is pushing society to accept things because "Friends" says it's ok. TV, in general, has tried very hard to break down the morals and standards of our parents. Not that that is all bad, but does it have to be forced down our throats? I am a product of that. Many of the things I do now I do so willingly and see nothing wrong with them...that is, until I think about what I'm really doing. TV has a way of tapping into our selfish pleasures and telling us that they're ok. Sleeping around? Why not? Everyone on TV does. Treating others with no respect? Why not? TV does. I may be alone here, but TV makes so many things like this seem like the right...even common thing to do.
Now, in my first sentence of this post I said there could be more sex and violence on TV. Sure I'd like to see that! To me, anymore at least, that has become acceptable. WOuld I want my children seeing that?...Hell no, whether it's acdepted or not! But hey, that's the selfish pleasure seeker in me coming out. Push the envelope. Make nudity commonplace. What's next? Graphic sex? Live killings? On primetime TV? Why not?
Hmmm. This has been quite a rambling. I have a few contradictions in there...sorry for that. Too much information coming all at once.

[Naraht]

Heh...I work for nbc, and let me tell you...I see no sex or violence all day (well, 5am-1pm)

Unless you count the news, where they show us blowing up them because they are bad, and we are good.

I have a hard time believeing that violence on TV is soley responsible for causing kids to go insane and shoot up their schools.

I do think that it doesn't help prevent it, but with decent parental supervision, and the establishment at an early age of a lifelong code of conduct...(either through religion, or some other means) that kids should grow up ok.

I personally wouldn't mind more sex on TV...but them I'm a single 23 year old guy, who lives alone....very alone....time to DL some...er...

BYE!

[James]

Originally posted by LilSonGoku


But really, do you see a building exploding just about "every Tuesday at 10" in real life, like you do on television. Sure sex and prostitution existed before TV, but these days, can you HONESTLY tell me that you see more sex and prostitutes on the streets than you do on TV? I'm not against sex and violence on TV at all, just as long as it's relevant to the story, which in most cases, it's not. Finally, I did notice the atmosphere after 9-11. For a few weeks, it seemed like there was going to be a turn in what we saw. Actually, for a few weeks, there was. Shows tried to educate it's viewers on what's going on and they did tributes to the firefighters and policemen. Skip to November, I can easily turn to UPN and watch a cheap movie with random acts of violence and sex. Turn on MTV late at night, I'll probably catch an episode of that stupid show "Undressed"(which I feel is nothing more than soft porn without the nudity). So not much has changed. I'm not saying that people should ban all these shows, or that these shows are the causes for school violence or whatever. I'm just saying that television is filled with too much sex and violence, and just like the "Millionaire" rip-offs that came along for awhile, we should get rid of these brainless shows trying desperately to get ratings by adding sex and violence.

That's because TV is a reflection on society. After tragic circumstance, people feel guilty. TV reflects this by putting on serious programs. If they didn't people would complain. People feel that such tragedy requires to be taken seriously, so TV complies.
After a few months, an unfortuate attribute of humanity is it's short memory span. People - as horrible as it sounds - get bored with serious programs about the tragedy. People will spout phrases like, 'oh, the networks have done it to death' but it simply means they're not interested in such programs - and to a certain degree that's healthy, they want to get on with life and not let the fear/pain/pity/guilt eat at them any longer. Networks therefore go back to normal. People prefer to see pulp - it's easy, no thinking escapism. That's what they want, the networks deliver.

For those who feel TV isn't cerebral or is excessive in sex and violence are entiltled to that opinion but must understand thats what the majority want.

It is irritating, but you just have to hope that someday something will change. I don't think it harms.

As for children, again, I don't think there is any harm done. If there are elements of TV which would frighten the individual child, the parent should be aware and adjust TV habits accordingly.

We are, in theory, a free society. We should be able to watch what we want. TV should be regulated as much by the owners as the networks.
To much sex and violence for a child? Don't let them see it. That is the PARENTS responsibility as well as the networks.
Think TV is warping your child? Before leaping to that conclusion, look at how you are bringing the child up and address those problems first as it's far more likely that the parent is doing far more mental damage than the TV. Even if the child mimics the TV in a violent aggressive nature you can bet the root of this aggression starts at home.

The message is that we should all look at how we treat each other before looking at the TV for shortcuts.

[Bruce Wayne]

Yes, there is too much sex and violence on TV. It should at least be toned down a bit. Come' on its public TV for heaven's sake. Many people these try to imitate things that happen on TV. Hence early pregnancy and the violence.

[batboy2001]

Yes, there is too much sex and violence on TV. It should at least be toned down a bit. Come' on its public TV for heaven's sake. Many people these try to imitate things that happen on TV. Hence early pregnancy and the violence. Preach it brother!

[James]

Originally posted by Bruce Wayne
Yes, there is too much sex and violence on TV. It should at least be toned down a bit. Come' on its public TV for heaven's sake. Many people these try to imitate things that happen on TV. Hence early pregnancy and the violence.

I disagree. If there is a reason for there being too much sex and violence then the reason would be because it interferes with story telling and drama if used gratuitously.

Underage sex, consenting or not is nothing new. Kids try it all the time. Always have done. There are far greater issues in this fair world than if the amount of sex and violence on TV offends you.

People will always have idols - people they look up to. If they're not on TV then they will be down the street. That's human nature. You won't kerb the ill problems in society by censoring or toning down whats 'ill' on TV.

- and if kids are watching too much sex and violence after the PARENTS enforced watershed - then it's up to the parents.

Sex and violence are the very core of what people are. We are born to breed and we have animal violent protective motivations (coming from the next to protect offspring/mate etc). We can't deny them. We can kerb them and moterate them, but we can't pretend they don't exist. Many of the programmes I enjoy are violent (I love Jackass at the moment - a personal fad). I've never hurt a fly. If you think it's distasteful or abhorent, turn over. I turn over if I see there is something on that I don't like. Simple finger reflexes.

I don't hate sex and violence. I hate badly produced programmes. I think that's what this thread should be about.

[Bud 'n Lou]

Hmm...my opinion on this topic is in constant evolution. But I think I've now come to a conclusion.
Most people seem to think it's a black and white issue: Either entertainment influences people's behavior, or it doesn't. Well, to me, that's all wrong.
Do movies, music and TV influence people? Of course they do. And you're being silly if you say otherwise. A sad movie can make us cry, and a cheerful song can make us feel happy. It's art. And the purpose of art is to express and evoke feelings (ideally, anyway).
What we hear on TV or in a song can influence us. Positively, or negatively. It can deliver to us an uplifting message, or re-inforce a bad one.
But, ultimately, I feel that television can influence a person to a degree, but we are still intelligent (in a manner of speaking) human beings. And in our upbringing, we're taught a few key things. Obviously, the key things we're taught vary from person to person, but I'll wager most of us were instilled with a few of the same values such as....don't kill people. Whether TV says so or not, we have a mental brake that will prevent us from doing certain things like that.
So, I believe that entertainment can cause us to behave certain ways, even to be more prone to violence and hatred. But the media alone is not to blame.
When people blame the media, they're just scratching the surface of the problem. They see the problem of violence in our society, and so they choose an easy target as the scapegoat, because it's simpler than looking deeper into the issue. Similarly, people who claim that the entertainment industry has no bearing on a person's behavior are overlooking a few important points. In my opinion, most of the people who make this claim only do so because they like their TV the way it is, and don't want it compromised by censorship imposed by the followers of the previously mentioned school of thought.
The way you grow up dictates a person's behavior as much as a television show does. Was money tight in your house? Did you have a poor education? Were you exposed to drugs, discrimination or abuse of any kind? These and other things, including our exposure to media, factor together to determine what kind of person we'll be, and what we're capable of.
So is there too much sex and violence on TV? Not for me personally.

I hope this makes sense, cause I only gave it a half-assed effort...

[Karkull]

Not half-assed at all. Very well put, Bud 'n Lou.

[Bud 'n Lou]

Thank you. :0)

[James]

Originally posted by Bud 'n Lou
Hmm...my opinion on this topic is in constant evolution. But I think I've now come to a conclusion.
Most people seem to think it's a black and white issue: Either entertainment influences people's behavior, or it doesn't. Well, to me, that's all wrong.
Do movies, music and TV influence people? Of course they do. And you're being silly if you say otherwise. A sad movie can make us cry, and a cheerful song can make us feel happy. It's art. And the purpose of art is to express and evoke feelings (ideally, anyway).
What we hear on TV or in a song can influence us. Positively, or negatively. It can deliver to us an uplifting message, or re-inforce a bad one.
But, ultimately, I feel that television can influence a person to a degree, but we are still intelligent (in a manner of speaking) human beings. And in our upbringing, we're taught a few key things. Obviously, the key things we're taught vary from person to person, but I'll wager most of us were instilled with a few of the same values such as....don't kill people. Whether TV says so or not, we have a mental brake that will prevent us from doing certain things like that.


I think there is a difference between being affected emotionally from films affecting our motivations.
To a slight degree there may some motivational affect - what we wear, some of what we say, but even those affects are based on our character - how easily we are affected by TV is how easy we are affected by everything else. If you are easily affected by TV then you'd be likely to be affected by some other part of life's many influences.

I'll say affected one more time. See?

[I.R Joey]

That was pretty good Bud n' Lu, interesting thoughts.

[Bud 'n Lou]

Originally posted by SJJ


I think there is a difference between being affected emotionally from films affecting our motivations.
To a slight degree there may some motivational affect - what we wear, some of what we say, but even those affects are based on our character - how easily we are affected by TV is how easy we are affected by everything else. If you are easily affected by TV then you'd be likely to be affected by some other part of life's many influences.

I'll say affected one more time. See? Exactly what I was saying. It affects us to a certain degree, but there are limits. And of course, life has many influences, the media being one of them. And like you said, depending on these other factors, some of us may be more prone to be influenced by TV and movies. This is mostly concerning children, since they have less inhibitions than adults, and can be more easily influenced simply because of their age. I know when I was younger, I'd become really hyper and try to imitate karate moves after watching something like Ninja Turtles, and I'm sure I'm not alone on that. :0P I also know that after seeing people get killed enough times in movies, it no longer phased me very much. Only recently, though, have I become de-sensitized to the image of a woman being struck by a man, and that fact kinda disturbs me in it's own way.
I used to be with you, SJJ. I went along with the idea that TV didn't affect people, but then I realized it's just not true. That doesn't mean that I now think TV violence should be done away with. I like my TV violence. I just recognize it as being a factor in a young person's development. With all the TV kids watch, it's gotta have some kind of affect on them.
Like my first post, I was. and am still, very tired while I wrote this, so I hope it makes sense.