Too Much Sex In Popular Culture?

[Working Class Hero]

Yeah, Jonathan7 kinda summed up many of my views on this subject in that last post. Personally, I do believe in a deity, but I highly doubt that It cares about what people do in bed (or against walls, in cars, in restrooms, etc. ) or portrayal of that subject in popular culture. For one thing, why would God make us innately horny if being horny is sinful.

 

And yes, we are innately horny. Millennia of evolution has eliminated those who did not enjoy or did not actively pursue sexual pleasure. Fact is, we are the product of lust. Saying lust is evil is like saying we are evil. Possessiveness, however, is evil, and occurs in both theistic and atheistic contexts.

 

@ Original Post:

 

I think its quite the opposite. There is too little. For one thing, violence is much more common in the media than sex, considering that the media goes out of its way to censor sexuality when possible.

You've broken my heart, Lord of Hunger.

I wouldn't say there is too much sex in pop culture. I would say there aren't enough parents being parents in society. Lets face it the media could show whatever the heck they want. If parents would pay attention to what their kids are watching they would know what shows to allow them to watch. If they don't want them watching something like sexual content, they can keep it from them. Violence, same deal.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a prude. Heck, my parents who were die hard Republicans were also nudists. But it's all in HOW the sexual content is presented. I mean showing a hardcore sex scene as opposed to an actual love scene could make the difference in whether it's acceptable for a kid to see. It also depends on the age of the child too. Really it comes down to the parent deciding whether the kid is ready for the information. Or as I said... Parents being PARENTS

I'm with you, mate.

[Bimmerman]

I wouldn't say there is too much sex in pop culture. I would say there aren't enough parents being parents in society. Lets face it the media could show whatever the heck they want. If parents would pay attention to what their kids are watching they would know what shows to allow them to watch. If they don't want them watching something like sexual content, they can keep it from them. Violence, same deal.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a prude. Heck, my parents who were die hard Republicans were also nudists. But it's all in HOW the sexual content is presented. I mean showing a hardcore sex scene as opposed to an actual love scene could make the difference in whether it's acceptable for a kid to see. It also depends on the age of the child too. Really it comes down to the parent deciding whether the kid is ready for the information. Or as I said... Parents being PARENTS

 

A big +1 on this.

[ForeverNight]

Yes, it's amazing what would happen if Parents were Parents as opposed to their kids' best friends. It's pitiful to see what happens when that occurs.

[Tommycat]

Yes, it's amazing what would happen if Parents were Parents as opposed to their kids' best friends. It's pitiful to see what happens when that occurs.

 

Well to be honest, parents being their kids best friend, while bad, is nowhere near as bad as the parents who aren't around to raise their kids. The worst parents are the ones who let the kids learn everything they know from TV. When you use that box to babysit your kids for you, you're putting a lot of trust in whatever random program may show up. I mean, I like Family Guy, but I'll be darned if I want my kids growing up on it's values. I mean you wouldn't want your kids to think it was somehow OK to light their sister on fire, because "Fire is cool."

[Bimmerman]

Well to be honest, parents being their kids best friend, while bad, is nowhere near as bad as the parents who aren't around to raise their kids. The worst parents are the ones who let the kids learn everything they know from TV. When you use that box to babysit your kids for you, you're putting a lot of trust in whatever random program may show up. I mean, I like Family Guy, but I'll be darned if I want my kids growing up on it's values. I mean you wouldn't want your kids to think it was somehow OK to light their sister on fire, because "Fire is cool."

 

But fire is cool....

 

 

and Meg's not.....

[vanir]

I think sexual identification portrayed in media has a direct relationship with popular culture.

 

OP mistook "popular culture" with "commercial media" fyi, a form of popular culture is say, date culture in the 18-25yo demographic, where a form of commercial media is a television show or a magazine genre (like Cleo or Girlfriend).

 

In date culture for example I've noted a prevalence among American female profiles at date sites to be preferences and dating criteria of sexual compatability. Which is rather odd considering that discussion is purely behavioural and hasn't the slightest thing to do with personality, if either or both parties are involved in personal development and development of their relationship.

Dating culture among Americans in particular (this does not hold true for Euro date culture at all, who've totally different priorities), seems to be largely centred upon prepackaged commercial marketing. Women are full of win, and awesome, and have so much personality, and men have achieved such and such goals by such age and demonstrate particular backgrounds and future prospects. Plus it's very clicky, and in the vast majority of cases all these claims are wholly the product of good salesmanship and are in no way reflective of the individual you've become interesting subsequently in dating.

 

Euro culture is less sex-centric, which is funny because they're a lot less hung up about sex over there than in the 'States, hell adolescant teens do the nudist beach thing without a drama and have witty repore and a bemused smirk for dirty old men who might want to stalk them, who'll be totally outmatched in terms of who controls this game here.

They're way more into personality, and saying you're an out of work artist doesn't mean you're a redneck from a trailer park telling big ones, it means that's actually what you are no lie, and it gets you as many dates as any fake "bad boy" act in yankland.

 

So yeah I think yank culture sucks eggs and you did it with dumb as can be sexual elevation in media. Now every little pubescant 14yo think's the universe owes her millions of dollars and all the Brad Pitts she can sleep with because she grew breasts.

[Darth Avlectus]

Thank you for saying everything I would have said except I spent less time in Germany. I'm sure everyone here who has been to or is in college knows what happens when the people who were sheltered their entire life go to a party. In fact just last Saturday, I met a person like that, her first time drinking, she couldn't stand on her own and we threw a guy out for trying to "walk her home" without anyone who she knew. So ya, good thing her parents sheltered her so she could almost get raped when she left her bubble of safe things.

 

That is on the one side of too little sex. They don't know how toy handle it responsibly or at all.

 

Another example I'd like to point out is that even if the young lady in question is savvy about such things...if the parents were total nazis, the first thing she is going to do when she gets out of the house is to go find someone to satisfy her curiosities...or several someones. Or as the saying goes: All those nerdy good girls you know in/knew back in high school become (pardon my language) "slut of the year". Even now that hell of bothers me, but it's the parents' fault for isolating.

 

 

As it's been stated, I guess you just have to know your kids. For some, media has a big influence, for some, not so much.

That's the major problem nowadays. It's all about sweeping it under the rug. Like it isn't what it is. That children will be children forever. Or that the parents are too wrapped up in themselves.

 

I wouldn't say there is too much sex in pop culture. I would say there aren't enough parents being parents in society.

 

While this is prevalent in isolated parenting, this is also just as much part of the other side of the issue: I have seen many in my life who have no/ have had NO parental regulation. The result is similar but opposite. From a young age these kids perpetrate acts against other kids--or god knows what else. Or they are in just as much a position to be taken advantage of as is an isolated kid. More often it is in the form of some rather low things they do and cover with lies. Allowing for such 'experimentation' or just full on over indulgence sets them up for no value or respect for such things.

 

Point being: Without the parental involvement, in any case, it is a tragedy waiting to happen and everything most likely will go to hell. Parents really need to NOT shy away from having these kind discussions with their kids. Play an active involvement in their kids' lives.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a prude. Heck, my parents who were die hard Republicans were also nudists. But it's all in HOW the sexual content is presented. I mean showing a hardcore sex scene as opposed to an actual love scene could make the difference in whether it's acceptable for a kid to see. It also depends on the age of the child too. Really it comes down to the parent deciding whether the kid is ready for the information. Or as I said... Parents being PARENTS

 

Major QFT.

 

I think sexual identification portrayed in media has a direct relationship with popular culture.

 

OP mistook "popular culture" with "commercial media" fyi, a form of popular culture is say, date culture in the 18-25yo demographic, where a form of commercial media is a television show or a magazine genre (like Cleo or Girlfriend).

 

In date culture for example I've noted a prevalence among American female profiles at date sites to be preferences and dating criteria of sexual compatability. Which is rather odd considering that discussion is purely behavioural and hasn't the slightest thing to do with personality, if either or both parties are involved in personal development and development of their relationship.

Dating culture among Americans in particular (this does not hold true for Euro date culture at all, who've totally different priorities), seems to be largely centred upon prepackaged commercial marketing. Women are full of win, and awesome, and have so much personality, and men have achieved such and such goals by such age and demonstrate particular backgrounds and future prospects. Plus it's very clicky, and in the vast majority of cases all these claims are wholly the product of good salesmanship and are in no way reflective of the individual you've become interesting subsequently in dating.

 

Wow, and this is an outsider's perspective. You hit it right on the nose I think. Clique-ish stuff turns me off from the get-go. I actually abhor most, if not all, dating sites. There is no better way than to get to know the individual first.

 

I often times find myself saying "WTH" at some of the absurd expectations. And frowning at their attitude: if you don't have a bachelor's degree by the time you are 16, have 3 cars and 2 homes, look like hollyweird's newest fashion, are too manly or wussy, you do do this, you don't do that, you're a complete and total loser.

 

Euro culture is less sex-centric, which is funny because they're a lot less hung up about sex over there than in the 'States, hell adolescant teens do the nudist beach thing without a drama and have witty repore and a bemused smirk for dirty old men who might want to stalk them, who'll be totally outmatched in terms of who controls this game here.

They're way more into personality, and saying you're an out of work artist doesn't mean you're a redneck from a trailer park telling big ones, it means that's actually what you are no lie, and it gets you as many dates as any fake "bad boy" act in yankland.

 

We do have that here, but it's not likely to be found online...or in the clubs.

 

I'm tired of pretending--the flings and extra marital affairs with mil*'s were fun while they lasted but I sort of feel sick from it. Like eating too much fast food.

 

So yeah I think yank culture sucks eggs and you did it with dumb as can be sexual elevation in media. Now every little pubescant 14yo think's the universe owes her millions of dollars and all the Brad Pitts she can sleep with because she grew breasts.

 

Thank you. Though I think I take exception to the 'yank' part, I think you have nailed this one perfectly.

[El Sitherino]

It's not really a matter of too much sex in popular culture, but rather the way we view and treat sex. Glorification of turning people into merely objects is what I would consider a larger problem than the exposure of breasts and genitals.

It's say it's more an issue of there's too much disrespect in popular culture, people insulting, killing, assaulting for nothing more than to look dominant. It seems like many leaps back from where the concept of a society has gotten us, though I suppose all great things have ways of working themselves back around on us as problems.

The truth is, though, that fear will only create more problems than we already have, it's how we got to this point in the first place.

[VarsityPuppet]

It's not really a matter of too much sex in popular culture, but rather the way we view and treat sex. Glorification of turning people into merely objects is what I would consider a larger problem than the exposure of breasts and genitals.

 

Sounds like idolatry to me... or well, getting close to it. Not the exact definition, but getting close.

 

 

The truth is, though, that fear will only create more problems than we already have, it's how we got to this point in the first place.

 

 

I don't know if it's so much fear as it is apathy.

[El Sitherino]

I don't know if it's so much fear as it is apathy.

 

Well the problem we face today was created out of the fear shown during the 60's sexual liberation movement, and that only came out of earlier versions of puritanical ideas of modesty. The western idea of modesty and indecency has really only catapulted the idea that now bites us in the ass when it comes to sex.

As well we created generations, that are now taking over media, holding ideas that there isn't to be a respect of relationships themselves. Domestic abuse is back on the rise due to the return of the idea that sexual partners are merely objects, and it's rising more in female-on-male violence. Of course unfortunately most of this is being clouded with the arguments of over-exploitation and the "rise" of sexual fetishism involving BDSM, this however is untrue and there's no evidence to indicate there has been any rise in bondage fetishists.

A lesson history has already taught us is that over-indulgence is a killer, but so is fearing something so much we eliminate it's existence. With proper education and the divulgence of information, it won't matter how much sex covers our media.