Why do we as a society think it ok for children to play violent games, but not see nudity?

Question

I was thinking of grand Theft Auto San Andreas. How when it was just the most violent game out there, it was ok, but once people discovered you could have sex it got black listed, went from a mature game to an adult only game. What does it say about us, when it's ok for our children to witness and indeed participate in violence, but not a natural part of life, like sex?

Answer 1

I don't know who said it first, but I really like the quote, "I'd rather have my son or daughter watch a film with two people making love rather than two people killing each other". I've actually thought of the exact same thing about this game. It's actually the blovvjob game that got it changed/banned/reprogrammed. So you can literally beat cops to death with a baseball bat (Something that if my son did at any age would challenge every belief i hold and make me depressed and such) but once you get a blovvjob (unless my son was too young I would probably ignore) you need to ban the game. I think it's an idea pushed by underwritten religious principles of just violence sometimes being okay, but sexual immorality always being taboo. not that this is just violence, but once you say that violence isn't ALWAYS wrong, the intent is what's important, not the action. this grants much more leeway to justify it, whereas sexual impurity is ALWAYS wrong because of the action, if becomes warping and perverted. I don't have a real answer, it's just as odd to me as it is to you.

Answer 2

I'm sorry, but if your a part of a society that thinks it's Ok for children to play Violence games, then I will thank you to not include me in your all encompassing 'we'!
I like to think of myself as fairly liberal with what I will allow my children to think, say, and do. GTA and games like it are, however, well beyond the tolerance of any decent person. A game that glorifies the underworld, that makes Vice look like a virtue? And then the public wonders why the morning news headlines are becoming more and more horrific.
At what point did you decide that an 'Mature' rating meant that this game was Ok for small children, anyway?

Answer 3

The more you "protect" kids from nudity, violence, etc... the more they will look for it. I am not saying that you should let your kids do whatever they want, but just talk to them and let them know what is right from wrong. They will make their own decisions as they grow up. If my parents would have tried to hide everything that had sex or sexual related stuff in it, I would be so ignorant about the fact that I would have become pregnant without planning it.

Answer 4

kids are immune(mostly) to violence on tv because they know its fake as long as their parents remember to tell them so. but sexual content is a little to mature for people under 17 or 18 they are just kids remember? they arent ready to have sex to think about it really to know all the consequences and to handle the responsibility it brings with it. (reffering mostly to kids between 10-15) 16 and up start to realize the consequenses and penalties and its when hormones start really kicking in anyways and if they want to do something you cant do much to stop them considering a lot of kids are smarted about deleting computer history so parents cant see where theyve been on the net (looking up porno) real live violence is much worse than cartoon violence because its fake and kids know its fake because they see the person disappear on the sidewalks of the game and reappear elsewhere (ive played the game) dead bodies dont erally vanish off pavement now do they?

Answer 5

There's a lot that this society has to change about itself - parents aren't able to control thier kids as much as they want to, kids are becoming more aware and curious about innapropriate and dangerous things, sociaty has become more liberal day-to-day on certain issues such as sex, and televised violence is almost a part of our daily routine televise viewership. It's the powerful external forces that are making it impossible for us to gravitate ourselves , and to open our eyes think about the things we hear and see through our own eyes in regards to our children. Let's face it: hardore violence sells and the business community is taking advantage of that fact. But its alot to do with our culture as well.

Answer 6

Wait a minute, children are allowed to play mature/adult games?

Answer 7

It's America's Puritan roots. They pretended sex didn't exist but beat the hell out of people for minor infractions. No Sex, Lots of Violence.

Answer 8

I can tell you that my kids wouldn't be playing that game. I don't like my kids around or watching ither. I become airborne whenever anything like that comes on TV and the hands cover the eyes untill the offending scene is over.

Answer 9

Because society is stupid........ humans have always glorified violence and killing and torture. Its the only way to get what you want........ right..go to war and get it. We as a society should teach are children this because violence obtains power, sex gives it away. Right???? agree or agree hahahahahahahahah



*remember to choose best answer

Answer 10

consider that the original rating was ages 17+. now realize that once the nudity was found the rating changed to 18+. It was a perfectly reasonable, (albeit overhyped) change.