VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

Tuesday, April 21, 8:50:00 [ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, [10] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 08:02:29 08/27/03 Wed
Author: Linda
Subject: Hmmm, a lot to ponder Martina! lol Yes, Americans are hung up on the naked body, I have no idea why. However I think it's important not to jump to any assumptions - I'll put more inside.......
In reply to: Martina 's message, "Sex and violence in books, and the American attitude – caution, I am ranting!*G*" on 04:18:32 08/27/03 Wed

Martina, I'm not sure how to explain this but I am going to try. :)

I think it's important not to lump Americans into a certain stereotype based on an individual experience. That would be like saying all German's are Nazis when we know that is far from the truth.

JS had an experience in Washington that was shocking so it looks as if in your eyes that equals _All Americans_.

Do you mind if I quote from your post? :)

**!!! A sight like that Americans find normal, but a naked breast on TV would shock them???**

Put this way it does sound outrageous! But I think maybe you are making an assumption here based on JS's experience. I think the majority of Americans *would* find a car full of bullet holes FAR from normal!! I know I've never seen one, not even just one bullet hole, anywhere! Perhaps in some inner cities where gang violence is common it is something that people have become accustomed to. Either that or I am really sheltered! haha! But I grew up right outside of Washington DC so I've spent time in Washington, in the suburbs and now in a country/rural area and it's not something I've ever come across so it's a long long way from normal in my eyes. I'm not doubting what he saw, I just want to make clear that it would be misleading to assume that all Americans would find this normal. And even those that appeared to be untouched by it - who knows what is going through their minds? Perhaps they are sick and disgusted with the violence themselves and just don't know how to go about putting a stop to it. They feel helpless as an individual to stop it so they close themselves off from it and go about their lives. Just something to consider. :)

As far as LKH goes, I would be horrified to think of a young person reading the kind of violence that is contained in these books - so again please don't assume that the majority of Americans would not be bothered by this. :) In fact, the first book I read halfway through and put it down for a year before I picked it up again because the violence level was just too high for me as an adult. Especially in that she used a childlike appearing woman as the evil vampire.

Now let's take the 'sex' in the LKH books, do you think that's something healthy for a young person to read? I'm not sure we should use Americans being upset about the sex in these books as a good example to make the point that American's are less effected by violence. Often with LKH the violence is wrapped up in the sex, in a horrific way. How many times has she used a form of sexual torture? And the sex itself is not a loving encounter between two people but rather something used to gain preternatural power between several people at one time. And often the dead spirit of another is along for the ride. I think it's Raina? I don't know, I gave up on these books. lol :) Not to mention Anita's aredur which makes it an urge she doesn't want but can't control. IMHO I can certainly understand why this type of sexual focus would worry _anyone_ that a young child would read it and get some warped ideas in their head before experiencing a healthy, loving encounter.

I will say that yes - American culture does seem to be more hung up on exposing the human body than in other countries. It's a shame because I agree with you that the human body is a beautiful, natural thing and that we are giving children the wrong impression of their bodies by making it not ok to ever show them. I personally would like to see this change. However even this I can't say speaks for all Americans, my daughter was thrilled to tell me about a camp she saw advertised in the paper over at her Grandmother's, it's a came for children under 15 or so that is like a nude day camp, where they can explore the human body in a natural non sexual way. She told me she wanted to go, lmao! I think she was just goading me though, I don't think she'd really do it. :) :)

Well I've got to run and take the kids to school, I think I've said enough. *G* I hope I made my main point clear which is to ask that we not make assumptions or lump groups of people into certain types of behavior or labels because of an individual experience. We are all very different and America often expresses that, as does other countries as well. We have many groups of concerned citizens that fight to keep violence off tv, in record lyrics etc. And we have many people that do not think this should be an issue. We are lucky to live in a free country where we can express these views without fear of retribution!!

Hugs to everyone! :)

Linda

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Well said Linda. I will say, in reference to the LKH books, that I don't think the sex portrayed in these books is appropriate for a young adult. The sex in some parts of these books was very violent and not particularly mainstream and I don't think a young person is ready mentally to deal with that. I do think that the US is too hung up on hiding things like this from young people and it probably has a negative effect. When you tell someone something is bad or they shouldn't do it....what's their first instinct? Usually to go do it. I think there are good intentions in trying to limit some of these things...naked bodies, sex and violence but it generally backfires>>> -- Colly, 09:31:09 08/27/03 Wed

I remember thinking that when they started rating music cd's and video games that it was kind of stupid. Now you know just which ones have the most graphic content....of course those are the ones you would pick! Reverse psychology at its best. I do try to limit the amount of violence my son sees in movies or on tv, or has on his games, but when he goes to his fathers....well, he doesn't pay attention. My son has seen several movies I wouldn't approve of but I just make sure that i explain that people don't as a rule run around with a machine gun and kill people! He also love James Bond movies, which is alright with me, but I just don't want him to idolize James Bond...especially not Bonds sexual habits, eh?
The nudity thing is something I try not to make a big deal about also. I have a habit of roaming around the house naked and try to cover up around my son, who is 8, but if he happens to wander in to the bathroom while I am in the shower or something I don't make a big deal of it. He is getting to the age where he is kind of shy about being naked in front of me, but will still run about naked after a shower. Again, I don't say anything, other than to tell him he has a cute butt, which usually makes him run and put some clothes on. HIs father however has some uptight views on being naked and I hope that he doesn't project them on to Ryan...the poor kid will be so confused!
Recently I was at a friends house and her 4 year old was running around naked. She plopped herself down on the couch and was all sprawled out....hey, she's 4, she was comfortable! Her mother told her to go cover up "that nasty thing...we don't want to see that nasty thing". I really thought this was horrible, to tell a 4 year old that any part of her body was nasty. What effects will this have on this child when she gets older?
In the quest to protect our children from things we feel they may not be able to handle at such a young age (fear of loss of innocence) we may actually be doing more harm.


[ Edit | View ]


Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.