I've never understood this and I hate the hypocrisy of it! I know in Europe it's almost opposite of what it is here, and while I wouldn't mind hearing what people from other countries think, I'm strictly talking about America because that's where I'm from.1
Why is violence so acceptable but nudity isn't? 2
Janet Jackson hardly shows part of her nipple for a second and everyone complains, censors and fights over it. Yet they show the murder of JFK over and over again. What kind of hypocrisy is this? Do we really want to see the murder of our most beloved president repeatedly? How about some respect for his family? Would you want your father's murder being shown on TV all the time? You may not want your mom's nipple shown on TV very much either, but for a completely different reason (I know I hate seeing my mom naked...ewwww).3
So why is this? I really don't understand. I mean the human body is the most natural thing we have. God made us beautiful and appreciative of this beauty so that we may reproduce and make many more beautiful bodies. So why cover them up? Sex is the most natural thing in existence. So why is it so taboo?4
Yet by contrast, murder, violence, and gore are so against "God's plan," we all agree it's the most morally incorrect thing in existence even if you don't believe in God, so why? Why do people enjoy watching it so much? 5
I'm not talking about the exploiting type of nudity (don't even get me started on how men ogle women so much -- I really don't know how the industry thinks it's ok for women to show their breasts to get the men interested in their products -- but would they do this if nudity wasn't so taboo?). I really think it's unfair how it is also ok in some movies for women to have nudity but if a man is nude everyone freaks out. What is so horrible about a man's body? Ahhhh... But that's a different point.6
Sex is not bad. Every single person I know gets pleasure from it. Yet violence is bad. Every single person I know doesn't like to be hurt (no, I don't know any masochists). Yet when it comes to watching others do these things the opposite seems to be true. 7
I'll be the first to admit I love a good action flick and yeah that generally involves violence of some sort (which I know are just stunts so it doesn't bug me that much), but I hate gore. Gore is completely unnecessary. Gore especially seems to be loved here. A lot of blood. Blood, blood and more blood, ripping off limbs and torturing people. Why is our society so intrigued by this?8
And yet, I will admit there is more hypocrisy as a good portion of America is obsessed with sex and nudity. Yet they have to get their fix secretly. It's so frowned upon that people resort to sneaking porn. Why can't they do it openly? Why is it so taboo if it's such a natural thing? Of course if it wasn't contrived and put to such bad music, if it was actual love making, maybe it wouldn't be so taboo.9
Completely uncensored nudity should be left to adults. Just like violence. But what I'm seeing is Children's cartoons are getting more and more violent. It shocked me when my Nephews 13 and 10 at the time, told me their favorite cartoon was Naruto, I asked them why, and they said "The blood! It's all about the blood." I watched an episode with them and was shocked their parents let them watch it. It was so violent and horrible. I will never buy them anything to support that show now. So no, I'm not saying what's next is nudity in these cartoons. I'm saying the opposite. The violence should be taken out and we should be concentrating on the beauty in life and not the ugliness.10
If nudity wasn't so censored, would the porn industry go under? Is it only because it's so forbidden that people are willing to pay so much for it? 11
Who's the real culprit behind the censorship? Prudish Americans or greedy corporations? Well, that's a completely different rant!12
What does it say about our society that we encourage violence that is closely related to hate and discourage nudity that is closely related to love? If people did enjoy loving the human body more than ripping it apart, wouldn't the world be a little nicer place?13
The unfortunate thing is I don't have an answer or solution. Well, my solution is for people to be more tolerant, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon (another completely different rant).14
Author notes
I know this doesn't seem very thought out. I have thought about it a lot. I just don't seem to know how to organize my thoughts here though.
In a list
A contest entry
- I Want Your Rants by WeAreOceansAway.
450 points, ended December 26, 2008, 22 entries
Honorable mention
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - The Sex Revolution by Frozen Angel.
225 points, ended April 2, 6 entries
Honorable mention
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Would you rather watch Nudity or Violence?
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
-
I like this!
I like this very much.
I also agree with you 100%. Being an ex-soldier and having seen and been in enough violence to last me a life-time, I believe there is no place for violence of any kind in society. The thought of people making fortunes through advocating violence in any form is abhorrent to me. Many times I've berated the film industry, on both sides of the Atlantic, for depicting war as glorious and heroic.
As for nudity; I don't see anything wrong other than when it is used to exploit women.
I won't go on for this is your rant, one which I totally agree with.
A couple of little points:
para 1: I've hate = I hate
para 6: I really how the industry thinks it's okay - This doesn't seem right to me, there's something missing.
para 9: that people that people = one of the pair needs deleting
A great rant dealing with two subjects which will forever be causing arguments.
Well done
Lawrie
-
-
Thanks. Yeah I agree some tend to exploit women, that's why I tend to argue there should be more male nudity
Anyway thanks for catching my mistakes, guess this is a real rant when I make silly ones like those.
-
-
Great
I loved this little rant. I completely agree with almost everything you say.
"What is so horrible about a man's body?" Are you kidding? Maybe it's because I'm a guy but to compare the male body to the female is like comparing a priceless work of art to the jacket I wore to go paintballing. Other than that this was awesome.
sidenote- I always wondered who decided that the (female) nipple was a big taboo to show in public? The useless male nipple no one cares about. But the females...
She can show every square inch of her breast but that. Makes no sense to me.
I have younger people in my family who play games like Grand Theft Auto and others but are kicked out of the room if something above pg-13 comes on the tv. I'm not saying you should watch porn with the kids but come on.
I think some of the stigma with porn has been lifted. Thanks to dvds and the internet porn doesn't come in those huge blocky vhs boxes that let everyone know what you had in that black plastic bag. At least that's what they tell me...
Sorry this turned into my own little rant. But it is praising yours.
Good luck in the contests.
Jack
-
-
Thanks Jack, yeah I really don't get the nipple thing either, especially with women who breastfeed "Oh my God she's feeding a child in public! This can not happen!" it's irritating.
"The useless male nipple no one cares about." haha... too true.
-
-
I agree with your point of view completely. I think that sex is much more acceptable than violence, especially with the Iraq war going on right now. We're okay with showing thousands of people dying by gunshot, but not a naked woman or man? What do we do in America, shower with our clothes on 100% of the time?
Thank you for entering my contest.
*Frozen Angel* -
well,well,well!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again a nice kick on social hypocrisy's butt from you chubby its really awesome rant , very thoughtful and inspirational [in other sense ]keep concentrating in beautiful and lustful direction rather in writting.......don't take me serious keep writting great stuff toni . u did it again keeeppit uppp.
-
-
thanks...
-
-
Personally? I'd rather watch nudity.
And not because it excites me, persay, but because it trully is beautiful. Both male and female bodies are beautiful.
I rather loved this rant because it was so open and it's talking about something that, in all actuality, shouldn't NEED to be an issue.
Anywho, thank you for the great entry!
-
-
There you go... see that's what I'm talking about. Maybe I didn't express this well in the rant, but really why must we hide these beautiful things we were given?
And Thank You for the comment.
-
-
I don't think its so much the nudity, as the way it is portrayed that causes the difficulty.
Until sex and procreation became a sin, I think nudity would have been an accepted norm.
Like you, I think about the accepting of violence in our society. I don't like it, I don't like bullying - that's insidious violence, in a way.
There are other 'taboos' that have arisen from the 20th century, well, its not acceptable to have a normal 'body' odour now.
We cover ourselves in fake scents made from dangerous chemicals, we mask our own scent - which tells other people who we really are.
We don't go to the toilet any more - we 'use' the bathroom.
We are a 'euphemistic' society, and we no longer say or do what we mean.
We're no longer honest - with ourselves or other members of our society.
Is the Internet the only place where we can truly be ourselves? It seems like it.
I liked your 'rant' and your openness in discussion
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
-
-
Oh wow, you touched on another sour spot I have with society. This must for political correctness. Grrrrrrrrr....
Yes I think you have it; we're not honest with ourselves. Even on the internet though people hide themselves. Many are hardly honest about who they are, or they role play. Many do give their honest opinion but I personally find it hard to tell the difference between one and the other.
Thanks for the comment!
-
-
I agree with half of what you're saying. Well, maybe about 75%. But anyway. I don't think that nudity should be *encouraged* even if it is "natural". I mean, it's one's own business if they want to watch porn, but if you say that nudity is a "natural" thing and society accepts it, nudity is going to be the new violence; it'll be everywhere. On uncensored TV stations, on posters, on MORE websites that aren't limited to adult use -- you name it, it'll be there. The last thing I want is for kids to be exposed to more than they need to see. I'm no Holden Caulfield, but I'd like to protect the younger generation from inappropriate nudity, violence, and the overall ugliness of the world, as much as I can.
Other than that, I agree with you completely. Violence is exploited all over the place, it's ridiculous. Something should be done about it. It's kind of hypocritical of me, since I enjoy fighting in video games, movies, etc, but the way the media advertises violence like it's no biggie is SO not cool.
-
-
And what's wrong with nudity being everywhere? I mean the main reason humans started wearing clothing was for warmth. During warm weather I'm sure bearskins weren't worn. It's just become something standard to cover up the skin to hide us over the years. I'm not a nudist or saying everyone should go around naked. I'm just saying we shouldn't be so afraid of it.
And if it is everywhere, people would get bored with it. People are getting bored with violence (well ok, maybe it's just me)
No we shouldn't be showing our children people having sex, but I don't see it as a bad thing teaching them that everyone's body is different. And as you said "inappropriate nudity" of course is not right. I mentioned that I'm not talking about blantent exposure that exploits nudity, I'm talking about simple this is what our bodies are, deal with it. I'm not saying everyone in every tv show should go around naked, but I just don't understand why people are so afraid to see it at all.
So actually yes, I agree with you. Completely uncensored nudity should be left to adults. Just like violence. But what I'm seeing and forgot to mention in my rant was Children's cartoons are getting more and more violent. It shocked me when my Nephews 13 and 10 at the time, told me their favorite cartoon was Naruto, I asked them why, and they said "The blood! It's all about the blood." I watched an episode with them and was shocked their parents let them watch it. It was so violent and horrible. I will never buy them anything to support that show now. So no, I'm not saying what's next is nudity in these cartoons. I'm saying the opposite. The violence should be taken out and we should be concentrating on the beauty in life and not the ugliness.
So sorry for turning my reply to your comment into a secondary rant and I might add that bit about the cartoon to my original rant.
Hope I haven't offended you with any of it.
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 13 of 13
