What is worse in a movie: sex or violence?
 

I'm living in Germany for a year, and i'm from the states.
My friends and I were looking at videos in an electronics store, and all of the movies had age limits. Movies and shows like Kill Bill and Battlestar Galactica had age limits of 18 and 16, while all of the sex movies, including something called "Loss of sexual innocence" had age limits like 12.
It made no sense to me, but my friends said that probably in Europe violence in movies is considered worse, and they all agreed with it, saying that sexual movies do no harm to anyone, regardless of age. My opinion is that sex is worse than violence.

Any thoughts on this issue?
What is your opinion? Which is worse: sex or violence, or are they both equal? Or are neither of them inappropriate? Why do you think so?

I'm not sure why you consider sex "bad". I'm hoping you meant specifically in movies.

If that's the case, I don't think either is inappropriate, and I don't really agree with the age limits put on movies at all, but if I had to choose, I would say violence is far worse. Sex in movies is generally fairly unrealistic, which is harmful, but violence is potentially more harmful because, when a child sees something in a movie, she assumes that it is an accurate portrayal of reality. When this something is violence, she may come to believe that it is acceptable to harm someone else, especially if they're a "bad guy", or worse, that when you hit or shoot or stab someone, they aren't hurt that badly.

Of course, none of this is a problem if her parents are responsible enough to inform her of the differences between a movie and real life, but that of course is asking far too much.

Well, in this context, yes, I was talking about in movies. haha.

There are a lot of movies that now i think about it and wonder why my parents let me watch that when I was 6. I practically grew up on violent movies, and it's not like I ever had unrealistic points-of-view on violence.

But one issue I have with sex in movies is that usually it's not like they show people using any form of birth control, since usually it's meant to be a romantic scene or something. So a 12-year-old might not think about that if the only things they know about sex are from movies. And they would be easier to take advantage of if they are uneducated about sex. Especially since some movies portray people having sex with multiple people outside of a committed relationship. Not that that's bad, but it would not be something I would want my kids watching if I had kids.
But a 16-year-old watching a sexual movie would know that it's unrealistic.

Eh, neither is bad.

I grew up watching violent and sexy movies (my sister is 6 years older, my brother 4 years older). Also me and my brother would watch wrestling with my dad, and practice moves we saw.

I was 8 when I first saw Interview with the Vampire (you know, with the boob scenes) ,no one covered my eyes.

I get the point of censoring some things. No 6 year old should watch Barney get shot in the head, that might cause issues.

Pretty much after the age of 10, you already know this stuff exists, so the question is, do you learn about it the wrong way, and believe the movies, or have your parents talked to you about it, and now you can just comfortably enjoy the movie. It's the parents responsibility to make sure their kids understand the difference between real life and the movies...

We'll have to see if this actually turns into a debate, instead of a state-your-opinion sort of thing. I might move it to GD if it doesn't really turn into a debate.

with sex in a movie...as long as you get a warning beforehand that it's going to happen, I'm okay with it. Though if it's a badly done sex scene...you know...the director does things to make it stupid (like they do in movies of the comedy genre). I don't even have to see anything, but as long as it's realistic, I'm okay with that too. I don't think 12 year olds should be allowed to watch movies with sex in it, but I can't make that decision for everyone...there are some parents who don't mind there being sex, so it depends on the parent I guess.

As far as violence goes...as long as it isn't just meaningless violence, then that's fine. It's the movies that just have violence just for the sake of violence that I don't like. In movies, I feel violence needs needs to have a purpose. A good example of a movie that has violence with a purpose to it is something like...say...the Lord of the Rings series. There is violence in the series, but it's not so gorey that there's blood and guts flying in every which direction.

So...yeah...I'm not entirely sure how to answer this...they both have their pros and cons...so...yeah...

I believe that sex is a positive action. Not to be exploited and when it comes forced that is violence. Violence is in no way shape or form ok. Necessary at times but nothing that should be encouraged or exploited in a positive form. I find it sickening that our society is so amused by it in movies and in everyday life. Sex is natural and is how we keep our species alive and well. Its not a taboo it is a beautiful and amazing thing that shouldn't be as closed a subject as it is in our society.

Well...that brings up the issue of kids getting a proper sexual education in school...and from their parents as well. And it's also the whole thing on the decision of the parents. My parents didn't let me watch violent movies when I was young, but some of my friends' parents were very lenient and let them watch R rated movies. Our society needs a better system of teaching kids about sex...they usually wait until high school to teach it. And I've heard stories of middle schoolers getting pregnant. So that's an indication that there's something wrong with how we're handling this. A lot of people seem to think that by telling kids they shouldn't have sex until they're married isn't going to keep them from having sex...because that's all living organism's most basic instinct...to reproduce. The problem is we have so many people on our planet, so that need to have lots of children is null and void now.

I dont think either is bad really... i mean the movies all have the appropriate ratings based on their countrys... i dont think that just because in some countrys they think its fine to let younger children view that makes them worse off or any different... I actually think that some of the ratings in the US are even too high... i mean many younger kids already know alot about sex and violence... and i dont think that just because somebody sees it in the movies means they are going to mimic it in real life, there are many other factors that could play into real life violence.... there have been many studies based off of sex and violence in movies and all of them have different results, so i dont think we will know for sure for a long time.... also if children do get influenced by sex and violence in movies... then i would have to blame the parents they just need to make sure their kids know right from wrong....

Sorry im focusing this on kids because that is usually the main point in this kind of debate... but based on that quote, if it really was that bad wouldnt every average kid be pretty screwed up?


There was a study also that showed there is more violent acts in a cartoon over 18 hours than there were in anything else....

Well i dont know i just dont think its that bad to show something that happens in everyday life in the movies... actually if they didnt show that then people would possibly have to find out about the things that can happen in worse ways... I think that having sex and violence in movies actually desensitizes the subject for people

these two subjects have been a part of this world since we exsisted and its just going to get worse... its simply something that comes with time

*shrugs* >.>

Yeah, i don't like violence in a movie just for the sake of violence either, but even Lord of the Rings had an age limit of 16 in the store I was in. So it's not necessarily that random violence that's put in the movie for no reason gets a high age-limit, but anything with fight scenes in it in general. It's mostly the age limits put on movies with fight scenes that aren't overly violent and/or gorey that i'm arguing against.


Well, age 12 is around the time when kids first start learning about sex in school, so you'd think that the age limit on movies with a lot of sex, especially teen-flicks, would be above the average age when sex education starts. Of course, for all I know, kids in Europe might learn about sex education when they're like 10, I don't know. But if that's the case, it might explain the low age limit on sexual movies.

I see what you mean. My argument with the low age limit on movies with sex is that the kids who see those movies a lot will start to view sex casually. But on the other hand, if violent movies had the low age limit, that would be almost as bad. Well, I usually see violent movies as having a moral, like either the person regretting killing someone, or getting in trouble for it in some way, shape or form. But still, if a kid watches violent movies or plays too many violent video games, they are bound to be separated from death, thinking that killing someone is easy and quickly forgotten, when it's not.

Well i think as long as a parent can teach the kids right from wrong it may help a little, i mean thats all that can be done is a parent takes control of what their child is watching or playing up untill the kid gets old enough. unfortunatly its predicted that violence in movies is just going to get worse and worse to keep the audiences attentions so who knows soon it might be traumatizing kids instead of inspiring them to be violent

I'd like to point out that movies are not supposed to be teaching children. Parents are supposed to be teaching children. My parents let me watch violence in movies and shielded me from sex in movies, not because of some prudish fear of viewing intimacy, but simply for the practical reason that sex in movies is unrealistic and they didn't want me to get the idea that that was how sex was done. That was halfway right. If they were simply open and upfront about what sex was, realistically, from the same age that they were conscious of my viewing it in the movies, I could've watched whatever I want. Parents need to teach their children that what happens in the movies is entertainment and not reality. Simply saying "don't watch that honey" isn't enough. You need to educate your children about what is happening rather than simply stopping them from watching things.

It all boils down to the way that people are raised in different countries. For instance, have you ever heard of(or seen) nude public beaches in North America? I sure havent, they all seem to be in the Carribean, or in Europe. Over there, they are more open about sexuality and everything dealing with violence is the big no-no. My thoughts on the violence being worse over there, is because that is where both of the biggest wars in history have been faught. I think its to keep the memories of those horrible times in the deepest recesses of peoples minds, and as low-key as possible. Seeing as noone really wants to remember times where millions(if not billions) or people died. I know I wouldnt want to remember those times if they happened near where I live. But thats pretty much what I think contributes to the age limits on the movies being opposite of what it is over here in North America.

Socially, that may be the case, but it also seems to be the more natural order to things. People have sex. That's how you got here, and how I got here. People don't go around shooting and stabbing people. (Yes, they do now, actually, but that's kind of at the heart of this debate)

There are different types of sex and violence.

Some of it is just gratuitous, trashy, tacky, etc. Some can advance the story, be done tastefully. I also think that as a culture, America really needs to separate nudity from sexuality. Not all nudity is brazen sexuality. I think this issue heavily contributes to the stigma of breastfeeding, and how people think it's "disgusting."

I watched Super Cop (Jackie Chan movie) when I was young and I couldn't figure out why it was rated R. The violence was mostly martial arts.

Some violence is accompanied by lots of blood and gore, and stuff like that, I feel like it's largely inappropriate to show kids. I think there is a huge difference between a well choreographed sword fight, and someone getting stabbed in the face nine times and pieces of their face flying everywhere.

I would think that sex is worse in a movie, simply because of my personal views. Its true that violence in movies is somewhat bad, but there is so much of it around that no matter what we do violence will be seen. Sex in movies is not only innapropriate, but it can also lead to false hopes or expectations in what is to be expected. While there is a similar connection with violence in the same manner, i believe that sexual content is more distructive.

Personally I think that sex in the films is far more inappropriate than violence. Most movies now are violence heavy, even the movies aimed at younger audiences, ie. Transformers. It's been slowly built up to a point where we as viewers have been desensitized to violence. I woulds like to say that there is a distinction between a "violent" movie (StarTrek) and a "Gare fest" (Chainsaw Massacre) and while I do think that violence has its place in cinematics I don't appreciate a gore fest.
Where as sex in the movies seems more like a porn, I don't want to see any of that (and I'm 21). the occation boob shot is fine, but full frontal nudity and sex scenes are a no go. If I wanted to watch porn, and I don't, I would rent porn not a typical blockbuster movie. so please save your tits for titty films, not something I'm going to watch with my family.

Um, how is nudity "porn"? Is the nudist art that's been popular throughout history porn? Are pictures of one's naked baby child porn?

I can almost understand equating sex in a movie with porn --- keyword being almost, as the sex in porn, while highly dramatized, is still actual sex, whereas in non-porn movies, sex does not actually take place, and the reason you go to see the movie is not to see the sex scene -- but with nudity in general? And that goes the other way, as well. What if a movie had two people going at it, but both were fully clothed? Is that okay? Since you think violence is okay, maybe we can just tell the kiddies they're trying to kill each other.

While I could almost agree about the sex scenes in movies inspiring young kids to have sex unprotected or carelessly, there's still a flaw. You can't protect your children from everything, and keeping a movie with sex in it away may not help.

My mother let me watch a few movies with sex scenes when I was younger. One I recall is the Bride of Chucky. However, she made me cover my eyes most of the time. Especially if it showed a lot of skin. The movies never made me want to have sex. In fact, I thought it was kind of weird seeing it.

It was my cousin that made me interested in it. She was 3 years older, and had several older siblings, so she knew a lot about it. She would tell me all about sex and how great it was. I was never told about diseases or anything from her, and if I had watched more movies, I probably would have learned. Her talks about sex made me want it. She made it sound so good. If I had known a boy that would do it, I probably would have. I was uneducated about it.

Really, I don't think sex or violence in movies are bad, unless you are letting someone under 13 watch it. Then they are probably not old enough to understand fully. Still, if I had to pick, I would say Violence is worse. Violence can include sex, like rape scenes, and it can make people think they can get what they want if they are violent towards others.

Well, violence and sex are both ideas that cross people's minds throughout their lives.

I think they are both something that can have a bad influence on people. I like horror movies, and violence, so I am not saying that violence in a movie is necessarily an entirely bad thing. Violence is something that many people can't control and it comes natural. For example, many people have a bad temper. And what comes with a bad temper? Violence. Throwing things, hitting the walls, hitting others, or just breaking something. All of those are actions of violence. Whether someone does watch a violent scene in a movie or not, they will one day act violent in some manner.

Sex, on the other hand, influences young kids when they see it in a movie. Sure, the movie may be rated "R", but that doesn't keep kids from watching it, it usually provokes them to want to watch it even more. A kid does learn about sex eventually, but when they see it, it helps create an image of sex in their minds and it influences the kid into wanting to try having sex. Whether the sex scene is romantic, or dirty, it still puts the idea of sex in a child's mind. Young teens having sex brings up many topics dealing with pregnancy, abortions, high school drop-outs, education, and bad care. Sex on tv can put into a child's mind that it is okay to have sex and that everyone is doing it since it's on tv. So watching it, tempts them to try it out. It's kind of like peer pressure. They see others doing it, and they think they need to as well.

But that's just my opinion.