Protecting children from things adult and improper. Where should the boundaries be?
Today children are exposed to things that 20 years ago were unheard of. As time creeps on we see more and more things that challenge belief. In film and on television, extremely violent imagery is such an accepted and major part of entertainment that some cannot enjoy a film or program unless it is violent.
In what passes for music, the lyrics are more explicit and sexually laden than they ever were. A great deal of the video clips that appear on television would be considered pornography once upon a time. Other forms of music such as some rap have lyrics about killing people, guns and putting down women in the worst possible way.
Something that would be laughed off as impossible years ago, children before they can even walk properly are now exposed to adult entertainers such as drag queens as part of some supposed education or enlightenment program. Some of these drag queens have names of male and female genitalia. Some have names that relate to sexual scents and arousal. Some even have gone as far as doing stripping routines, twerking, teaching twerking, and other blatant sexually suggestive behaviour. They are even reading childrens stories that are an alternative to the male and female relationships or the birth genders..
Children are playing violent video games which are much more graphic and interactive than what they were in the past. Many are not interested in a video game unless it is violent. They can play for hours and hours on these games, either connected to their own source or a source that is online. Some of the games are so violent that some adults are sickened to the degree that they refuse to even talk about it. Others that do find it almost impossible to comprehend.
* Where should the boundaries be set or where should they have been set?
4channel wrote: The power to create illusion is in film and media. It should never be underestimated!
So presumably, for any actor who is really a 'sweet, innocent kid' the lead role in Othello, Macbeth or (heaven forbid) Titus Andronicus would be an absolute no-no.
We're talking about gangsta rap genre being something other than just a narrative of ghetto life and oppression. We're talking about an effeminate boy being picked up by record producers, being modified and possibly re-programmed to project a violent thug image in a violent genre of music which makes money for certain people in the music industry. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Not talking about "Othello, Macbeth or (heaven forbid) Titus Andronicus" ... ... ... And I'm sure that those roles don't encourage young males to slap their woman around, call her a h**, think being a drug dealer wearing a gold gun pendant is cool, carry firearms and blow someone away for simply "dissing" them.
Correction - You're talking about..............................................possibly something no-one here has even bothered to look at - has no interest in whatsoever - not their cup of tea - are selective in choices - and - don't watch - Carp.
I regard with loathing lyrics which are loaded with the verbal equivalent of excrement. As domino has said, "not [my] cup of tea."
This sort of stuff is rampant, and for various reasons may be swiftly taken up by children and teens. The rhythm, the monotone of the words, the play with near-rhymes, the aura of "coolness" and disdain for authority - it has significant appeal. Add to that the things that she-elephant has talked about, that this sort of music is representative of certain individuals, part of a people who are a popular cause today (and who, it must be said, still have cause to consider that they are disdained and devalued by caucasian Americans in particular*), and its popularity has spread beyond its original "gangsta" environment, and one can see the spread of its appeal.
But that's all by the way. I will repeat my position: I think parents are responsible for raising their children, and if people cannot raise their children and properly parent them, those people - in my opinion - have their priorities out of whack. No excuses. There are resources available for stressed parents; those parents can also nurture strong relationships with family members, build a network of fellow parents with shared values regarding parenting, and take advantage of every piece of professional help that is out there. There is a lot of help available. But no parent should be throwing up their hands and saying "Too hard, too hard - society, you have to stop having bad options available for my child." That's unrealistic.
4channel, you said ❝Many just don't have the time to look at what their kids are accessing. Some collapse in exhaustion after a day's work. Many parents now leave the kids in the care of an older brother, sister even cousin. In many cases the carer is a teen. A minority of parents think it's cool to dress their 3 year old son in a bandana with a gangsta rapper teeshirt like a mini-thug.❞
Parents who are collapsing in exhaustion after a day's work are probably trying the very best that they can. They may be too close to the situation to have the ideal perspective, and exhaustion doesn't help anyone to think clearly. But a day's work must become something manageable in order not to short-change one's children. Rethink the work hours, try for a job closer to home even if it's fewer hours if that will work out, try job-sharing or exchanging responsibilities with one's spouse, get grandmothers and grandfathers involved to help with at least a bit of the slack if that's possible, cut out some of one's own leisure activities to ensure that quality time is spent with the children... It may be difficult, but we do need to make the time to parent.
Parents who leave kids in the care of another minor ... well, if this is the rule, it's incredibly selfish. Does that older child not have the right to be a child? And what sort of parental judgement does a minor have? No. Parents should not be shoving their responsibilities as parents upon their own children. Of course the older kids can help out - but the sole responsibility for caring for and protecting the younger children should not lie upon an older child. On the occasions where a babysitter is required, I'd be choosing a responsible adult.
Re parents who think it's cool to dress up a child like a mini-"gangsta", I don't want to conflate a clothing choice or type of dressing-up with allowing a child to watch or listen to offensive material. (I think it's more problematic when a parent thinks it's funny to dress up a child in a t-shirt that says something like "I'm so drunk that it's illegal" or "!$@*&#" [insert your own expletives] or "Say yes to heroin and meth for breakfast, lunch and dinner" or "She says no but means yes". That's disgusting. But that - again - is an issue of parental choices and control.)
Yes, there's a lot of garbage out there.
No, I don't think that society is ever going to outlaw everything that you (or anyone on this forum, or the garbageman, or your doctor, or the next engineer whom you pass in a shopping centre, or anyone) think/s is bad. You may be right. I may be right. My non-tree-cutting neighbours may be right. But we all have free will, and while society has imposed and continues to impose certain rules (made law) to enable us to live as societies and in communities, there is no human answer to the problem of free will including some very destructive and vile stuff. That is the very essence of the free will dilemma.
* It is apparent to me that slavery (other than slavery in the ancient world, where it was more complicated) is a symptom of an underlying contempt or disregard for the particular people from whom the enslaved are drawn. The problem then is much deeper than having been an enslaved people... It is the learned feeling inside some that others are not worthy of the same esteem or respect as they are themselves. It's a lack of love for mankind. ... I'll stop there, lest I turn this into an even longer essay.
I said that the power to create illusion is in film and media, because that's where the power is. The gangsta rap genre is tied in with film now. It was also a comparison with that manufactured rapper I was talking about. There's maybe an analogy in there as well. *wink*
Most adults can distinguish between "reality and illusion while watching a film," (( Mind you I do wonder about some )), but children are a different lot. Their perceptions are very different and they are in the learning and soaking up stage.
Assuming you have children the_great_she_elephant, I'll put this question to you. At what age would it be appropriate for children to listen to music that is about shooting people, killing a man for "disssing", calling women ho*s, glorifying gang life, referring to women as sex objects in the lowest form, snorting coke and being a success and obtaining wealth via illegal activity?
Assuming you have children the_great_she_elephant, I'll put this question to you. At what age would it be appropriate for children to listen to music that is about shooting people, killing a man for "disssing", calling women ho*s, glorifying gang life, referring to women as sex objects in the lowest form, snorting coke and being a success and obtaining wealth via illegal activity?
One could always - change ' channels ' or simply turn it off. LOL
