Culture Wars
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011Life in These United States (with apologies to Readers Digest)
Cell Phones, laptops, video games, televisions. All hardware devices that enable “entertainment”.
Until that entertainment becomes a felony.
And yet, the response is “I wasn’t completely naked in that picture”, and, “it wasn’t that bad!”
By whose standards? By the standard of popular culture? Or by the standard that one is attempting to teach the children in your home? By your standards?
I am not going to discuss whether the action should or should not be a felony, however, I am going to discuss the fact that the various “popular” stores, and yes, even to some extent, J.C. Penny and the rest of them, are undermining some parents efforts at teaching their kids, and most notably their teenage girls, modesty and appropriate dress and communication.
The reason a 16-year-old can state “it wasn’t that bad a picture!” is because in light of the advertisements in print ads, catalogues, on the internet, and even on TV, it really isn’t any different from an underwear ad.
That’s the popular culture these days. Anything goes. In music, in art, in advertisement, in video games, in tv shows. Wherever it’s possible, the philosophy of hedonism is pushed.
But call me old fashioned. I remember an ad for a bra on TV where the woman simply unbuttoned her top button and then exclaimed that she couldn’t show you but then told you about the bra. Now, we have soft porn in commercials (think the Victoria’s Secret ads).
“Oh, you’re just being a prude”, some may say. Perhaps I am, but I do believe that some things are simply not for public consumption. These include, but are not limited to, nearly all the skin that can possibly be shown to the world. Especially to minds that cannot possibly sort out the fact that these are images meant to titillate and “hook” people into buying something they may not want to even need. Minds that science has learned aren’t completely developed until the mid-twenties!
Even discounting the fact that it is not in-line with my own personal moral code – even if I were to take the position that “Oh, it really wasn’t that bad” myself, the mere fact that transmitting an image such as those we see in advertisements, over a digital medium is considered a felony is reason enough not to do so. Even if it is a picture of one’s own self. And especially if one is a teenager. And more-so if you’ve already been caught previously by your parents doing something similarly.
Felony. Registration as a sex offender. Up to five years in prison. Heavy penalties, whether you think they are appropriate or not. They are what they are.
These things, and a few more, are making me consider banning, removing, confiscating all types of these devices (phone, ipads, etc…) in my own home. Limiting computer time, and getting rid of cable TV are also under consideration.
Those that know me, know that I am a fairly laid back kinda guy. I don’t get too upset about much, and I generally parent by giving kids enough rope to hang themselves with. After they’ve hung themselves once, I have found they usually steer clear of that type of behavior.
This issue, however, is a bit more incendiary. And potentially addictive.
The fact that you were even partially naked in that picture speaks of a lack of moral fiber, self worth, a lack of shame, and no understanding of what types of messages that sends (that are different from the messages sent in an underware ad) to the male recipient of the picture.
So, I would ask… do you really want your defense to be “I wasn’t completely naked in that picture”?
JAVA MAN
Editor’s note: In line with our tradition, I found “Java Man” in my reader mail (on The Mesh Report) and asked him to write an article. He surprised me with this short piece on modern mores and “standards,” and while we don’t usually get over in this territory he reminded me, rather, of the late, great Bill Bennet. It takes a lot of moral–and, increasingly physical and judicial–courage to stand up and say, “No, this is wrong.”
Hurrah for him, and perhaps we ought to examine our own behavior and whether we have accepted “Dad-deee! ALL the girls do it!” or some similar wheedle or have kept quiet about other behavior that we certainly know that our parents would not have tolerated. That’s why we have “guard rails,” as Bennet put it, rules meant to protect the young and those older who never learn to judge independently and really need guidelines. Java Man is an engineer–and you know how I feel about those!–and leaves very perceptive political and financial comments on the Mesh Report. (Go thou and do likewise, please!) If he has the nerve to stand up and say, “This is wrong and not worthy of our children and our responsibilities as parents,” I’ve got the nerve to publish it.
I don’t know if we got around to a formal “Give the nice man a big ‘Texas Ring Howdy!’” but if we haven’t, it’s time. Welcome to the Ring, Java Man. The crew is going to like you, and I already do, and I’m with you about our teens running around in skin tight clothing, to say nothing of the Weiners of the world.
Regards to all, LBT
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Val says:
August 18th, 2011
7:43 am
As of last night, my husband and I are the guardians of his 17-year-old nephew, and I know that in the past he has posted some things on Face Book that I would have given him “what for” for had I been responsible for him at the time. I tend to be something of a prude in these matters too, and I’ll take all the moral support I can get.
Besides, I think it fits in very well with the theme of this web site. It speaks very well to the symptoms of a dying society. And after all, we’re talking not just about how to survive TEOTWAWKI, but how to rebuild society after the collapse. Strong moral fiber and diligent parenting will be essential ingredients.
Val says:
August 18th, 2011
7:46 am
Big Texas Ring Howdy, Java Man! Sorry for the after thought.
Alan Underhill says:
August 18th, 2011
12:25 pm
I’m a huge fan of football. That’s almost the only time I hook up the TV. I have a hard time watching football because of commercials…especially when my kids are in the room. Let me summarize the 3 minute break. Someone got murdered on the tough-guy cop drama, men are stupid, the high-water mark for beauty got moved up recently, I should take more pills and attractive people drink beer. No thanks.
I understand and agree with the article.
James the Wanderer says:
August 18th, 2011
1:24 pm
Howdy, JavaMan!
Having read some anthropology – “There are societies where the only clothing ever worn is a string about the waist – but to leave off the string is indecent” I am aware of the vast variety of mores among societies. It’s when a given society has members that are trying to “break the mold” and destroy today’s mores that trouble develops.
I see Muslim women in various forms of attire daily in our grocery stores – some wear the full gown + headcover, some modest gear with a head scarf, some less (I presume they’re Muslim, from context), depending on where “home” was before they came here. I feel truly sorry for those in head-to-toe cover in our 90+ degree summer heat – that can’t be comfortable, and did anyone notice how the MEN are NOT covered head-to-toe in 90+ degree heat?
I would wish all Muslim women “liberated” from dress restrictions for religious reasons – but not at the cost of destabilizing their societies.
I have a daughter who may or may not have sent anything over the Internet – if she did, I hope it doesn’t hurt her job prospects later. But she is in her mid-twenties, now, and mostly has her own mind. She does not seem to want to dress immodestly in public, nor does she advocate for others to do so. I think she will work out, as a functioning member of American society.
I hope we can eventually get to the point where we can wear whatever we want without problems or comments. I saw a naked two-year-old at the doctor’s office yesterday (running down the hall with her mother, to get to the bathroom in time) and found it neither inappropriate, indecent or arousing; I would expect any normal male to feel the same. For me, other incidents of sudden, unexpected exposure in the past have had the same result; naked people aren’t exciting (especially naked UGLY people) unless YOUR associations make them so.
What I would want, and would agree with you on, is for SOCIETY and ADVERTISING to both DE-EMPHASIZE nudity as arousing, exciting and voyeuristic. LOVE should be arousing, exciting and wonderful; NUDITY can be anything from trivial, unexceptional and boring to mildly funny (when unanticipated by the practitioner). Beyond that, let’s put some value back in DISCIPLINE rather than DISSIPATION. A more Japanese attitude (“Nudity is often seen, but never noticed”) would do us all a world of good, and maybe even bring back some ROMANCE into our lives.
Cheers!
JtW
JavaMan says:
August 19th, 2011
8:44 am
Thanks for the welcome!
JtW – Don’t get me wrong. I have a libertarian bent that is constantly at war with my personal morals. But if something is considered illegal well, it’s illegal and we just don’t do those kind of things.
Val – Thanks for the warm welcome!
Kurt says:
August 19th, 2011
9:42 am
Hey, looky who finally showed up. Welcome JavaMan
JavaMan says:
August 19th, 2011
1:53 pm
Thanks Kurt! I’ve been here, just in moderation purgatory. Of course, it’s given me plenty of time to think about what I’ve done…er, read some of the other stuff around this place
Kurt says:
August 19th, 2011
10:05 pm
JavaMan, one thing I have learned about this particular site is to register an account: it seems to make it easier to post comments if you are logged in. Upper right corner of the page where it says register
Alan Underhill says:
August 22nd, 2011
7:01 am
Why is my comment awaiting moderation? I thought it was moderate enough.
JavaMan says:
August 23rd, 2011
3:23 pm
Kurt – been registered here for some time now. Since the first chapter of Operation Phoenix was posted, in fact. Just was in moderation for some time.
But it’s all good now!
dbswinford says:
August 24th, 2011
5:11 pm
First time commenter; just joined the Ring. I tend to agree with the gist of this post, but only because of my upbringing. More to the point however, I find myself censoring my own (grandparentish) wishes to have pictures of my grandkids irrespective of their surroundings; It is probably inappropriate these days to take a picture of the grandkids taking a bubble bath together these days, so I forbid it. Around Houston, that sort of picture could get me arrested and branded as a “sex offender”. My kids gave me a lot of grief as they were growing up, but they both turned out to be responsible adults (probably in spite of my best efforts to turn them into “Me”). I have more, but I’ll save it for a follow-up comment.
Kurt says:
August 26th, 2011
9:07 am
Welcome dbswinford. Yea, we line in different times than what we grew up in. I hate the change, it saddens me.