Saturday, June 28, 2008

Where Did the Innocence Go?

A 16 year-old journalism student writes:
No more than five years ago, all little kids thought about was having fun. When a girl liked a boy, all she could think about was holding his hand and hugging him without letting him go. Whatever kids used to think was at least somewhat innocent, but unfortunately that innocence is now gone...I blame the media because if it weren't for them, humanity would have more dignity.
OK, I'm not going to pick on a teenager because obviously she deserves a lot of credit for writing a thoughtful essay. The problem is she criticizes the "media" for sexual content, and says nothing about representations of violence which are far more damaging and desensitizing to a young mind than sexual awakening.

It's OK to be conservative and adhere to traditional moral values. Everybody has the right to live a life of choice. I just think it's a little troubling that a young teenager would think that all kids her age were once innocent (they were not - remember the seventies?), and that media representations of human sexuality is harmful, yet pervasive violence is ignored.

I do agree that the sexual objectification of people, especially women, leads to distorted views over time. But objectification is not human sexuality, it's the exploitation of it, just as rape is really violence and not a sex act.

Nudists and naturists believe that children should be taught that the human body, and emerging sexuality, is perfectly normal. There is nothing more dignified than the human figure. Blaming the media, and fostering fear about sex is borne from misunderstandings and general misinformation, and poor parenting.

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