GoT is actually disgusting, isn't it?

[Miljah]

In what way can it be described as 'entertainment'?

I seriously, don't understand why people happily sit down to watch the carnage, the immolation, the screaming children.

What is wrong with people?

How do you know so much about what goes on in GOT if you are that disgusted by it, and the people who watch it?

OP is very well informed on porn hub as well. You can't say she doesn't do her research.

If you laugh loud enough its sure to drown out the dawning realisation that you've been enjoying watching people be tortured and killed....keep it up though...you can't afford to stop for a moment.

If your argument is that watching violent scenes on television is desensitisation and is a bad thing, would you argue for censorship of the same in books? If not, what is the difference between a gory scene in a book and a gory scene on television? Why is one media worse than the other?

How about classical works of art featuring horrible scenes from ancient mythology? (Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son springs to mind - best you don't google it, OP). Should these be censored? If not, why not? It's fictional gore and violence dressed up as entertainment for the masses to view, just like GoT. Shall we burn Caravaggio's David and Goliath whilst we're at it?

How about non-fiction documentaries and history lessons? Gore is gore is gore, whether it's a real soldier dying or a fictional character. What makes one OK and not the other? Desensitisation is desensitisation, whether it comes from fiction or from history.

GoT isn't history, nor is it high art, but if your argument is that it's horrible things dressed up as entertainment, well there's a lot of that about. In war films, books, paintings, documentaries. GoT is the one which happens to be popular at the moment, that's all.

I would hope we're a little more mature than condemning something to the censors because we don't like it. I personally can't understand why anyone would find the Saw films entertaining, or indeed almost any gory horror film. That doesn't mean I think they should be removed from public view.

How do you know so much about what goes on in GOT if you are that disgusted by it, and the people who watch it?

Her fellow travellers on the No.46 bus made her watch it.

Or something.

I mean hellen is so very confident its all fun and japes she's felt the need to post 18 times. Keep shouting hellen eventually you'll make it true just by sheer volume alone!

If you laugh loud enough its sure to drown out the dawning realisation that you've been enjoying watching people be tortured and killed

It's not real. Nobody actually died.

Can you drown out a dawning realisation? Is it equally bad if I enjoy metaphors being tortured?

So what does the gratuitous violence actually bring? Does it enrich the storytelling? Or do people just enjoy watching violent scenes?

For me, and I've 'watched' plenty of GOT through my fingers or not at all, the violence is there to make it visceral, up close and real. It adds tension, it takes away your cosy, suspension of reality safety net. Any one of these characters, in whom you've invested significant time and emotion, could die in horrible ways at any time, for any reason. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Pretty damn fine story-telling, really.

I would hope we're a little more mature than condemning something to the censors because we don't like it.

You must be new here.

Sadly not donquixote but I suspect the OP is..

There's no reason why you wouldn't watch an episode or two as many have done before deciding its disgusting.

Its a really popular show. Lots of people talk about it. Having watched one episode and thought wtf? why would anyone enjoy watching that? you then eventually decide you must have misunderstood, or happened on a particularly violent rapey bit or something....but no...its basically just that.

The thing is that watching people being tortured makes me feel horrible inside. It lowers my mood and leaves me feeling agitated and uncomfortable. It really makes me look at people differently when I realise they actually enjoy watching that.

I also hate all forms of reality TV...but I can at least understand what the attraction is there. It makes sense - its just not for me. But watching torture? Nope. That much more than straight forward difference in taste.

It’s quite funny how many who complain about GoT have never actually seen it, but are happy to judge it on what others have said.
And no, Bertrand Russell, no one is “going on” about the historical accuracy (really, they’re not) because it’s a fantasy programme.

The appeal of GoT to many if not most viewers, is not the violence and sex. In fact you’re meant to be bothered by it, that’s the point (of some of it, at least). It’s the multiple interweaving storylines that can get quite interesting and engrossing.

But what would I know? I’m an infant teacher who watches GoT, reads horror books and plays GTAV. And, no OP, I don’t mind if my colleagues know. Adults are allowed to watch/read/play/ adult TV, films, books and games.

Sadly not donquixote but I suspect the OP is..

Nope, long time poster. What is terrifying is that this view 'I don't like something therefore it should be banned' gets broad support even when expressed with the craziest italics.

People who rail against it in one area (the harassment of GC women, for example) will cheer for censorship in another (comedy, except not really, because it's not funny and I should know, I have a brilliant sense of humour and no right thinking person could joke about THAT).

I say something like this too often on here:

The moment we give broad power to ban things they don't like to the people who already rule over us with too much power we have lost democracy. If we want to stay free we have to defend things we despise.

LALALALALALA ITS NOT REAL LALALALALALA

Good strategy don.

The thing is that if you aren't supposed to empathize with the characters or engage in a little suspension of disbelief then what's the point? The people I know who are into it care A LOT about the characters their stories etc. So the question is who gets a kick out of watching a character they've gotten to know get killed or raped? Not the kind of people I like to spend time with.

I call troll.

So you've never watched Harry Potter or anything like that M3lon? Where a character you grow to like gets killed?

I suppose there must have been people back in the Roman era who also had a problem with watching people being ripped apart by lions for fun. I expect everyone treated them with similar respect to that which the OP is getting on here

Yet another who doesn’t know the difference between fantasy and reality.
To be clear, Game of Thrones is a TV programme. No dragons or ice zombies were harmed in the making thereof.

btw I would never advocate banning anything. I just think people should reflect a little more on what they enjoy and what that says about them and/or the normalization of rape/murder/torture in society.

Another boat load of refuges drowns overnight...but meh...you should have seen the body count in GOT! That's REAL carnage eh?

I just think people should reflect a little more on what they enjoy and what that says about them and/or the normalization of rape/murder/torture in society

It says nothing about me, other than that I enjoy Game of Thrones and shooty war games.

I don’t want it censored. What I would like is for people to send s message to the makers of light entertainment that graphic gratuitous violence and a pornographic sensibility is not necessary for s compelling drama. And violence against women should not be a box office draw.

"It really makes me look at people differently when I realise they actually enjoy watching that." Me too.

I don't know how anyone can watch it and find it entertaining - I think there must be something very wrong with people's brains.

Well, I've got to 66 with my brain being fine to the best of my knowledge.

I don't like the porn or the extreme violence. I fast forward or hide behind a cushion. But nothing's new. They haven't invented a new form of torture or a different way to rape. And yes, I do think they overdid it in the first series but it was still relevant to the storyline, you just didn't need to see so much. Reminds me a bit of I Claudius. The outrage when that came out, but again a fantastic dramatisation.

But the story hooks you in. The acting is fantastic (Peter Dinklage anyone?) The cinematography. The writing...

I thing it's one of the best series I've ever watched.

I wouldn't say it's normalisation in our modern day society @M3lon, because it's been happening for centuries. Read the Greek pantheon, the Norse mythology, the Bible, there's a lot of horrible things in all of those, amongst many others.

Humans love a story about good triumphing over evil. It's a cornerstone of much of our cultural history. How do you know someone's evil? Well, they have to do the evil things first. And if you can't describe how evil someone is, the story loses impact somewhat.

BertrandRussell I completely agree.

Another boat load of refuges drowns overnight...but meh...you should have seen the body count in GOT! That's REAL carnage eh?

So, people who watch GoT have no feelings of sadness or distress at real human suffering nor any basic human empathy?

Of all the stupid things I’ve read on here...!

Wouldn't watch Harry Potter on account of reading the first book and thinking it was shite....but others are of course welcome to think otherwise.

Of course I've watched films where a beloved character dies. But I wouldn't watch a follow up or sequel if the death was handled even half as callously and barbarically as it is in GOT. I wouldn't continue to watch a film that had sexual violence as a key theme.