Everyday culture becoming more adult

[MillyR]

I may not express this very clearly because I am not clear yet on what I think about this, but would like your opinions.

It seems to me that society is creating large areas of culture that are increasingly adult. People approving of this move have appeared on a number of different threads. So while we could have a culture where our default is that we behave in a way that is appropriate for all people, including children, and then if we do something that is specifically adult we have to do it at times and in places where children around.

But increasingly, some people seem to think that the default culture should be adult, and it is the responsibility of the parents to avoid places and situations where adult things will go on. That is actually impossible a lot of the time. For example, the bus I get on to work is full of children going to school but passes a lap dancing club with images outside.

So why has this happened? Why don't people oppose it? I would speculate that:

1. People don't think porn culture is a bad thing, so don't think it matters that much that children are exposed to it.
2. People do think that children shouldn't be exposed to it, but think seeing their sexual interests reflected in society is more important that what is best for children.
3. Because many people don't have children until they are quite old, or don't have them at all, people can spend 20 years of adult life without ever having to consider things from a parent or child's perspective.
4. Because it is difficult to protect children on the internet, some people believe society as a whole should not bother trying to protect children at all.

Although I have mentioned porn culture, I think that there are other examples of adult culture - the Saw ride at Thorpe Park for example.

That should have said 'we do it in times and places when children are NOT around.'

My suspicion is that the 'default culture' has always been predominantly adult and that actually what has changed is that children are now not so pushed into the background and therefore are more exposed to it.

There is another option 5. because the prevalence of "adult" images has increased very gradually, so that people haven't even noticed. I imagine that if you asked most people if they think 3yo girls should be shown pictures of topless women feeling each other up or on all fours ready to be mounted, they would be horrified and say of course not. But they have a blind spot to how much these images are actually around.

There is also the effect that you tune out anything you don't want to see. I can easily go to a magazine rack and not allow my eyes to rest on or take in a lot of the more fleshy covers. I think its a self protection thing, I don;t want to see it, so I don't see it. Of course children don't have those filters.