4 ms·

It always seemed to me, as outsider, that sex in the US culture is a single topic that is especially uncomfortable to people, far more than in Europe. Just look

It always seemed to me, as outsider, that sex in the US culture is a single topic that is especially uncomfortable to people, far more than in Europe. Just look at the TV/movies or social media rules: you can show blood, violence, guns, all kinds of criminal or deviant behavior, but any kind of nudity will set off alarms, to the point that we need to defend mothers' rights to breastfeed in public because nipples are somehow offensive? And if someone can be upset by mother breastfeeding a baby, then why be surprised that someone else is easily upset by unwanted sexual context of a joke or a conversation? That's simply what happens when society suppresses sexuality as something completely inappropriate outside of bedroom or academical discussions. And also alienation of people doesn't really help, our private space is getting bigger and bigger everyday, and we're more and more intimidated by any casual human contact. Being a hard-core introvert I sort of like it better that way, but that has a consequences that you need to respect other people's right to not give a damn about you, too.

wil421 9y ago
Much of the laws that shaped the country are from Protestant view point. Over the years violence and profanity have been accepted. Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious. Nudity is still rare but not really like it was 20 years ago. Religious nuts will protest "think of the children" and no politician will want to seem like they dislike children so they play along to get votes. Not going to touch breastfeeding, media fuled firestorm. Who cares?
- thehardsphere 9y ago
  > Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious. How many of those kids are now adults who voted for Donald Trump?
- cr0sh 9y ago
  > Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? Goes back further than that; I'm pretty sure in 80s it was likely Madonna or something - I also know there was a frenzy around 2 Live Crew in the late 1980s/early 90s. But I'd be willing to bet that there was also talk about Elvis in congress back in the day...
  - dllthomas 9y ago
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxB-ZePpS7E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxB-ZePpS7E
isoskeles 9y ago
Nudity and sexuality are different. This feels like a false trope, the whole "Europe is so much more evolved," thing. Pop culture from the states often looks like a role model for sexuality across the rest of the world. Don't those K-pop music videos with gyrating women kind of remind you of Britney Spears? I don't think they got the idea from Europe. I will admit we have a confusing relationship toward sex here, where a non-sexual image of a nipple is unacceptable, but suggestive gyrating and sexual symbolism (commercials where beer is spraying out of a can like an orgasm, I don't know) are normal to the point that we don't even notice. We can see this as suppression in a way, where we can only talk about sex in metaphors, and only "the media" (Hollywood, advertisers) is allowed to do it for the rest of us.

wil421 9y ago

Much of the laws that shaped the country are from Protestant view point. Over the years violence and profanity have been accepted. Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious. Nudity is still rare but not really like it was 20 years ago. Religious nuts will protest "think of the children" and no politician will want to seem like they dislike children so they play along to get votes. Not going to touch breastfeeding, media fuled firestorm. Who cares?

thehardsphere 9y ago
> Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? It was supposedly corrupting our youth and congress had hearing discussing Eminem lyrics. How hilarious. How many of those kids are now adults who voted for Donald Trump?
cr0sh 9y ago
> Did you ever see what happened in the late 90/00s with profane music? Goes back further than that; I'm pretty sure in 80s it was likely Madonna or something - I also know there was a frenzy around 2 Live Crew in the late 1980s/early 90s. But I'd be willing to bet that there was also talk about Elvis in congress back in the day...
- dllthomas 9y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxB-ZePpS7E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxB-ZePpS7E

isoskeles 9y ago

Nudity and sexuality are different. This feels like a false trope, the whole "Europe is so much more evolved," thing. Pop culture from the states often looks like a role model for sexuality across the rest of the world. Don't those K-pop music videos with gyrating women kind of remind you of Britney Spears? I don't think they got the idea from Europe. I will admit we have a confusing relationship toward sex here, where a non-sexual image of a nipple is unacceptable, but suggestive gyrating and sexual symbolism (commercials where beer is spraying out of a can like an orgasm, I don't know) are normal to the point that we don't even notice. We can see this as suppression in a way, where we can only talk about sex in metaphors, and only "the media" (Hollywood, advertisers) is allowed to do it for the rest of us.