Dumbing things down...

[JudgeDredd]

*rant*
Over time it seems things get dumbed down.

I was watching a film not that long ago from my youth. It was an 18. Recently my daughter wanted to watch a film - I read reviews and comments about it. It had gratuitous sex (admittedly not hardcore), bad language, use of controlled substances - and it was a 12. I'm not necessarily saying the film I watched in my youth was worthy of an 18, my point is more to do with the more recent movie being a 12!

With the advent of Facebook, people leave themselves logged in, someone else types details on their page and it's called "fraped". I'm rather disgusted that I see the word rape used so easily. It's a heinous crime and worthy of having it's own word - and using that word for "other means" (and benial means) seems to somewhat weaken the word and the crime. The same as the use of the c word. There are young girls where I work (my work is full of school leavers because it is "that kind of job")...and they are ALWAYS using it. I asked one of them not to the other week when we were out drinking - she had been throwing it about like it was a normal word - and not quietly - and her re torte was along the lines of "I have one - why shouldn't I use it?" (clever - but not the answer I was expecting).

I know they're only words - and perhaps we shouldn't be hung up on them. But those two specific words are really quite vile to me - but I am seeing them used in every day life more and more. I am not against swearing per se. Sometimes you need a good swear word to get your f***ing point across. But it seems to be certain words which were always generally avoided (in the circles I moved anyway - and I was in the army) are used as a matter of course.

The volume these people use these words too is alarming. Like no-one has any respect for anyone else around them.

As for films - I have absolutely NO IDEA what has happened to the certification system. I was watching a film a couple of weeks ago with my kids (it was a 12) and this woman was seducing a man. She had him up against the wall and slid down his body. You didn't see anything - but it was very clear what was being implied! I'm not saying the film I watched in my youth was worthy of an 18. In fact, I agree that was an over-exaggerated rating - but like most things, the pendulum seems to have swung the other way!
*rant*

We've (not us specifically!) talked about dumbing down of games over the years - but what about dumbing down of values?

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I wouldn't call it dumbing down so much as a coarsening of culture.  It's one of the downsides of a deregulated media market that caters to the demands of the majority.  Doesn't speak we'll of the majority of the populace to see that channels like TLC and History have gone from showing fairly scholarly documentaries 15 years ago to shows like Honey Boo Boo and Ancient Aliens because that's what the masses would rather see.

[Gusington]

There's also more people now so with that, naturally, come more idiots.

[undercovergeek]

There's also more people now so with that, naturally, come more idiots.

There should be a nationally agreed level of stupidity acceptance, those who come below the level should be sterilised, and sent to their own island, or Wales (although every time i speak to a Welsh person i think this program has already been instigated)

(except Huw, Huw's an honorary Englishman)

[eyebiter]

Keep the consumers at a constant level of high emotion - fear, anxiety, violence, or sexual tension.  Makes them more impulsive and less likely to think twice before buying...

[Gusington]

Is Wales really that bad? Like the Ndw Jersey of the UK? I am about to win a glorious victory with the Welsh in my Britannia campaign.

[JudgeDredd]

I love the Welsh. Many great accomplices have originated from there - and a couple of great pals.

[Gusington]

Looks like you will have to challenge Geek to fisticuffs at dawn.

[JudgeDredd]

But Gus - I'm a lover not a fighter!  ;D

*edited to get Gus's name spelt right!!*

[undercovergeek]

But Guds - I'm a lover not a fighter!  ;D

lmao - i have to be careful cos i love the Huw but god help me they do need a bit of help, you know, breathing and standing up at the same time

i think its the lack of vowels

[Gusington]

Maybe Wales and New Jersey can unite and form their own union.

[besilarius]

certainly visiting each other's realms should be no problem.
On a standard map, they are only about six inches apart,   the Welsh can just step across, and the Jerseyites do a hopscotch.

[Longdan]

That is one of the real problems of North Am.  Except for a few names like Price or Morgan or Jones
you never know who should be Welsh or who is secretly Welsh and pretending to be normal.
To the uneducated or those deaf to accent a Welshman is the same as an Irishman.
I knew a guy who thought he was English but his mother was Welsh.   Really.

[bob48]

I'm waiting for Huw to invoke the power of the druids.

Wales, especially North Wales, the Snowdonia National Park and the Cambrian coast, is a beutiful place - except for Angelsey - which is as flat as a fart.

[Centurion40]

Apparently my great-grandfather Watkins was a Welshman.