Skins: "The Most Dangerous Show on Television"

[chanel]

Interesting discussion. Too bad some people had to ruin it with personal attacks on other's parenting. Isn't that against the rules?

The show is over the top and has definitely crossed the line. Some people think that kids are unaffected by TV. I don't. Some people think kids may be affected, but don't care. I do.

Many drunk drivers avoid accidents. Doesn't make it any less dangerous. Same thing.

I remember my mother forbidding from watching "Dark Shadows" when I was little. I used to visit the old lady in the next apt. and watch it with her.

 

[Luissa]

What do you not understand about "child porn is illegal and harmful"?

Is there child porn in the show?

 

[xotoxi]

Nope.

It's child porn.

It's revolting that people are supporting it.

I consider it something.....porn's not it though.

Actually, yes, it is, according to the definition of child porn:

"What Is Child Pornography?
Under federal law (18 U.S.C. §2256), child pornography1 is defined as any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where

the production of the visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or


the visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or


the visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Federal law (18 U.S.C. §1466A) also criminalizes knowingly producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing with intent to distribute, a visual depiction of any kind, including a drawing, cartoon, sculpture or painting, that

depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene, or


depicts an image that is, or appears to be, of a minor engaging in graphic bestiality, sadistic or masochistic abuse, or sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex and such depiction lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. "

Child Pornography Fact Sheet

You still have not shown any evidence that the show in question displays SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONDUCT.

The rugmunching scene is SEXUALLY IMPLICIT CONDUCT...and a girl lying down breathing hard could be interpreted as non-sexual.

 

[AllieBaba]

the visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

 

[Luissa]

Interesting discussion. Too bad some people had to ruin it with personal attacks on other's parenting. Isn't that against the rules?

The show is over the top and has definitely crossed the line. Some people think that kids are unaffected by TV. I don't. Some people think kids may be affected, but don't care. I do.

Many drunk drivers avoid accidents. Doesn't make it any less dangerous. Same thing.

I remember my mother forbidding from watching "Dark Shadows" when I was little. I used to visit the old lady in the next apt. and watch it with her.

Trust me, it wasn't a tv show that made me drink beer and smoke pot in high school. Parents should try to understand their children, instead of blaming a tv show.

 

[xotoxi]

They had the same show, but probably worse in the UK. The children of the UK are still here.

The children of the UK are not here and never have been.

They are all over there.

 

[xotoxi]

the visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

That means that you do a little photoshopping to place a minor's head on the body of someone having sex.

The only thing the girl in that scene was doing was breathing hard and moaning...IMPLYING that something sexual was being done to her.

Had they shown the other girl's head in her lap, then I would agree with you wholeheartedly.

But, as of now, all we have is a girl pulling a Meg Ryan in Harry/Sally.

 

[chanel]

We haven't seen the third episode yet. That's the one they had the big fucking meeting over. Apparently, it's been edited out. Can't imagine this show getting worse, but apparently it does.

 

[AllieBaba]

I guess I should be surprised that there are a good big chunk of loons on here who are pro-child pornography....but I'm not.

It's illegal. It's child porn. No, it does't mean photoshopping somebody's head onto a body because the definition goes on to state that even hand-drawn material can be considered child porn, if there are CHILDREN being depicted.

It's about what is being depicted. It's not about whether the actors are 18 (though some are as young as 15, which is illegal); it's not about whether or not it's good tv. It's about depicting kids in school having sex. That is child porn, pure and simple.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Skins” is surely one of the most sexually charged programs that MTV has featured. Before it even had its premiere, the Parents Television Council, a TV watchdog group, labeled “Skins” the “most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children.” The group objected to the gratuitous scenes of drug and alcohol use, violence and sexual acts.

Of course, those scenes may be what attract young viewers in the first place. Jessica Bennett, a senior writer for Newsweek, wrote last week, “ ‘Skins’ may be the most realistic show on television.”

The show is off to a running start. It attracted 3.3 million to its premiere on Monday night and set a new first-episode record for the channel among viewers ages 12 to 34.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/b...p=1&adxnnlx=1295632949-rrIGAAUa2T6US9tiiFlDng

Has anyone seen it? I did. Worse than you can possibly imagine. And I can tell you as someone who spends every day with teenagers (who often give me TMI), this is NOT "the most realistic show on television."

The most disturbing part for me was the end of the first episode. Driving stoned, the kids run their car off a bridge into the water. Amazingly all the passengers emerge completely unscathed and one announces "Oh shit, The weed got wet". And they laugh and laugh and laugh... Scary.

Glorifying sex, drugs, and child prostitution is dangerous. Glorifying teen driving accidents is deadly.

They had the same show, but probably worse in the UK. The children of the UK are still here.

The UK version of 'Skins' already ran on BBC America.

 

[Trajan]

I am flummoxed as to why someone would let their child watch this, what exactly would be the purpose? what not to do? you can tell them that, they need to see it? Take them to a jail, show'em around. take them to skid row.....


and I thought one of the major issues was MTV may have used underage actors?

The purpose is a philosophical one. There's a couple of schools of thought.

#1 is that you shelter someone from the wrongs of the world....which could go wrong because they *may* be void of what to do once the shelter is lifted as pertaining to said situation. But it could all work out.

okay so what you're basically describing imho, is; the mother complex, mother them to death and they'll never know what to do or be equipped to adequately handle adversity, strange situations , over all coping skills...yes, I have raised 2 children and get that. You cannot nor should not protect them from everything. I agree.....

However there are lines that blur and don’t lend themselves to simple inculcated ‘experience’; watching gratuitous sex or compromising situational dialogues and demonstrations, being exposed to harsh language that is all simple ingestion, etc., doesn’t mean they will always take or infer the correct lesson.

They will in all likelihood be exposed to their fair share of that whether parents allow it or not, so I don’t see the point in watching something that lacks any rational message or that may even glorify certain behaviors, it’s a mean voyeurism that I don’t see as healthy in the long run. Theres a great deal that I would prefer they watch, no, why even waste time on things like this, you cannot force them but you can certainly influence them and I am aware of the pitfalls of straight denial, which creates its own mystery and curiosity that may just drive them to it.

#2 is that you don't censor, you instead teach-of............and hope that they understand. This could also go wrong in-that your kid might be gullible and wrought by (said show/thing in life's) wrath.

yes well, its curious to me, yes they certainly have the 'right' to put on the show, or shows like it, but at the end of the day what exactly does this bring to the table? That’s it, because they can its all good? And yes we can hope kids don't see it as anything they wish to imitate, but in a world now where-in kids feel they can speak on cell phones at the top of their voices using colorful expletives, describing as I once witnessed their latest sex tryst and other details I neither care to hear or want to , I wonder how we got here...this certainly can't help.

Ed Murrow once had something to say the medium of television, to wit; it could either be a wondrous tool of information and education and...well things like this...whats the point? Its appeal top the common denominator, salaciousness for salaciousness's sake because.......it sells?

 

[Zoom-boing]

Did you ever watch FX's Nip/Tuck? I always considered nearly most of the sex scenes as soft porn.

N'aw. Never saw it.

Nip/Tuck was for adults and was on later in the night, it was not geared towards children or feature children doing sexual acts.

I didn't say it was geared towards kids. Because I consider the sex in Nip/Tuck as soft porn, I was asking G.T. if he had ever seen it, in response to this post of his

I guess I don't understand the legal definition, that's true.

My understanding of porn is insertion, nudity, felatio, actual sex, anal sex, fuck.... some weirdos have some pee and foot fetishes, ....crap like that. I don't consider the "portrayal" of sex in, say, a movie....porn. Porn to me is XXX.

 

[xotoxi]

I guess I should be surprised that there are a good big chunk of loons on here who are pro-child pornography....but I'm not.

It's illegal. It's child porn. No, it does't mean photoshopping somebody's head onto a body because the definition goes on to state that even hand-drawn material can be considered child porn, if there are CHILDREN being depicted.

It's about what is being depicted. It's not about whether the actors are 18 (though some are as young as 15, which is illegal); it's not about whether or not it's good tv. It's about depicting kids in school having sex. That is child porn, pure and simple.

Did you realize that on the street, when a prostitute holds up her fingers in a "V" sign, she is telling potential clients that her vagina is wet and ready?

Just sayin'...

 

[Amanda]

Lots of ado about nothing IMO.

Here's a clue: Your kids ARE having sex. Deal with it.

 

[MarcATL]

What do you not understand about "child porn is illegal and harmful"?

Are you this hysterical about violence as well?

One thing I've noticed is that with all the lists I saw thrown around in this thread that was harmful to children...no a one mentioned violence.

Violence has only been ramping up in our society, in our culture and in public...yet...no hysteria from the Right.

Video games, read violent video games, are at an all time high. Games like Car Theft Auto (or whatever its call) are being pushed to children, Mortal Kombat where kids are taught to enjoy blood and gore from the youngest of ages...yet no outcry from the Right.

Why is this?

Do you people not consider that harmful as well?

...Interesting.

 

[AllieBaba]

If you promote kids having sex or create stuff that LOOKS like kids having sex, you're breaking the law.

If you provide kids with sexual material, you are FURNISHING porn to kids. That's also illegal.

 

[AllieBaba]

What do you not understand about "child porn is illegal and harmful"?

Are you this hysterical about violence as well?

One thing I've noticed is that with all the lists I saw thrown around in this thread that was harmful to children...no a one mentioned violence.

Violence has only been ramping up in our society, in our culture and in public...yet...no hysteria from the Right.

Video games, read violent video games, are at an all time high. Games like Car Theft Auto (or whatever its call) are being pushed to children, Mortal Kombat where kids are taught to enjoy blood and gore from the youngest of ages...yet no outcry from the Right.

Why is this?

Do you people not consider that harmful as well?

...Interesting.

It probably wasn't brought up because this thread is about child Porn, i.e., Skins.

And though there are certain people who like to sexualize children and would like to pretend it's perfectly normal, the fact remains...it's illegal, and harmful to children.

 

[newpolitics]

What do you not understand about "child porn is illegal and harmful"?

Are you this hysterical about violence as well?

One thing I've noticed is that with all the lists I saw thrown around in this thread that was harmful to children...no a one mentioned violence.

Violence has only been ramping up in our society, in our culture and in public...yet...no hysteria from the Right.

Video games, read violent video games, are at an all time high. Games like Car Theft Auto (or whatever its call) are being pushed to children, Mortal Kombat where kids are taught to enjoy blood and gore from the youngest of ages...yet no outcry from the Right.

Why is this?

Do you people not consider that harmful as well?

...Interesting.

Violence is not a sin according to the bible. Sex is. Therefore, they only get upset when something is not in accordance with what the good book says. Violence is okay, but sex isn't. Killing people is okay, but doing that which produces life isn't. Such irony.

 

[chanel]

Lots of ado about nothing IMO.

Here's a clue: Your kids ARE having sex. Deal with it.

No they are not Amanda. Maybe you've been watching too much T.V.

A good percentage of teenagers have not had sex yet. And even those that have "had sex" are not "having sex" on a daily basis.

Anyone notice that none of these derelicts smoke cigarettes? That's what many teens do. I wonder why MTV chose not to have these kids smoke?

Anyone????

 

[BrianH]

I'm not offended by the show at all.

Me neither. It would be hypocritical for me to get indignant about it anyways. And I think some of the angst is a generational thing.

Back in the twenties, you just KNOW there were parents bent out of shape about knee-length skirts.



But if I was a parent I could see myself feeling differently about this show. There's reasons I don't sit at the table on Thanksgiving and tell the family about what I do and have done.

I think some of the controversial stuff in the show, parents can find themselves having done in their own past, or things they had seen others do back then--and they're things they regret and don't want their kids to repeat.

There is some legit truth under the over-dramatization, and I think that's why the show hits a parental nerve. I could just be talking out of my ass about this since I'm not actually a parent, but it sounds about right.

You're exactly right....as a single 20 year old I probably would have thought the show was cool... But now as a father (of a daughter especially) it's something I don't want her seeing. I don't want to control every aspect of her life by not letting her watch tv, but at the same time, I don't want her seeing this filth. The thing about kids (especially teenagers) is that they make short-minded decisions without thinking about consequences...like many adults I know. I did a lot of stupid crap that I tihought was cool at the time but think is pretty stupid and dangerous now. I just don't think we should be throwing stuff like that in their faces. My daughter's not even of age to do this stuff and it still bothers me. This show will probably be off the air before my daughter is even old enough to be able to watch it.