Poll: (Yet another) Moral Dilemma

[Valdus]

Saw. Because the worst stuff (like sawing off the leg) is off-screen. Besides, if my child is anything like me they'll get bored and fall asleep half-way through the movie.

Edit: And assuming the OP is correct and my child is completely innocent then perhaps the movie might surgest that the whole world isn't sunshine and farts. The kid will probably know that the movie isn't real and that there aren't psychos around every corner.

On the other hand porn could instill some thoughts into my kids head that every attractive school teacher would only every be interested in making him stay back for "extra credit" or that if his wife calls the plumber while he's out he should instantly accuse her of cheating (because why else would she need a plumber?) How many adverts have we seen online for stuff captioned "Real Milfs" or "Real ex-girlfriends" etc. Many try to instill the idea that it's all real (and it is to an extent it is since the "actors" actually have sex) while a kid is more likely to see Saw as being as fake as it is.

 

[Zac Smith]

A lot of people are saying porn because sex is a normal thing and the child will learn. Sex is normal yes, but porn is pretty much all fabrication, how is showing them this false reality any better or worse then letting them watch Saw? At least if the child was old enough they may be able to understand that no one in Saw actually dies and can disassociate and porn does not in anyway show what sex is actually like in the real world

 

[rutger5000]

Porn, nothing he/she wouldn't see sooner or later and nothing I can't explain. But sex isn't hardly a taboo where I'm from. Plus I don't think he/she will have nightmares from porn.
I had my first sex-ed class when I was 5 (it didn't really go all that deep, only where babies come from, and how they got there), it isn't harmful at all.

 

[rutger5000]

I personally don't think sex should be repressed as such, but I think society would have taken a turn for the worse if sex was legal on say; the bus, while driving a car, in the middle of the street, on top of the groceries you were going to buy...

Yeah, even though it would be hilarious if you think about it.

You it's legal here in Amsterdam to have sex in the parks(even with a prostitute) . And as far as I can see nothing really changed. Most people don't like to have sex all out in the open.

 

[Vault101]

porn...less traumatizing

 

[rutger5000]

Both. It doesn't matter. Neither are influential.

Kids are way, way, way more resilient than people make out. Everyone stupidly forgets what it was like when they were a kid. I'm sure everyone reading this has been exposed to horror movies and porn at one point, and is still just fine. Besides, if you buy the argument that sex and violence on TV influences young minds in a negative way and kids should be sheltered from it, then you must also buy the argument that computer games train kids to be murderers, because it's basically the same argument, and we all know how false that particular argument is now, don't we.

I like this guy.

Although I would like to object: If the kid doesn't enjoy it or benefit from it, wouldn't it be better to limit the experience to only one of the options?

You're overreacting. Yeah I agree with you that the child will not suffer any permanent damage. But still it wouldn't be a good experience for them to watch either. Saw will likely give them nightmares, and porn might cause some strange feelings for a boy (I don't think a girl would be damaged at all if she saw porn, unless she was 14 or something and not happy with her sex-appeal)

 

[coppah20HE]

Where I live, showing offensive material to minors, under the age of 16, could make me liable to 5 years imprisonment.

If I had to choose, I'd show my child Saw.

Horror films toughen a kid up.

 

[Dogstile]

SAW!

Why the hell not? I would love to see a kid traumatized by one of the shittiest films ever made. Only thing its good for is bad film night.

(Yes, I have no heart, its been ripped out)

 

[Valdus]

SAW!

Why the hell not? I would love to see a kid traumatized by one of the shittiest films ever made. Only thing its good for is bad film night.

(Yes, I have no heart, its been ripped out)

Well I have a heart of a young child.

It's in a jar next to my DVD's. You can have it if you want - it should be on Ebay today.

 

[Squeaky]

Porn id rather my childern grow up nymphomaniacs rather than a sociopath, ones alittle easyer for me to deal with.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

This is a moral dilemma? Haha, oh lordy. Well this I did not expect, I thought we were going to get the classic of 'I have been talking to a girl but I slept with her friend which one should I kill' or whatever it usually is.

Oh right, question. Porn, easily.

 

[sanomaton]

I'm turning 20 this year and I still wouldn't wanna watch Saw. I think if I showed Saw to a young child it could be quite traumatic... I know I wish I hadn't watched some horror movies when I was a kid because I still freak out from them.

I'm 35, and I still wouldn't watch Saw. I enjoy a good horror film, but I think "torture porn" films are just plain sick, and that there is something wrong with the people who make them or enjoy them.

You're quite right about that! *shudders* There's nothing wrong with good horror, I agree with you there too. But I was forced to watch the first Saw movie against my will and for the following few weeks I wasn't able to sleep before checking every corner of my room to make sure there's nothing there and stuffing something in they key hole in my door. And after all these years I still cover the key hole in my door.

 

[SoranMBane]

Based on what I remember from being a kid, I'd go with Saw. As a young child, porn would have been infinitely more disturbing to me, while violent things were usually fairly funny (my favourite part of Jurassic Park was when the lawyer got eaten on the toilet, heh). So, if my hypothetical child in this situation is anything like me, they'd be fine with Saw.

 

[TheIronRuler]

I saw my first horror flick when I was seven. "Starship Troopers" has blood, gore, and a few scenes of frontal nudity.
I watched it with my dad.
I'm fine today, if you exclude the way I treat women as sex toys and kill little kittens when nobody's looking....
Nope, that was a joke.
I'm fine mentally.
No you aren't.
Yes, I'm fine! Stop talking!.
You know I can't.
Damn you Starship Troopers!

 

[Gerdneek]

Id play ummm neither, gun to my head id smash the dvd or vhs around the persons head.
But if monkey paw, then id have to go with.... porn at least I can explain that to a point.

 

[Killertje]

Porn.

I wouldn't say Saw would be traumatic, but they might have nightmares about something like that. Porn is just fun for grownups and if you think boobs/penises scar children for life you are an idiot.

 

[tharglet]

Probably have to go with the prawns.

Mmm, praw... errr *cough*

Yeah, I'm gonna go for the porn too.

 

[Nikolaz72]

So this question rose up the other day in class: If you had to choose, would you make your child watch a porn movie (Standard stuff, nothing too kinky or extravagant) or a Saw movie? Basically, the idea is, with these two thematics (pornography and ultraviolence) being "accepted taboos" in our society, which is the more traumatic, or in other words, more influential, to a young mind who might watch this

Thanks everyone

EDIT: Assume your child doesn't know about either of the two taboos and essentially, still believes in everyone's goodness and that children are made out of happy wishes (Or whatever you were told as a child)

Both. It doesn't matter. Neither are influential.

Kids are way, way, way more resilient than people make out. Everyone stupidly forgets what it was like when they were a kid. I'm sure everyone reading this has been exposed to horror movies and porn at one point, and is still just fine. Besides, if you buy the argument that sex and violence on TV influences young minds in a negative way and kids should be sheltered from it, then you must also buy the argument that computer games train kids to be murderers, because it's basically the same argument, and we all know how false that particular argument is now, don't we.

I got Nightmares from playing Diablo. . And Today I find that a bit like an atmospheric arcade hack-n-slash. Cant imagine what would happend if I watched a gory crapmovie back then. . Probably a lot less than playing Diablo. Yea, why didnt they make this thread. Diablo vs Pronz.