Ratings......but not the ones you think I mean!

I thought it would be interesting to get some other peoples' points-of-view on film ratings. Without ranting and/or preaching, I personally cannot help but think film ratings have become absurd.
I am currently watching Game of Thrones, series 3, which is a 15! Now, I am not a prude, but there are scenes throughout that series that a lot of adults would find highly offensive/gratuitous/violent to watch. (I love the series by the way)!
PGs now seem to be what 15s used to be and 15s are certainly what 18s used to be. If you are watching an 18 now, you can be fully assured it will be extremely hard viewing in places.
I am aware I am on a poetry site, full of artistic people who believe in freedom of expression - and rightly. I am not arguing against these productions ( I myself love many of them) but surely the ratings need to be reviewed. Kids are seeing things these days they really shouldn't be allowed to see. I know that's the least of it and people will say "if they want to, they will anyway" or "what about the internet" but purely from a film ratings stance, what do people think?

You don't have cable, do you?

Kids see everything on CATV now.

Since my kids grew up I haven't noticed the Ratings anymore, but when grandkids come along I may start again.

In the uk you can have sex and get married at 16, but if a film has fairly graphic sex then it'll get an 18 rating, which doesnt make any sense.

The film industry ratings system is a bit of a joke. There is a documentary about it actually.

"This film is not yet rated"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/

One of the key points of the film is that the people who watch films as testers tend to be ultra conservative white people who appear to have massive issues with gay sex and women recieving pleasure from sex in any way.

Interesting point, Kevin. You are right about kids getting married and having sex at 16 and 18s with sex scenes; put like that, it seems absurd. Personally, I don't have a big issue with the sex scene side of it - nudity is nothing to be ashamed of. Of course, there are some scenes I wouldn't want a 15 year old seeing, but I don't think on the whole sex scenes are damaging for kids to see. I guess, personally, it's extreme violence/language/drugs I have more issues with.

I'd be far more concerned with young people, especially fresh out of childhood teenagers having access to pretty much any kind of pornography their little hormone fuelled hearts desire. With young chaps even more so. While their brains are still developing I think it is incredibly damaging for them to form an opinion of sex and intimacy, and women taken from porn videos.

It is one thing to be a bit jaded when it comes to movie violence...but quite another to be jaded to any kind of sex or intimacy that isn't unrealistic porn. I feel sorry for them, I really do.

In truth, Kevin, you are right and I agree with that too. But as far as I'm concerned, it's all part of the same degenerative society we live in. Children are being exposed far too freely to things they shouldn't be - violence, sex, etc; the ease of access kids have through the internet to these things is truly worrying.
People have forgotten the meaning of the word 'wrong'.

I'm a bit of a prude and don't like seeing gratuitous nudity in my shows or movies. I google "Parental Guide" so I always know what I'm getting myself into. I think there's a misconception that people who don't want to see strangers getting paid to take their clothes off are also against nudity or sex in general. I love sex. I love my boyfriend's body. I love being naked in my own home and in nature with people I trust. I was at a bachelorette awhile ago and all of the women, including myself, spent half of the time naked. I think bodies are special, each one unique and sensuous in its own way, and should be treated that way. Of course you can do whatever you want with your own body, but less gratuitous nudity forced on all of us would be nice. I think it takes away from shows and adds nothing. I prefer more artistic viewpoints of intimacy. Like the show Vikings, for instance. It's a sexy show, but stays within my personal comfort zone of seen versus suggested nakedness. More of that, please.

Have to agree with Kevin about porn. It can jade men and create intimacy problems. Most men don't realize they're addicted to it, but ask one to stop watching and see what happens.
I have been so lucky with my boyfriend, but I know a lot of women whose boyfriends watch porn habitually at the expense of their relationship :(