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Was Mary Whitehouse right? Have we gone too far?

(46 Posts)
LauraNorder Fri 04-Dec-20 11:35:32

Watched a programme on tv last night, clips of Mary Whitehouse defending standards, and wondered have we gone too far. TV in 2020 contains so much graphic and gratuitous violence, sex scenes bordering on the pornographic, foul language, technicolour vomit, people sitting on the toilet with pants around their ankles. Are we not capable of using our imagination any more?

Ellianne Fri 04-Dec-20 11:44:48

It's not just programmes or films, it's also adverts to sell sofas with people up to no good on them etc. The only ones I approve of are the perfume ads!
Seriously, I think you have a point. Nothing is left to the imagination.

Kate1949 Fri 04-Dec-20 11:55:29

That Naked Attraction programs has plunged TV to new depths.

Kate1949 Fri 04-Dec-20 11:55:54

programme

boodymum67 Fri 04-Dec-20 11:56:14

I cant believe the programme which has naked people lined up for a fist date. Cant recall it`s name..Total Nakedness? No \I know..Naked Attraction

I am no way narrow minded, but I mean, come on!

felice Fri 04-Dec-20 11:58:17

DD 36, really objects to to Tena Lady Pants ad, the one with the woman laughing at a concert then a close up of the back of her dress to see if she had wet herself. I have never seen her so het up. She has even complained to the company.
Any kind of watershed seems to have gone out the window, and some afternoon dramas are quite explicit.

Oldwoman70 Fri 04-Dec-20 12:07:57

The problem is anyone, especially older people, who complain about any of this are accused of being "prudes". They forget most of us were teenagers in the "swinging 60s" and there isn't much we haven't heard, seen or done!

I don't want to watch a programme which includes a couple of naked people going at it, especially as it rarely has anything to do with the story line.

Anyone else notice that in these programmes it is usually the actress who is filmed naked whilst the actor has a blanket discreetly covering him - why aren't these actresses, who are usually so vocal about feminism, refusing to do these scenes.

Namsnanny Fri 04-Dec-20 12:15:34

There is no longe a mandate to 'educate' the masses.
Too patriarchal (so I read - not necessarily my view!)
Now its make a profit.
Which can only be done by attracting viewers (the young are leaving TV watching in droves, in favour of streaming services)

So, I imagine the CEO's will go were the revenue takes them.

I don't like it because I think it will impact on the society children are brought up in.

I can choose to not watch these type of programs so it doesnt bother me personally too much.

LauraNorder Fri 04-Dec-20 12:21:54

Namananny, I agree we can choose to watch or not but quite often a good drama can be ruined by an unexpected and unnecessary toilet scene. I'm not a prude but I don't want to see other people on the loo. Even Orlin knows he has to close the toilet door.

Callistemon Fri 04-Dec-20 12:27:46

I don't like the perfume ads either, Ellianne

There's no pleasing me!

Nannee49 Fri 04-Dec-20 12:30:00

I couldn't agree more LauraNorder! I remember being very offended by Mary Whitehouse's attempts to control...as I saw it at the time..the censorship of what I read and watched and regularly shouted "there's on off button you can use y'know!" at the telly.

Now, I'm sure I was a bit thick and naive in thinking that children would always be protected from explicit/crude/inappropriate stuff sneaking in everywhere because that's absolutely not the case nowadays.

I still couldn't give an ff about what consenting adults get up to in the privacy of their own spaces but kids have a right to innocence until THEY are ready to explore the world without having it forced upon them.

timetogo2016 Fri 04-Dec-20 12:31:25

I agree with you all,i don`t mind the perfume adds but could do without them as i buy on-line.

Ellianne Fri 04-Dec-20 12:32:40

Callistemon

I don't like the perfume ads either, Ellianne

There's no pleasing me!

I indulge in the sensuality of the perfume ads Calli because most of them are French, and that is my weakness. grin

I agree toilet scenes are disgusting!

Galaxy Fri 04-Dec-20 12:34:59

It's interesting and quite a difficult subject. I think it's really important for example for issues of incontinence to be discussed without shame as so many people suffer from that. So I think the tenna advert is doing a good job.
I remember one of the things mary Whitehouse was mocked for complaining about was the singing detective, looking back on that programme it was deeply unpleasant towards women but explored some interesting issues. What were her views on sane sex couples on tv, for example, that rings a bell in my mind but I dont want to accuse her if I am wrong.
I think porn for example is one of the most damaging things for young women in particular. Women have often been called prides for trying to safeguard women and children.

Galaxy Fri 04-Dec-20 12:35:24

hmmPrudes that should say.

Callistemon Fri 04-Dec-20 12:36:33

Well, at least they're not sleazy.

The Tena Lady ones are awful - surely if Tena pads are meant to be discreet why advertise them so blatantly? Any women who may need them knows that they are available!

Callistemon Fri 04-Dec-20 12:36:58

Or men.

I apologise for discriminating.

susieboo Fri 04-Dec-20 12:38:20

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on this programme, some things are better covered up ?

Galaxy Fri 04-Dec-20 12:38:20

I dont think they are anything to be ashamed of so dont know why they wouldn't be advertised.

Alexa Fri 04-Dec-20 12:41:11

Was it the prog about history of Britain since 1940, presented by Andrew Marr?

This about Mary Whitehouse was interesting because of the huge change in respecfulness towards our social betters.

In the 1950s, which some here will be too young to remember, the upper classes believed they were entitled, and the lower middle classes respected the upper classes for who they thought they were.

The lower middle classes generally did not know the upper classes were trying to maintain their mystique of being our betters. The upper classes were as naked as we of the lower middle classes but had less need to pretend to have respectable clothes on.

Alexa Fri 04-Dec-20 12:45:59

Everyone has genitalia, defaecates, vomits, has BO, has sexual fantasies.

Do you want TV to be censored? What should be censored , and why?

Callistemon Fri 04-Dec-20 12:48:30

Yes, everyone does but we don't necessarily want to watch other people doing it.

Galaxy Fri 04-Dec-20 12:52:47

All tv is censored now to some extent so that's not really an argument. We dont have hard core porn on tv for example.

Namsnanny Fri 04-Dec-20 13:03:17

LauraNorder

*Namananny*, I agree we can choose to watch or not but quite often a good drama can be ruined by an unexpected and unnecessary toilet scene. I'm not a prude but I don't want to see other people on the loo. Even Orlin knows he has to close the toilet door.

I do agree a drama can be ruined, for me as for you with unnecessary graphic images.

I was just pointing out that reason why it was happening.

We will have little impact on changing this trend as we arent the demographic the channel is hoping to attract.

All we can do is show our dislike by altering the viewing figures (by one!) And hope 'they'

Toadinthehole Fri 04-Dec-20 13:03:40

We’ve just watched a series called ‘Normal People’. There were 12 episodes. If there were no or less sex scenes ( pretty graphic as well), there could have been half the episodes. We enjoyed it, but to be honest, found the relentless sex boring. Oh no, I must be older than I thought!?