Disturbing Miley Cyrus Photos

[mcan]

Originally Posted by alnorth

...and I'm not talking about physical danger, just pure horrifying shame...

Your point is well taken about the majority of your post. My argument is that, we probably shouldn't be teaching our kids to be ashamed of any of this in the first place. I'm not talking about abondoning all modesty. But, I think modesty has very little to do with morality. It's more to do with tact.

Suppressing sexuality as a teen is FAR more damaging to a psyche than goofing around and taking some provacative photos.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by mcan

Your point is well taken about the majority of your post. My argument is that, we probably shouldn't be teaching our kids to be ashamed of any of this in the first place. I'm not talking about abondoning all modesty. But, I think modesty has very little to do with morality. It's more to do with tact.

Suppressing sexuality as a teen is FAR more damaging to a psyche than goofing around and taking some provacative photos.

I am just going to have to disagree with you on practical grounds. You and I individually are not going to change the norms and mores of US culture. I also strongly disagree that our culture encourages or causes deviance, there is plenty of that in more "open" cultures, I believe that "our way" in the US is neutral towards encouraging or preventing sexual deviance.

Aside from that, you can try to raise a kid to be the most Liberal, free, frank, and open person in the world if you want, but aside from this belief and behavior making her stick out in itself, thats not going to stop everyone else in the school from teasing her mercilessly if she does something everyone else perceives as embarassing. Kids can be cruel, and you have to be practical.

Aside from that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with our culture encouraging restraint and some small (and shrinking) level of modesty, if for no other reason than the vast majority of people are unpleasant to look at without clothes.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by mcan

Suppressing sexuality as a teen is FAR more damaging to a psyche than goofing around and taking some provacative photos.

I wish I had taken some provocative photos when I was young.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by mcan

Your point is well taken about the majority of your post. My argument is that, we probably shouldn't be teaching our kids to be ashamed of any of this in the first place. I'm not talking about abondoning all modesty. But, I think modesty has very little to do with morality. It's more to do with tact.

Suppressing sexuality as a teen is FAR more damaging to a psyche than goofing around and taking some provacative photos.

How damaging is having an incurable STD? How damaging is an unwanted pregnancy? The photos are less damaging to reality that the promiscuity that they (seem to) condone. As a former teenager and a current parent, most kids don't have a well developed sense of their own indtentity, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Would you owned a company that generated $40k a year in income (peanuts) do you think it would be a good idea to turn it over to a random 15 yo? Hell no. Why would you encourage them to be put in charge of the ability to make a life, or to prevent the spread of incurable disease, to enter into emotional situations they are ill equiped to deal with, or to destroy their own or someone elses economic future? All of these issues are a lot more important that a measley $40K company.

Yes teenagers are sexually active, there are consequences when they become active, and people deal with those consequences the best they can. That's life. But society suppresses teenage sexuality for a damn good reason. Maybe I misunderstood your post, but if you think teenage sexuality should be freely and fully expressed, I disagree in the strongest terms.