I’m going to start off by looking at two movies, both having different ratings. Alright, let’s say, Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds. Let’s compare that movie to another one, something more obscure… like, Pi. Alright then. Respectively, these movies are rated PG-13 and R.

- Oh crap. Something here doesn’t look right.

War of the Worlds has extensive cussing, violence, and plenty of disturbing images. In spite of this, the film manages a PG-13 rating. On the other hand, Pi is decidedly rated R with only a few swear words and a couple of gruesome scenes. Oh, the irony.

I’ll admit, perhaps I’m making a sweeping generalization. I’ll also admit that I’ve never really taken a good look at the rubric or criteria for different ratings. Actually, I don’t think I need to. If the two aforementioned movies received the ratings that they did, then I think the MPAA should seriously reconsider their system. I have personally seen both of these movies, therefore I can honestly say that the age restrictions should be switched around.

MPAA Spinoff

Let’s flash back to last year in school. For my English class, I wrote a persuasive essay on this exact same topic: Why these rating systems are faulty. Believe it or not, comparisons like the one I just made were actually missing from my paper. Let me take one of my other arguments and put it bluntly:

Everyone matures at different rates.

Get that? I don’t receive the gift of maturity once I turn seventeen years old. Of course, when we are still growing and developing as a young child, we have a difficult time distinguishing fantasy from reality. However, soon after that, things change. And the changes certainly don’t come in predefined increments of time at thirteen and seventeen.

I find it lame that I am not allowed to simply go to the store and buy an R-rated movie or an M-rated video game. I also find it irritating that somehow the MPAA has total control over what I can and can’t see without parental consent.

That reminds me: I haven’t discussed video games enough. Let me give another argument that applies specifically to games:

There is a lack of real studies linking violent video games to violence in children.

I suppose that many of my readers will fire back at me and say that there are, indeed, “studies” that have proved the negative effects of video games on children. In my opinion, there is simply not enough proof to hold any water. A fairly recent Joystiq post links to a study done by a Texas A&M researcher, showing that there is little evidence connecting violent video games to violent behavior. In fact, ever since video games have become more widespread, violent crime rates have actually gone down.

That said, I would like to make one more point. I don’t know about other countries (please enlighten me), but here in America, most people have things backwards. Very backwards. It’s the idea that sex is worse than violence. Alright, I guess I’m going with the sweeping generalizations again, but answer me this: If you were watching a movie with your grandma, which would be more awkward? A movie with excessive violence, or a movie with excessive nudity and sex?

Hmm.. this movie isn’t so bad. There’s some mafia dude… shooting everyone on the streets, brutally killing innocent people.. mhmm… ok…

Boobs?! Turn the TV off. Now. I will not stand for filth like this. No more sex, please.

Don’t get me wrong; I love living in America. I’m grateful for having the first amendment. If it weren’t for these rights, attempts to ban mature video games wouldn’t have been shot down (after all, movies and games can be free speech, right?).

Either way, I appreciate anyone’s comments and opinions on the whole matter. Thanks. Digg This