Topic: Please click on this: it's an idea.

@Jaz007  First, thanks for the honest answer.

When I originally read your post, I thought you were suggesting that it was morally wrong for society to be accurately reflected in the entertainment industry and I was struggling to understand the rationale for that viewpoint.

However, on reading your response, I don't think you are quite saying that. If I understand you correctly, it is more simply visualisations of sex and swearing that you find offensive and wish were not present in games/films. Violence and other negative stuff bothers you less, as long as it is not pushed too far. Ok.

Personally, I think that entertainment will always tend to mimic life, the good the bad and the ugly. It is a way of us questioning, understanding, coping with life and all the stuff it throws at us. Why are there so many terrorist films at the moment? Because that is one of society's chief fears. Entertainment can be a way of society coping/dealing with those fears.

I don't personally see that as wrong, and even if I don't always agree/like certain content, I am not personally convinced that censorship is the right approach. I am also not personally convinced that the portrayal of sex and swearing is more damaging to society than that of violence. Certainly all content needs to be age appropriate and age rating enforced.

In fact it is the more "realistic" aspects of recent games (story wise) that have brought me back playing games after a long hiatus. Games are interesting again, precisely because they are starting reflect the vicissitudes of life. Telling better stories.

As for GTA V, I think it treads a fine line in many respects, but one of its strengths (there are also negatives) is that the 3 protagonists are very much anti-heroes. None of them are particularly appealing or are people you would look up to. Yes, the game asks you to live in their shoes, and that has a voyeuristic appeal, but I certainly do not aspire to be like any of them.  In fact, Michael and Franklin at least are doing everything they can to escape their own lives, longing for something better. I'm not trying to "justify" any of the specific content of GTA V, but I am not sure that the game can be discarded as wrong/evil/bad as quickly as some have.

In any case, I have rambled too long. Good discussion. Thanks.

@Gingko. Great post.