Performers, artists, writers and even bloggers tend to push the boundaries. That's part of their role in highlighting what they see as important in society. An open, democratic and vibrant society depends on the different viewpoints expressed by our more creative and motivated individuals.
In their zeal to be first to make a point these individuals sometimes overstep the boundaries which society at large deems acceptable. The Chaser's recent 'sick' joke about dying children is a good example.
In many cases this boundary of acceptability is a wide, grey blur rather than a distinct, black line. The position of the blur and the line can change over time as society's attitudes change.
However there are some things that are wrong on a fundamental, instinctive, even biological level. One is the sexual exploitation of children.
Not long ago we had the stir created when 'photographic artist' Bill Henson exhibited a photograph of a naked young teenage girl. As I said in an earlier post, the fact that the girl's misguided parents consented to the photo made it no less exploitative. The fact that many excused the content of the photo in the name of art made it no more acceptable in a society which values the innocence of its children either.
Again this week we have seen another blatant example of child abuse perpetrated in the name of creativity. I refer to the lie detector test on a 14 year old girl about her sexual experiences which 2Day FM's resident grub, Kyle Sandilands and his sidekick, Jackie O performed live on air. Perhaps unknown to them, she has previously been sexallly assaulted once before and broke down on air. But it was not at that point that The Grub and Grubette were at fault. The real offence occurred at the point they conceived of the segment and decided to go ahead with it.
After a week Sandilands and Jackie O are off air and he has lost the gig at Idol. These decisions should have been instantaneous but at least we are rid of them, for the time being.
At some point society and we as individuals must take a stand. If someone says to you that "perhaps" they overstepped the mark or that it was "probably" a bad idea, jump down their throat. Tell them in very clear language that what occurred was an affront to civil society and women and girls in particular and ANY apologetic sentiments are seen as condoning the sexual exploitation of children.
Sometimes stepping over the line of good manners is preferable to allowing these travesties to continue.
