Guns, Movies, and the Male Ego: Where Do We Draw the Line on Harm?

Guns on Screen, Sex in the Bedroom: Why We Miss the Real Danger.

Okay, so here's something to blow your weekend minds, if the heat hasn't done it for you already.

We're constantly bombarded with news about gun violence. Governments rush to introduce new laws, and rightly so – guns cause immense suffering. But here's what's baffling: while we scramble to control actual firearms, there's barely a peep about the endless parade of guns in our movies and TV shows.

We see heroes and villains alike brandishing weapons on screen, normalising their presence, even glorifying their use. Yet, when real-world gun crime spikes, the conversation only focuses on banning the physical objects.

It feels like picking the low-hanging fruit, doesn't it? It's easier to legislate a physical object than to confront the cultural narrative that surrounds it. And arguably, which is more insidious? The gun itself, or the constant visual reinforcement that guns are cool, powerful, and a go-to solution for conflict?

The Bedroom Double Standard: When "Ignorance is Bliss" Becomes Dangerous.

Now let's talk about something far more intimate, yet strangely similar in its problematic focus: the discussion around certain sexual practices, specifically consensual asphyxiation. Suddenly, there's a spotlight on this, often framed with alarm, as if it's a new, uniquely dangerous phenomenon.

But let's be blunt: choking as part of sex is nothing new. Neither are a host of other practices that involve different levels of intensity or play. Why is this practice being singled out as the big, terrifying issue? Again, it feels like targeting the lowest fruit on the tree – an easy target for moralising, rather than addressing the deeper, more pervasive problem.

The real danger here, as with so many other issues, circles back to male ego and dominance. Sexual exploration, especially involving risk, demands absolute, unwavering attention to the recipient's health, safety, and pleasure. Every single second must be proportionate, measured, and built around her experience – her enjoyment, her limits, her orgasm.

The problem arises when men, fueled by their own ego and a dangerous "ignorance is bliss" mindset, get so caught up in the moment that they forget the woman entirely. They lose sight of her pleasure, her comfort, and crucially, her safety. It becomes about his control, his power trip, his idea of what's sexy, rather than a shared, consensual, and empathetic experience. This isn't about the practice itself, but the toxic way it can be executed when male dominance overrides care.

The Uncomfortable Truth: It's Often About Control.

So, what's the common thread between ignoring guns in movies while banning them in reality, and sensationalising certain sexual practices while overlooking the root cause of harm?

In both cases, we see a reluctance to tackle the uncomfortable truth: that much of the problem stems from male ego and a drive for dominance. With guns, it's about male-dominated media often glorifying a specific type of power and violence.

With sexual practices, it's about men prioritising their own desires and control over a partner's well-being and pleasure. It's easier to blame an object or a specific act than to confront the pervasive influence of an unchecked ego. Until we address this underlying issue of dominance and a lack of true empathy, we'll keep picking the low-hanging fruit, and the real problems will persist.