Should more games be rated AO?

[alpha_dk]

I've been watching R-rated movies with sex and violence in them since I was 6 years old. I've also played a few M rated games in my day.

I am now 22, and am extremely well-balanced. I personally believe that the influence of media is much less than it is purported to be... or maybe it is just that we have fetishized (actual meaning of the word, not sexual meaning of the word) violence in the media to the point where we can no longer distinguish between the effects of the impact of the media on our culture and ourselves and the impact of our immediate surroundings and ourselves.
When society tells me that a certain age is not 'ready' for some content, i analyze why they are telling me this. Is there anything inherent in sex that would make it inappropriate for people under 18?

One could say yes, and I would agree - sex as a fetish and without foreknowledge and control can be a very bad thing. It can lead to disease, pregnancy, emotional trauma, and more. HOWEVER, a well-adjusted individual who is taught to respect sex as a primal force of life, as something to be honored for its importance rather than desired for its... well, sexuality. Someone who is taught to respect sex certainly can watch a sexual movie or play a sexual game without being adversely affected.

For a great example of the kind of difference I am talking about, I would recommend everyone watch Metropolis (the original, although maybe the themes exist in the anime as well). The exotic dancing scene is amazing, and ties in exactly to the differences between different stylings of sex in the media.

I would also recommend "This Film is not yet Rated" for a great overview of exactly how a ratings system can kill a movie arbitrarily and with little cause. Especially the "Boys Don't Cry" part. The reason that movie was rated NC-17 at first wasn't the *ABSOLUTE WORST RAPE SCENE IN EXISTENCE* [in my opinion]. It's because it showed a woman having an orgasm. Is that right? I think not.

And *that* is the reason I disagree with an AO rating if said AO rating means anything about the availability of the game.