I was thinking recently about the ethics of pleasuring yourself to video games. Wait, I’m serious about this. Now I’m not talking about whether it’s okay or not to achieve sexual gratification from digital characters, that’s another discussion for another time. What I want to discuss is the motivations and stories behind the video game imagery people may be achieving sexual gratification from at this very moment.
There are two instances in particular that made me think of this issue. Both come from the recent Playstation 3 release Heavy Rain. The first involves newspaper reporter Madison Paige and nightclub owner Paco Mendes. In this scene Madison is forced to remove her clothing in front of Paco at gunpoint. It is possible to have Madison strip down to just a pair of lacy underwear before Madison smashes Paco’s head with a vase. You don’t have to have Madison wearing just lacy underwear to trigger the end of the scene but the possibility is there nonetheless.
Madison is the kind of woman that has an alluring personality and her physical appearance adds to that allure. I’m willing to admit that after finishing Heavy Rain I went back to that scene, caused Madison to remove more of her clothing than I had on my original playthrough, and achieved sexual gratification from the sight of Madison Paige in just her lacy underwear. Upon reflection, I feel a certain amount of shame from having done this. This shame was derived from the reason why Madison was removing her clothing, the threat of being shot and killed. Madison was kept in this sexual situation against her will, a situation that is considered to be wrong in our moral society. Sure Miss Paige got herself out of that situation without any harm coming to her, but the situation she was in before she extricated herself is what drove my sexual desire.
The second instance in Heavy Rain that made me think of this issue involves the previously mentioned Madison Paige and architect Ethan Mars. Mr. Mars is going through the trials he feels are necessary to free his son, Shawn, from the hands of the Origami Killer. The scene in question takes place after Ethan completes one of these trials, which involved killing a drug dealer. Ethan has an emotional breakdown and in this moment Madison shows up to comfort him. In this scene, playing as Ethan, you are given the choice to kiss Madison. This kiss eventually leads to Ethan and Madison having sex.
The sex scene between Ethan and Madison is racy and contains nudity, however this was something I was not aware of when I first played through Heavy Rain. I was not even aware that this sex scene existed untill I listened to an episode of Electric Sistahood and heard them talking about it. This is because at the moment where you can choose whether or not to kiss Madison I chose not to. This is the source of my second feeling of conflict.
At this point of the game in question, Ethan is still married to his wife Grace. They are separated and contemplating divorce but are still married. There also still appears to be an emotional connection between Ethan and Grace and a certain level of trust. In my mind Ethan kissing Madison would have betrayed that trust and made for a lesser story. That is why I made that decision, my desire for a great story. While I did go back and view the sex scene between Ethan and Madison after my initial playthrough I still feel that Ethan betraying Grace and having sex with Madison detracts from the story.
So there are the reasons why I feel the ethics of pleasuring yourself to video games may be in question: The motivation of the characters in these erotic scenes and the stories the characters are engaged in. In reviewing the arguments I have just made I realize these arguments can be used to question the ethics of using nearly all erotic media to achieve sexual gratification. Whenever I go shopping for hentai I have to be certain that I’m not buying one of the many rape porn titles that are out there. Downloading pictures online is rife with peril as the image in question may secretly be child pornography. Finally, finding eroticism in Hollywood movies may or may not be ethical given the drives and motivations of the directors, producers, and actors involved, not to mention the characters they’re making a movie about.
Debates over ethics are a delicate subjects and is highly dependent on your moral structure, the moral structure of the place you live in, and the knowledge both parties have about the situation at hand. Perhaps you are the type of person who can put ethics aside and get your rocks off at any erotic or semi-erotic situation. However, if you can put ethics aside, what does that say about you as a person?
Gorillaz- Plastic Beach First Impressions
Hunter Red is sitting in his office at the offices of the Redertainment Corporation Of America listening to some music when Robin Anderson pokes her head in.
Robin- Hello sexyperson.
Hunter- Hello othersexyperson.
R- Whatcha doing?
H- I’m listening to the new Gorillaz CD “Plastic Beach”.
R- What do you think of it?
H- I think I’m high?
Robin looks at Hunter oddly.
R- Excuse me?
H- I think I’m high. Listen to this.
Hunter turns up the music as Robin walks into Hunter’s office and sits down on one of the file cabinets.
H- “Plastic Beach” sounds like something you would listen to and enjoy while high. I’m listening to “Plastic Beach”, I’m enjoying “Plastic Beach”, I must be high.
R- Hunter, you’re out of your mind. I’m enjoying this CD and I’m completely sober.
H- But how do you know that?
R- Because the only drugs I’ve had this morning is my usual cup of coffee.
H- And the only drugs I’ve had is the half bottle of gin I found in my desk.
R- Hunter, maybe you aren’t high and you are genuinely enjoying the new CD from a beloved music group.
At that moment, Seifer Kinneas pokes his head into Hunter’s office. Seifer Kinneas is wearing a pink elephant costume.
Seifer- Hey Hunter, you gotta check this out. I got this bubble machine, and it’s fucking awesome!
Seifer leaves Hunter’s office. Both Hunter and Robin are sitting there stunned at what just happened.
Robin- Hunter?
Hunter- Yeah?
R- I think I’m high right now.
H- Me too sexyperson. You have those Dorito’s in your desk?
R- Yeah, assuming Seifer hasn’t gotten into them.
H- You wanna eat those while we polish off that bottle of Jack Daniel’s I have in my desk?
R- Sure.
Robin heads off for her desk as Hunter starts searching his desk for the Jack Daniel’s.
H- Robin, I’m out of Jack, but I do have a full bottle of Crown Royal and a funnel!
END SCENE
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