Should books receive ratings? (ie R, PG etc)

I love reading but there are alot of books with some very... suggestive stuff. The question here is "should books have ratings?" I honestly don't see why they shouldn't, you know, stuff like "violence" language and stuff like that. What does OT think?

No, its ridiculous, and adult books are at the adult section already anyway.

Yes, it would help me weed out the boring crap. If there's no smut in the book, then what's the point?

Yes, it would help me weed out the boring crap. If there's no smut in the book, then what's the point?

Oleg_Huzwog

yea that would be cool.

Game of Thrones would be XXX in some parts...am I right? It's still a fantastic book nontheless. I haven't finished it yet though.

A rating system for books wouldn't be a bad idea for the sake of children, but other than that, I doesn't matter to me.

A rating system for books wouldn't be a bad idea for the sake of children, but other than that, I doesn't matter to me.

soulless4now

[QUOTE="soulless4now"]

A rating system for books wouldn't be a bad idea for the sake of children, but other than that, I doesn't matter to me.

Nibroc420

there's a reason there are "adult bookstores", anything too graphic for a child, is inaccessible to a child.

Yeah, but those places always smell like latex. It'd be nice to get a book without the latex smell.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="soulless4now"]

A rating system for books wouldn't be a bad idea for the sake of children, but other than that, I doesn't matter to me.

Oleg_Huzwog

there's a reason there are "adult bookstores", anything too graphic for a child, is inaccessible to a child.

Yeah, but those places always smell like latex. It'd be nice to get a book without the latex smell.

im not against informing parents, but rating systems inevitably turn into popularity contests and studio/publisher lobbying. LoG-Sacrament

That was my primary thought about what it could be used for.

If a kid is mature enough to read and understand an adult novel, then he's probably mature enough for the content inside. Plus it really is up to the parent to determine what is right for the kid, not some ratings system.

If a kid is mature enough to read and understand an adult novel, then he's probably mature enough for the content inside. Plus it really is up to the parent to determine what is right for the kid, not some ratings system.

SPYDER0416

Well I meant a parent could fin what was in the book then decide.

It's not quite the same as movies and video-games. Sure, a book on the human centipede would/could be pretty gross if it were descriptive enough... However I doubt it would be as bad as watching the same thing happen.Nibroc420

I don't see how seeing the image in your head is much worse than literally seeing it.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]It's not quite the same as movies and video-games. Sure, a book on the human centipede would/could be pretty gross if it were descriptive enough... However I doubt it would be as bad as watching the same thing happen.Pffrbt

I don't see how seeing the image in your head is much worse than literally seeing it.

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]It's not quite the same as movies and video-games. Sure, a book on the human centipede would/could be pretty gross if it were descriptive enough... However I doubt it would be as bad as watching the same thing happen.Pffrbt

I don't see how seeing the image in your head is much worse than literally seeing it.

EDIT: Wait, i never said "seeing the image in your head is much worse", i was saying that it ISN'T worse. Imagining something gruesome isn't as bad as watching something gruesome.

If that actually happened, kids could looking for "R" books to read in book store. :lol:

No that is the worst idea I've ever heard. It will just prevent kids from reading books that they might have otherwise picked up (as if we need less kids to read). Alternatively, the R rating of a book may encourage teens to read it :P. Anyway people will just abuse the system to put a restrictive ratings on books that they think are offensive and aren't (Catcher in the Rye) or that contradict the their personal beliefs (His Dark Materials).

There's not really a point to do that now. Books and writings have been made for thousands of years, why go through the process of rating books now :l

Usually a mature book uses language which is too sophisticated for younger ones. If you can understand the book, then you're probably mature enough to deal with those type of themes.

A rating system for books wouldn't be a bad idea for the sake of children, but other than that, I doesn't matter to me.

soulless4now

For the sake of children? In my opinion, people (minors included) should have the right to read whatever book they want. If the book is that innapropriate kids who shouldn't be reading it will get bored anyway. In a way, labeling a book as R will just serve as an incentive for kids to pick it up (Which I encourage, but I'm sure most parents would not want).

The right to read is like the right to intellectual freedom. I hate it when parents don't allow their kids to read material just because it contradicts what the parents believe. (religion is a perfect example). Let's say for example that I was a Christian parent. i would encourage my kids to read about other religions so that they would question their own beliefs. It teaches kids to think critically, to not follow just on blind faith, in fact it would likely strengthen their conviction in christianity. Some parents are so overprotective...

No. It would just lead to more censorship.ThePlothole

You'll end up with the same subjective idiocy that infects the MPAA and ESRB.

With the MPAA, you have studios making relatively minor cuts to a movie to avoid a stricter rating. For example, do you know how much needed to be cut from "Robocop" to ensure an R rating? Six freakin' seconds. That's all that stood between an R and an X (which, at the time, was the kiss of death for major distrbution).

Granted, it's almost as bad in the publishing industry. Take a look at Stephen King's "The Stand:" the original release is almost 500 pages shorter than the modern version. If you actually get a hold of the abridged version, you see that several pivotal scenes are shortened and some of the "flavor" of the novel has been watered down (for example: there's a great scene where some infected soldiers have a "game show"... disturbing but brilliant... that was removed in the original release). Just imagine the snipping that would need to be done on top of that if the publisher was shooting for a PG-13. :?

Just leave the ratings out of novels, please.

I understand how it could be useful for some people. When I was little I had a friend whose mother would have to read a book before she was allowed to. How exactly would books be rated, though? I think age-based ratings are stupid and often pointless, but I do think it could be helpful if books listed warnings, kind of like how on the back of video games next to the rating it lists things like "Language, suggestive themes, violence, etc."

I understand how it could be useful for some people. When I was little I had a friend whose mother would have to read a book before she was allowed to. How exactly would books be rated, though? I think age-based ratings are stupid and often pointless, but I do think it could be helpful if books listed warnings, kind of like how on the back of video games next to the rating it lists things like "Language, suggestive themes, violence, etc."

CammiTac

[QUOTE="CammiTac"]

I understand how it could be useful for some people. When I was little I had a friend whose mother would have to read a book before she was allowed to. How exactly would books be rated, though? I think age-based ratings are stupid and often pointless, but I do think it could be helpful if books listed warnings, kind of like how on the back of video games next to the rating it lists things like "Language, suggestive themes, violence, etc."

Nibroc420

But if that is what they were looking for, then it was still helpful. Success! :P

Manga already does this, but I don't see why all books should do it.CaptainAhab13

Generally speaking, if you're mature enough to read a novel, you're probably mature enough to read about a boob.cd_rom

My thoughts exactly.

[QUOTE="CaptainAhab13"]Manga already does this, but I don't see why all books should do it.SaudiFury

Yes, because we need to spend money on more nonsense.

It might be interesting. I mean, TV shows, movies, games, and even comic books have rating systems.

Well, yeah. There are books like The Kid Called It that I wouldn't want my kid to read until they were at least 13+

It's already bad enough that movies and video games having ratings. If books started getting ratings, a lot of Stephen King's work would get slapped with an X, and never see the light of day.JinjonatorX

Good.

Stephen King is overrated garbage.

No...