As college students, the last thing we are thinking about is how we are going to raise our kids one day.

But the thought deserves some attention as our generation continues to see breakthroughs in mass media and television production and content.

Premium television continues to move society in an increasingly liberal direction when it comes to social norms. I do not remember the first time I saw nudity on TV, but when I was young it was not very often. Now, on shows such as “Eastbound and Down,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Game of Thrones,” nudity and sex are shown at least once an episode.

Cable TV shows like “The League” are also taking censorship rules to the extreme and getting away with more and more cuss words, nudity and sexual situations as well. These are all great shows (with the exception of “Game of Thrones”), but the fact is society is becoming more and more comfortable with this material.

When we were kids, most of us enjoyed the G-rated shows on PBS. Some of us were even so bold as to wake up at 6 a.m. on Saturdays to watch College Gameday on ESPN. Others had parents lenient enough to let them watch cartoons on the WB and Nickelodeon that were entertaining, if not educational.

When our parents grew up, scandalous TV shows consisted of a female character wearing anything but a mock turtleneck, and the word stupid as an expletive. When we grew up, clothing was more fashionable, and the language a little more PG.

Nowadays, educational programming is seen by politicians as a way to cut costs by eliminating it.

The fact is, we are very much influenced by what we see on TV. “The League” has influenced thousands of people to play fantasy football. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has encouraged me to drink wine out of a coke can, and “Blue Mountain State” has inspired some of the greatest campus parties that one could ever have the pleasure of being part of.

Shows inspire fashion trends, lifestyle choices and attitudes. People watching a sexual scene in “Boardwalk Empire” might get curious and wish to attempt said scene with another. Quoting shows is a common practice among friends

We are influenced most at early ages, and the earlier we see explicit content, the earlier we begin repeating it. Will what we consider explicit today still be considered explicit in 10 or 20 years? That remains to be seen, but cable TV is becoming more and more liberal with its programming, and the youth of America has more means to view this programming now than ever.

So the question begs: Do we want to expose our kids to adult TV shows with content our parents wouldn’t have dreamed about letting us see? Or is moral decay, under the everything-is-permissible banner of ‘progress’ simply the new normal?

-Beau Baily is a junior communication major from Puyallup. He can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.