While I realize that the MPAA (in particular, the ratings board) exists because the vast majority of
Americans are too lazy to check out the movies their kid's watch, the method to their
madness is what boggles my mind. Observe:
"There are no special qualifications for Board membership, except the members must have a shared parenthood experience, must be possessed of an intelligent maturity..."
-from the official MPAA site
Even better:
"The Board views each film. Each member present estimates what most parents would consider to be that film's appropriate rating."
-same source, different page
So let me get this straight. The MPAA who, like it or not, can determine the success or failure of a movie (cases in point: Requiem for a Dream or Orgazmo) and have caused various editing jobs to keep a movie from getting the death rating (NC-17) is comprised of a bunch of random people who supposedly have the ability to sense the pulse of the American public and use arbitrary standards to determine the rating of a movie???