Dirty Pictures for the Future?

Last night I was watching "Dirty Pictures" which is a fact-based story about the court proceedings that followed Cincinnati art museum director Dennis Barrie after his decision to display a controversial art exhibit by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Throughout the entire thing the audience is presented with the dilemma of whether these pictures are or not in fact obscene and if the museum should take down the exhibit. In the end Barrie walks free as the grand jury decides to call the pictures art. It's a rather interesting film at times presented as a documentary, it got me thinking again about the things that we perceive as "right" and "wrong" in society. See the thing is that I think these perceptions are modified as time passes. Back in 1990, these pictures which openly touched controversial themes such as homosexuality, nudity, sadomasochistic tendencies and the sort were seen as "wrong". However, we've seen numerous gay-right marches and we've given sex a new meaning as time has gone by. It isn't unusual nowadays to see celebrities "come out" and still make it. Some of the greatest writers in history are known to be homosexual and are still given the merit they deserve. My question is, will this freedom of speech and our right to individuality eventually become an excuse to lose all of the values that have built up our society? I'm not saying being gay is wrong, I applaud the courage it takes to be true to one self in every aspect of our lives, but what about the up-coming generations? What is the legacy we're building when we care less about the arts and continue to feed a culture filled with vanity and superficiality? When all that little girls seem to care about is looking like a model or when all kids care about now is playing video games and their cellphones? What has happened to the innocence we used to grow up with? And what will happen when our society has gotten so corrupt that we won't be able to tell apart a lie from the truth? I think we're getting closer and closer to a time when being "a good person" will just be seen as a myth. And all we will have left to fight for will be money and a distorted image of ourselves.

Is it okay to...

I've been wondering for a long time what makes honesty such a hard value to practice and when is it that we cross the line from honesty to just plain rude.
I don't consider myself a self righteous person and even though I try to be as good as I possibly can it's not always easy to know when to speak with the truth and when to tell a "white lie" in order to keep from hurting someone I love.
Granted, there are some truths that hurt. And yes, I have in more than one occasion made a cruel remark about something that even though was very true, did not need to be brought out. (like the time I told my ex that he was going to end up alone because he's an egocentric asshole completely devoid of all emotion and incapable of feeling for others, it's true but it's still not cool)
My point is: Is it okay to be cruel to someone you love or care about just because you're mad at them?
Today I got caught up in an argument and needless to say many words of anger were spoken. I do understand that one must not pay attention to things people say when they're angry, but I must admit at one point that barrier falls and you're left vulnerable and thinking "Am I really a selfish bitch?" "Am I to reconsider my entire way of being?"
I guess I'm making too much out of what was said but still, it hurt.
So I've made a resolution: I will TRY my best not to be cruel to others (even if they do have it coming). Oh and also, I'll get to working on my bitch-y-ness (totally made up that word!)
Leave your comments on the topic and do share your best and worse "cruel truths" and come backs!
Talk to you guys soon.