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Censorship seems to be getting worse...


Arcesious

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I seem to be seeing more and more censorship and advertising of censorship usage these days... It's getting rather annoying. More than it used to be. I used to be able to tolerate it, but it is starting to get out of control, IMO. I can understand the 'need' for it in many situations, but there is something very vital called the First Amendment. I thought it would be interesting to discuss. I want to hear others' opinions on this, on the more detailed and controversal aspects of censoring.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/basics/intellectual.cfm

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Yes I know that there is the First Amendment, but I too think that it is getting out of hand, language wise, ect. I think that people are actually kinda abusing this right of free speech. I am a little tired (just a little bit :rolleyes: ) and hearing all of the bleeps on television, and sometimes really crude commercials. Don't get me wrong though, some of them are really quite funny. :D

 

My science teacher last year was talking to us (the class) about language in a discussion (I don't even remember how it was brought up). He was in the Marine Corp, and served in Vietnam. He told us that when speaking a sentance, you had to use profanity so that the other soldiers could/would understand you. I was actually quite amazed at that, to tell you the truth. He just says that people who use profanity frequantly just don't have the vocabulary to substitute the word. He was basically saying that they weren't (aren't) intelligent enough to talk without profanity. I tend to agree with him, and that has definately stuck with me. :)

 

I hope that this is the type of censorship that you are talking about Arcesious...

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^^^^

 

Yes, could you please expand on what you mean by "censorship", Arcesious?

 

I'd say that it could be put in broad terms, but, I'm kind of leaning in the area of discussion of the good and the bad aspects of censoring things from so-called 'youth'.

I was more wondering what it is about censoring of various things that bothers other people, and why, besides just me; or why someone may think it's good that something being censored.

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I was more wondering what it is about censoring of various things that bothers other people, and why, besides just me; or why someone may think it's good that something being censored.
One argument for "censorship": I don't particularly like it when I take my 11 year old daughter to the grocery store and find **** like this monopolizing the check out line:

 

kristenbellcosmopolitantx1.th.jpg

 

Should it be "censored"? Not necessarily, but it would be frickin' fantastic if they could find someplace else to stack all this garbage.

 

P.S. It's not just one store, it's every store.

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I find it very difficult to say that we are becoming more permissive as a culture when the political correct police are running roughshod over just about every aspect of our daily life save perhaps our home life. Combine that with the FCC's overreaction to anything that might possibly happen on television and it makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

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One argument for "censorship": I don't particularly like it when I take my 11 year old daughter to the grocery store and find **** like this monopolizing the check out line:

 

Should it be "censored"? Not necessarily, but it would be frickin' fantastic if they could find someplace else to stack all this garbage.

 

P.S. It's not just one store, it's every store.

I absolutely, positively, completely agree with you on this.

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Since this is titled "Censorship," I think that it would be appropriate for a moment to discuss the FCC, or the Federal Communications Commission (for the United States. I'm not sure what the other countries have...). Here is a link. Here is their homepage.

 

Anyways, I understand the need for censorship-- I don't want to be listening to profanity when all I intended was to watch a program on the Discovery Channel, or something of that nature. However, I agree: "It's getting out of hand."

 

Now for a solution: What if we allowed the owner of the television to set the restrictions? Say you buy a TV. Now, you take it home, and are editing the settings. You see a new setting called "Censorship." Essentially, it would allow you to set how much, if any, censorship you wanted on your personal television.

 

This might not be plausible, but it would allow people to bypass, or increase, censorship, if they wish it.

 

What do you think about it?

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Rev7: Thank you for labeling most of my country (un)inteligent:D Swearing is a cultural thing, some places it's used to protest others others to be "cool", and some places it's used like any other word. You see, where I live most people don't give a monkeys about swearing, you'd have to do it in curch to get a response. And once swearing looses its "uniqueness", people use it like any other word, not because we have a small vocabulary.

 

My take on censorship: don't censor anything that is legal to do when it's not published.

 

edit: damn you for posting so fast Lit, /signed:D

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Now for a solution: What if we allowed the owner of the television to set the restrictions? Say you buy a TV. Now, you take it home, and are editing the settings. You see a new setting called "Censorship." Essentially, it would allow you to set how much, if any, censorship you wanted on your personal television.

 

This might not be plausible, but it would allow people to bypass, or increase, censorship, if they wish it.

 

What do you think about it?

 

V-chip. It's been around for 20 years.

 

People don't use them because they want to sue.

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Rev7: Thank you for labeling most of my country (un)inteligent:D Swearing is a cultural thing, some places it's used to protest others others to be "cool", and some places it's used like any other word. You see, where I live most people don't give a monkeys about swearing, you'd have to do it in curch to get a response. And once swearing looses its "uniqueness", people use it like any other word, not because we have a small vocabulary.

 

My take on censorship: don't censor anything that is legal to do when it's not published.

 

edit: damn you for posting so fast Lit, /signed:D

 

Don't feel too bad. Swearing is pretty casual in the US too. The "f" word is so freaking versatile, don't ya know.... ;)

 

@JediAthos--perhaps I should have added "sexually" as a qualifier. We've become more permissive in lifting a lot of the older taboos, but now replace them with newer ones (being "non-PC" for one).

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What's wrong with having some TV shows without profanity/gratuitous sex and violence on during times when younger children could be viewing it? I think it's perfectly acceptable to set a decency standard for shows that are on at certain times/days. Viewing TV isn't a right, though most people certainly feel that way now.

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I don't disagree with the sentiment. However, many kids are up past 9PM local time and tv is a ratings based industry. Really, it's up to the general population to just tune out what it doesn't like. Then you gotta go and target those pesky neilsen families that probably end up determining what we get to watch (on network at least). Cable is a different animal all together.

 

Putting anything you want on TV isn't a right, though most people certainly feel that way now.

fixed.

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I think it's perfectly acceptable to set a decency standard for shows that are on at certain times/days.

 

Since we are talking primarily about youth here...why are more people not using the v-chip? The only thing I can think of is that maybe the rating don't necessarily reflect the content of the show appropriately...? Thoughts?

 

Also, I think there is an issue with some parents not take responsibility for their kids. Granted this isn't the case for all, or possibly even the majority, but it always irks me when I see parents getting upset about their child who is 8, playing GTA IV, and they complain that the content their child is exposed to in the game isn't appropriate. GRRRR! BTW...hate this guy and I'm happy as all get out he's about to be disbarred for life...

 

Okay i'll stop ranting now... :)

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I think words only have the power that we give them.

 

That is to say, I don't think everyone should simply shout **** like it's a conjunctive word, but censorship should be kept on the low. What needs to be addressed is personal responsibility and explaining time and place to people. The problem with this country is not that there aren't enough restrictions, the problem is there isn't enough moral value taught.

 

Wow, so you go to church or you give yourself to god every other Sunday. That doesn't make you a morally respectable person nor does that give one justification to be immoral and disrespectful. You can't simply apologize yourself out of a situation that shouldn't have happened. This country needs a lesson in decency without being held to a punishment. You shouldn't avoid doing something for fear of action taken against you, you should avoid doing something for fear of harming your fellow human being.

 

We need to get rid of this idea that things can simply be made better by apologizing or by censoring over something we disagree with. But others must also learn to grow up and mature.

 

If my kids are going to watch tv shows or movies they'll watch the DVD (or variant of). If they go to a friends house and watch something I'm unaware of, I'll provide them with the knowledge that everything has a time and place. They'll learn the value of their words and should they not respect this, they'll be punished accordingly. I don't plan on keeping anything from them, simply teaching them about things and when I feel they're ready I'll share with them the horrors and wonders of the world.

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