mark_n_b post=18.72819.782715 said:
dannydamage post=18.72819.774174 said:
Censor nothing!
Either EVERYTHING is allowed to be funny, or NOTHING is.
That is an example of a glib response to a real issue that officially demonstrates your lack of understanding or consideration.
I regard your argument misinformed.
As to argument one:
Do you really think just the fact something is (or actually only COULD BE) regarded as insulting to just ANYONE should be censored? Because, frankly, I don't. The reasons is simple: If regulations were like that, practically EVERYTHING should be censored, because anyone could be offended by anything. You know, besides green lawns with flowers, which aren't that entertaining in the long run.
Do I think that makes all jokes about, say, child abuse non-offensive? Course not. But I think that should be an issue of common sense and not government legislation. That should completely suffice, and in most cases does.
As for argument number two: I see your point, and I can't whole-heartedly disagree with it. But then again, I DO think the public could handle most of that alone. You don't need any state body to ban it, because most people (especially those in charge in, say, the media) will find it offensive, disgusting and will dismiss it anyway. As for the dickheads spreading it: You can't really help them anyway. Censorship is only giving them a feeling of justification, as you can see in all the right-wing hate blogs boosting ther egos on how opressed they are. Boohoo.
To make my point: I think most people can make their choices alone, and good choices at that, thank you very much. And you should never underestimate, to give it a little edge, peer pressure: There's always outspoken and socially powerful people who carry most other people with them. As far as the remaining dickehad minority is concerned... as tough as it is, we'll have to live with them, protect ourselves from them and punish them if they do happen to harm other people. It's sad they're around, but then again, censorship will never make them go away or prevent them from getting that way in the first place.
As for child or snuff porn: It's actually a good example to show the difference between censorship and just plain common sense lawmaking and law enforcement. Innocent people are harmed, actually SEVERELY HARMED making this stuff. It's a good thing preventing this from happening to them, and it's a good thing trying to dry out the market for it by punshing everyone for helping its makers make a profit. That's NOT censorship. Censorship is when you ban things that you only think will harm people LOOOKING at it, for whatever reason.
And I don't think age ratings aren really censorship either, if they're carried out in a sensible way - because most people will still be able to watch/listen to/etc. stuff that's been given the highest rating.
And that was a long post, I apologize.
Oh, and one more thing: At any rate, censorship will always go bad in some way. In Germany, for instance, the swastika is forbidden. Good sense, right? But get this: ANY showing of it was/is ILLEGAL, including those intended to show objection to it. Not long ago, a German online shop had to defend itself up to the highest court for selling badges like this:
They won in the end... but it's just ridiculous how long it took them and how much money it cost them.