Poll: Censorship

[InfiniteSingularity]

This is an issue which bugs me a shitload all the time. But I'm curious to see the escapist's opinions.

What do you think of censorship? Very broad issue - I'm talking about everything from swearing, to free speech, to pornography and censorship in movies and art. Do you believe it is the right of certain people to censor certain parts of what other people say or create?

I don't believe anything should be censored, I believe things should be left as they are or were intended. The audience for such things which may warrant censorship needs to be monitored - not by the government or any organisation, but the individuals concerned. And I get really pissed off when things get censored for the sake of "safety" or some bullshit like that. I don't care about people swearing, for example. I don't think anyone has a right to tell anyone else what it's okay to say or do in their medium.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

If it's going TV, I can see where there would be a need for censorship (kids and all). But for the internet, I don't believe that shows should be censored.

 

[emeraldrafael]

if you count an age restriction as a censorship, then I would say its good in some circumstances.

Id rather not have a child and then turn on the TV one day to sesame street where elmo is just hardcore fucking the shit (literally) out of big bird and Oscar is introducing Grover to a pissing/puking fetish while they talk about letter of the day being I for intercourse.

Then the follow up episode being cookie monster just blwoing away mr. hooper with a shotgun for cookie dough money he just mainlines into him and the letter of the day being Homicide.

 

[Haagrum]

Once someone's big and ugly enough to take care of themselves, it should be more-or-less open slather online. Policing that censorship... well, that's another matter entirely.

That said, I have no problem with censoring public TV, radio and internet content which constitutes an incitement to violence and/or racial hatred. Similarly, I think material which is in the "Two Girls One Cup" category needs to be restricted to adults.

 

[Nickompoop]

In some occasions, though those occasions are incredibly limited. For example:

A document on how to make a bomb or other such weaponry that is meant to kill people,
Yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater,
If the information/content breaks the law (like child pornography),
Hate speech,
etc.

Cursing, nudity, violence, gore, and other "offensive" content should never be censored. Those who are offended by such content can simply turn the other way. If people are worried about the children being exposed to such content, the parents simply need to manage what content their child consumes. Don't blame the media for showing some violent film to your child; blame yourself for allowing your child to watch HBO after 8 pm.

 

[Archedgar]

I'll have to echo the sentiments already expressed in this thread.


Censorship is never a good thing. If someone wants to put out , for example, a film with huge amounts of sex, drugs and profanity, let him do so, those who are interested in it will watch and those who aren't will steer clear.

There is no reason for someone to make that decision for us.



EDIT:
Censorship is not about two 10 year old boys trying to watch hardcore pornography, drugs and gore. That one is a no brainer. When someone speaks of censorship, I think of things like "The last temptation of Christ" film, which was held back for years because of its ideas.

When I think of censorship, I think of early rap music(I hate rap music btw) which was condemned as being "bad" and even blocked from TV and most radio stations.

 

[cheesyman987]

I disagree with censorship for the most part, and censorship should only be applicable for public news. Let's say there's a sex scandal and there's a sex tape used as evidence. I wouldn't want to see hardcore pornography on my TV at 7am. It's pretty much only moments like this when censorship should be applicable. Censoring adult shows and the internet is just insane.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

I'd rather not have a child and then turn on the TV one day to sesame street where elmo is just hardcore fucking the shit (literally) out of big bird and Oscar is introducing Grover to a pissing/puking fetish while they talk about letter of the day being I for intercourse.

Then the follow up episode being cookie monster just blwoing away mr. hooper with a shotgun for cookie dough money he just mainlines into him and the letter of the day being Homicide.

I would SOOOO FUCKING WATCH THAT!!
My life will be complete when I see Elmo pop a cap in Oscar The Grouch's ass while he says, "This is Elmo's world now, B****!"

*Ahem*

On Topic: What's the point in censoring? There really is no way to avoid something of vulgarity, no matter how hard you try. (I lost my innocence to the interwebz.) It will eventually appear some day in your life and say, "Hey, look at me! I'm juicy and/or delicious!"

Censorship is just kind of pointless, if you ask me. It's just preventing the inevitable.

 

[emeraldrafael]

...

if you count an age restriction as a censorship, then I would say its good in some circumstances.

Id rather not have a child and then turn on the TV one day to sesame street where elmo is just hardcore fucking the shit (literally) out of big bird and Oscar is introducing Grover to a pissing/puking fetish while they talk about letter of the day being I for intercourse.

Then the follow up episode being cookie monster just blwoing away mr. hooper with a shotgun for cookie dough money he just mainlines into him and the letter of the day being Homicide.

Hyperbole much? If you are at all serious, think for a moment about one word - advertisement - and realise that this would not fly in a million years. Censorship laws are not what holds TV violence/nudity back.

If it became more widespread and the ideal of censorship was eliminated, sponsors wouldnt care as long as it got ratings. censorship determines advertisement, because ultimately its the demographics that decide where something is advertised. Sesame street is seen as a kids show because it was started as such and so parents treat it as such through their personal censorship in their childrens lives.

if parents (or whoever) decided to say fuck it, we'll let the kids watch whatever they want and kids started watching gory death scenes, you'd see more toy commercials during shows like Law and Order, mixed in with the "grown up" commercials about tampons and tax experts. If sesame street when the way I described then youd just see more advertisement geared toward the gritty crowd.

But fine, you want something more... realistic, lets say, i dont think children should be allowed in strip clubs. Theres no purpose to it. Pronographic magizines (especially some of the "harder" ones like Cherry and such) are mobile in print strip clubs (stripped down and in the most watered down sense of the word).

While agree nudity isnt something that should be avoided like the plague until someone is 18/21, the act of sex is something that no child really NEEDS to know or see, and since children are curious and most are being raised in front of the TV/computer, they'll come across it. So i think age restrictions/blue chips/parent internet controls are a bad thing.

as to swearing, I'd have no problem with a kid learning the words, but I'll be damned if they'll speak to me like with them. My younger cousins have learned that lesson already. and if theres no reason to the know the world, there's no reason to have them exposed to it.

Whether we like it or not, people are always censored simply through things such as age restriction. Your parents (odds are) didnt/wouldnt appreciate you sitting at a dinner table and just shouting the meatloaf fucking sucks a dick. And I dont think they'd like to hear every graphic detail of whatever form of sex life you have (even if it is with yourself), much less see pictures/videos. And I dont see anything worng with that form of censorship.

 

[InfiniteSingularity]

if you count an age restriction as a censorship, then I would say its good in some circumstances.

Id rather not have a child and then turn on the TV one day to sesame street where elmo is just hardcore fucking the shit (literally) out of big bird and Oscar is introducing Grover to a pissing/puking fetish while they talk about letter of the day being I for intercourse.

Then the follow up episode being cookie monster just blwoing away mr. hooper with a shotgun for cookie dough money he just mainlines into him and the letter of the day being Homicide.

Well, no, because that's why sesame street is written as a kids shown. And that's why adult material is broadcast late at night to allow adults to watch them without their kids. It's common sense, for broadcasters and consumers. Other than that, if you don't want your kids seeing adult material, it's your responsibility to monitor that.

 

[LongAndShort]

I'm for some censorship, though I find the big question to be the circumstances. I tend to follow a broadly Mills-ian philosophy that all speech should be free on the condition that it does not cause harm to others. The hard part is deciding what constitutes a harm. There's obvious stuff, like literature that encourages or propagates ideas that lead to violence against others, and then there's more difficult areas like whether or not pornography can be considered harmful or not.

 

[PonceyMcTosserFaic]

censorship is a plague and should be eradicated like one. if two people are watching family guy or south park the first guy should NOT have to listen to bleeps just because the second guy can't handle the adult themes. either take the heat or get out of the FUCKING kitchen.

 

[Knusper]

I'm against it, because I believe it should be down to someones choice/ parents' responsibility. I remember Yahtzee came up with an amusing alternative in an Extra Punctuation.

 

[BloodRed Pixel]

Nobody has the right to decide for you what you are allowed to read, watch, hear or say.

If it´s harmful to society OPPOSE IT OPENLY. The worst thing is, if there can be no discussion about it.

The problem is that pro-censorship people are mostly from religious groups for whatever reason. Makes you think.

 

[Zeema]

i don't like how they censor words

just let them say what they want on the air

 

[Eccentric_Jon]

Age restrictions should exist IMO, also the "Watershed" on TV, whereby anything with certain amounts of swearing, nudity etc can't be on before a certain time.
Other than that, I think everyone should be given free reign. If something is rated 18, or after the Watershed, then it should be shown in it's entirety. If you're watching it, you are considered adult enough to do so, and a such are more than capable of turning it off/ leaving if you don't like it.

 

[Eccentric_Jon]

In some occasions, though those occasions are incredibly limited. For example:

A document on how to make a bomb or other such weaponry that is meant to kill people,
If the information/content breaks the law (like child pornography)

Illegal situations are a given, IMO.
However, since it's not allowed by law it shouldn't be censored, it should be removed, since it shouldn't exist in the first place.

I hadn't thought of weapons/ bomb building etc. That's a good point