I don't know how to assess the poll results so far. Either the forums of The Escapist are populated with high-minded intellectuals who have a deep understanding of the affects of censorship on artistic expression and cultural history, or we're all just a bunch of uppity honkys who are deeply in love with the n-word. Personally, I hope it's the former.
Poll: Mark Twain censored. New copies of Huckleberry Finn to replace usage of the 'n-word'
- Thread starter Caligulove
- Start date
Never read it myself, but as people have been saying, it's how the language was back then. It may be racist now, but back then, it wasn't. Doing things like this, trying to change history to make it more how we like it just gives more opportunity for the things we change to happen.
People, calm the fuck down. His work isn't being "desecrated", because it isn't really being censored. To be censored, it has to be official and universal. This is one fucking publisher.
It's like how TV stations tone down some swearing and violence before airing movies. The original is still there, this is just an alternative.
It's like how TV stations tone down some swearing and violence before airing movies. The original is still there, this is just an alternative.
Uh-oh, they just went and messed with Twain.
Now he's back. And he's pissed.
A man can dream...
Still though, I feel like this is bullshit. Yes it uses the word, but thats what they did. And we should teach history and literature from history as it was, otherwise you lose the meaning of it all and it just turns into something that would make the creator turn in his/her grave. Or in Twain's case, arise, don a suit of armor, get a sniper, and kill fools.
Now he's back. And he's pissed.
A man can dream...
Still though, I feel like this is bullshit. Yes it uses the word, but thats what they did. And we should teach history and literature from history as it was, otherwise you lose the meaning of it all and it just turns into something that would make the creator turn in his/her grave. Or in Twain's case, arise, don a suit of armor, get a sniper, and kill fools.
It's a book from a time where racism was normal. It is therefor a way for us to observe the changes in our society. We know racism is bad now, but if we remove all racism from historical sources, we'd be removing all the abilities to learn from that past. Not to mention that it basically goes against the right of free speach. The book is bound by the ideas and views from that time, not ours. They have no right to remove things from it because it could be 'insulting'. You don't HAVE to read it you know. This is like removing Julius Ceasar or something from history because he had Gaullic slaves. And it might be hurtful to the French. But that doesn't happen either, does it?
(No offense to whoever might be offended by this, it's just a selvish rant, portraying my views on this matter)
(No offense to whoever might be offended by this, it's just a selvish rant, portraying my views on this matter)
I read the first post and what I got from it was that they're censoring it in order to keep it from falling off the face of the earth. True enough, it seems wrong to censor it, especially since these words were used frequently in that era, but this time, it seems it's being done to keep the book as part of school curriculum. With this in mind, what say you?
Damn thread ninjas....
OT: It's stupid. You shouldn't censor a book when what you're censoring is a big part about the story, because you are changing the story and obscuring the authour's point in writing the book.
EDIT: Also: Damn! Look at those poll results!
OT: It's stupid. You shouldn't censor a book when what you're censoring is a big part about the story, because you are changing the story and obscuring the authour's point in writing the book.
EDIT: Also: Damn! Look at those poll results!
Censoring it to keep it from falling off the face of the Earth? I don't know about you, but I'm of the opinion that if something desperately needs to be preserved, it is far better to preserve it in its original form whenever possible. The only thing that is keeping Huckleberry Finn out of school curricula is a bunch of nitwits who believe that all measures need to be taken in order to avoid "offending people," even if it means missing out on prime opportunities to teach important lessons on cultural and social history. Part of breaking down prejudices is teaching the history of said prejudices, not simply denying that they ever existed.Dragonpit said:
Censorship = Evil
So what happens if an old movie or book during the WWII era suddenly gets targeted and we decide to censor our the word "Nazi"? What if text about the great Exodus gets brought into light that there is both slavery and unfavorable treatment of Jewish people? Will they censor that too? I'm not going to try and toss the "slippery slope" argument out there to make my point. But why do we have to censor things? Especially stupid things like "******" from stories that take place in a time when that was a commonly used word!
I don't like the word. But I think we're making too big a deal of it. Rewriting the past is not the answer. Fictional or not.
So what happens if an old movie or book during the WWII era suddenly gets targeted and we decide to censor our the word "Nazi"? What if text about the great Exodus gets brought into light that there is both slavery and unfavorable treatment of Jewish people? Will they censor that too? I'm not going to try and toss the "slippery slope" argument out there to make my point. But why do we have to censor things? Especially stupid things like "******" from stories that take place in a time when that was a commonly used word!
I don't like the word. But I think we're making too big a deal of it. Rewriting the past is not the answer. Fictional or not.
Ok I have no problem sugar coating the past... but the day you change
The slave master "You unsanitary African American workers get out in the field and pick cotton for your minimum wage with no benifits before you return to your quarters confined to the estate or there will be a dozen letters of misconduct written about your performance."
That's not how the world was. You can't change the past, you can teach it in less vicious fashion but come on...
The slave master "You unsanitary African American workers get out in the field and pick cotton for your minimum wage with no benifits before you return to your quarters confined to the estate or there will be a dozen letters of misconduct written about your performance."
That's not how the world was. You can't change the past, you can teach it in less vicious fashion but come on...
KILL IT WITH FIYAH
This is just an insult to classic period correct books. If it bothers you, then don't read it. But this racism did happen in the past, erasing it does not make the world better. Facing it would be a wiser choice. It brings in the meaning of the book. I read this in school, and I think that the including of this "swearing" makes it stand out. Also, if this is carried out for schools, I swear that Mark Twain will rise from his grave and personally kill the guy while saying something witty while eating his brains.
This is just an insult to classic period correct books. If it bothers you, then don't read it. But this racism did happen in the past, erasing it does not make the world better. Facing it would be a wiser choice. It brings in the meaning of the book. I read this in school, and I think that the including of this "swearing" makes it stand out. Also, if this is carried out for schools, I swear that Mark Twain will rise from his grave and personally kill the guy while saying something witty while eating his brains.
Words like that are hurtful when they're being used against you out in the open.Caligulove said:
Not when they're written in a book set in a different era you will never experience.
-_-