I am unaware if there is already a topic open on this, so i ask it here:

Why are some things censored?

How is censorship good?

I am interested in hearing what rational people have to say about this, as i can never get any straight answer out of the people with RtDC (Refusal to Discuss Complex) who i live and educate myself around.

Censorship is due to close-mindedness and a fear of exposing certain information to certain groups of people. You should see my country, Singapore...cersorship-central

Do you mean here or everywhere generally? Are we talking swear words or other kinds of censorship?

Here is for Adrian to comment on but in society generally I would say some degree of censorship is necessary to protect the vulnerable (and I'm particularly thinking of children in this respect).

Kyu

(August 30, 2009 at 3:42 am)Retorth Wrote: Censorship is due to close-mindedness and a fear of exposing certain information to certain groups of people. You should see my country, Singapore...cersorship-central

Singapore ?

I was based there when Lee was on the throne.(at Selerang barracks)

I remember seeing police cutting the hair of long haired boys in the street-----The first high rise apartments were being built--Bugis street had not been discovered by tourists (best sate in the city)------I went to Changi beach regularly and the OLD Change Alley. Drank at the old Raffles occassionally----I loved that city,and did a LOT of walking,as I had very little money---------last time I went back was the week they opened the New Airport;they lost my luggage----The circle line was not quite finished. I went to KL a few years ago,via that amazing new airport of theirs. (KL is new my preferred stop over on the way to the UK; better exchange rate and cheaper top end hotels.)

this is why in america...the freakin FCC...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NDPT0Ph5...r_embedded
*DOES HAVE MINOR SEXUAL CONTENT*

But why is it good to prevent children from seeing? If you hide something from someone, and they discover that there is something there, then it creates a forbidden-fruit type of curiosity to find out.

If they were to see from the beginning, then it would remove that negative stigma from truth.

Nudity? Less associated with sex, and no longer considered improper or embarrassing. There is nothing wrong with nudity (or sex for that matter), yet we are taught from an early age that it is unacceptable. Why? Why is must our body be painted by colors and covers, when our natural color and cover can be more beautiful and better covering than foreign artwork?

'Inappropriate words'? No longer considered to be so, nor as heavily used. There is nothing wrong with saying fuck, shit, crap, or other such words... yet i have been disciplined more than once for using them. They may not be the most colorful words in our language, but they are words like any other, and establishing a taboo upon them i find no less evil than religion. Why? Why have we free speech, yet not the freedom to speak it?

'Information'? No longer covered up by those who do not wish others to know, and information would always available. Where is the fairness in forcing a person to jump through hoops to reach a conclusion, when the information should be immediately available upon inquiry? We censor so much truth, from names, to locations, to scientific facts... but why? Who benefits from this?

'Sex' Although it seems redundant after nudity, it is a valid question in itself. Why do we censor the act we are built to participate in? I see nothing wrong with it, and question why others do. It is as natural a process as eating and drinking, yet we censor sex... and not eating as well. Why? Why should we censor something that the vast majority of us wish to participate in as much as eating, yet we do not censor the food we eat?

'Violence'? Sports are violent... excessively so... yet we censor not them, but violence involving weapons? How is violence with weapons any different than violence with one's fist or foot? Is it death we are censoring, the end of life? Is it pain we are censoring, when life is rife? Why do we censor what has happened? How could that help a bloodthirsty race such as ours?

This is what i ask: why censor anything? How can that help anyone, especially when censorship brews curiosity, and slows learning? Are not moral guides strong enough to guide us, that we do not need to censor the world we live in? Isn't not censoring a moral guide in itself? Would not children be less vulnerable if they had experience of these things?

Freedom of speech is our most important ideal, and thus it must be protected. As soon as censorship is implemented, the entire system comes falling down, and people start censoring everything. Just look at what happened to Australia with their "internet filtering". It started as an idea to protect children, but suddenly it has become a tool that the government use to prevent the public knowing about things they ought to know about.

Yes, there should be limits to protect people (i.e. no swearing on TV before the watershed), and no public nudity unless you are in a designated area (like the nudist beaches ). However I see no reason why people should be censored in what they say. The whole point of free speech is that you can give a counter opinion to something you find offensive.

I agree with saerules...

I agree with the free speech thing, but i do not see why nudity should be restricted to certain areas... any more than the color or model of car you drive should be restricted.

Nor do i see why swearing should be restricted... any more than foreign languages should be restricted.

I do think there should be a content description available for people at all times... that readily tells you what media contains... but i do not think nudity any less offensive than a bikini, and that no less offensive than a trench coat. Why restrict speech, artwork, and clothing preference in our country... when we can swear in gibberish, paint classically or abstractly, and our natural form is nude?

(August 30, 2009 at 2:11 pm)IowaBoy Wrote: this is why in america...the freakin FCC...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NDPT0Ph5...r_embedded
*DOES HAVE MINOR SEXUAL CONTENT*

Ha ha, I love that one. My son loves Family Guy. He's been watching it since he was 8 or 9 years old. Inappropriate for a child that age, probably, but that's up for me to decide. Also fuck the FCC. Thanks to them I now have to pay $12.95 a month to listen to Howard Stern. I love Howard.