I think I'm mostly against censorship, contradictory to what I said about computer games needing to be censored, but that's a little different. As far as I know books never have a sticker on the front with 15 or 18. I can't imagine Waterstones asking people for I.D before they can buy The Fermata, though perhaps it would be appropriate. I'm not sure a child would chose that book, it's hardly going to be on their primary school reading list.
In some catholic schools, science books are censored, the images of the sex organs in the biology books are completely blanked out with all the information removed. That's just senseless, is it not? Do they have to cover themselves up when they take a bath or a shower?
I know where I stand on writing being censored. I think everybody has the right to write and publish whatever they want where they want. I'm sure that writing would offend people, there would be homophobic writing for instance. If I can say how proud I am to be gay, somebody else can say how much it sickens them that i'm gay, can't they?
As long as they're not verbally or physically personally assaulting people I don't see the issue. I wouldn't have to read what they wrote and if I did I would probably just counter argue it on here. As I usually do. Remember when Newsweek were being homophobic? Then again, I'm not sure I would tolerate it, maybe I would be one of the ones complaining? Freedom of speech can never be that simple and I personally can't make up my mind whether or not everything is fair game.
Where I cannot make my decision mostly is over image censorship. Nudity in films often makes the film more powerful and usually is left in. Having a watershed in place helps tackle that. I see no reason to censor any nudity there may be in a magazine.
Okay, yes, a child may pick it up and see it, which would be inappropriate. Then again, many newsagents have pornography on their top shelves. Children can tilt their heads upwards, you know. I'm not talking about pornography, i'm talking about artistic nudity. For whatever reason it might be, if there is need for a character to be naked, on screen, in a book, or in a magazine then put it in.
Let's just not put naked men and women on every page. Having them pointlessly on every page 3 is irritating enough.
It's a difficult subject. You decide. Censorship, or no censorship?
Did anybody notice the maths problem in that photo?
No, I thought not.
I think there is a difference between freedom of speech and just being rude. I agree that we shouldn't censor things that are there for artistic reasons, and I also believe that if someone knows they are going to be offended by a piece of writing then they can just as easily not read it (this doesn't go for magazines/newspapers as you can't know what's inside until you read it).
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