Freedom of Speech

I think censoring talk shows, songs and stuff like that is very useless. Everyone knows what is being said and the shrill *beep* is very annoying.
I understand that you shouldn't use vulgar language in public, it sounds offensive and it's nowhere near polite. But when someone does, there's no use in bleeping it out.
It's sad how kids nowadays can't express their extreme joy or dislike without putting a 'f*ckin' in for emphasis. (Not like I never do it, but I don't have to)

BTW, the first time I heard real hard swear words was by a 5 year old fella in kindergarten when I was 3. Don't know where he got the words from, but the more they are beeped the 'cooler' they seem to kids.

But that kind of censoring, while I don't think it makes much sense, is acceptable.
What really annoys me is that people are being judged for the opinions they voice. You can criticize in a polite way or make your thoughts known without stepping on other peoples shoes.
People have different opinions. None of them are "wrong". They are opinions! As long as one can justify them, they should be allowed to make them public. There's always someone to disagree, but that's the base for any good discussion. Nobody should feel afraid or restricted in voicing their thoughts.

On the other hand, I do understand the need for media control, because, as metioned before, there are many people abusing their freedom of speech, especially over the anonymity of the internet. A lot of hateful, propagandist themes are being spread across the world. It's hard to decide where exactly the line should be drawn between 'freedom of speech' and 'protection of the individual & the public'.
 
Yeah but something that's hateful to you or me might be freedom of speech to someone else, and not just that - but it might be something meaningful to them. We all have different likes and dislikes so where do you draw the line between hatred and self-expression?
 
That's why I said it was hard to draw the line.
Though I believe that as soon as you start categorizing people into groups and say they are 'less' in any way and the world need to be rid of them that definitely crosses the line.
And I've come across pages like that on the internet.
 
Don't get me started on internet "freedom" :lol:
The thing is, okay you may be offended if there are sites about your religion or something.. but politicians? I don't know, I think everyone has a right to like or hate people that are supposed to be elected - and say something about it. Even if to the rest of the population it may be "propaganda".
 
I'm not speaking of being personally offended.
I'm thinking of websites that sport phrases of heavy antisemitic content for exapmple. I've read very disturbing phrases about how Jews are not really human. That has nothing to do with political views.
The same goes for lots of other groups of different religious, ethnic or political background.
I live in Germany where a new wave of neo-nazism is arising. I tend to shrug it off as "some freaks without jobs and too much time on their hands", I'm not personally scared by them, but it has me worried how many young people without perspective fall for their propaganda. (And the things they say certainly cannot be sold as political positions).
 
MiaCharlize said:
I think censoring talk shows, songs and stuff like that is very useless. Everyone knows what is being said and the shrill *beep* is very annoying.
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you know whats been bleeped out, doesnt mean a little kid does ;) its funny, when i was babysitting some girls this summer i showed them 'mrs doubtfire', i havent seen it in years but there was one scene at dinner when robin williams character refers to sally fields characters 'battery boyfriend' or something like that. and i thought to myself, 'im horrible!! how am i letting these kids watch this?!?!' of course i didnt react externally, and they had no idea what it meant. then i realized, i watched this movie dozens of times as a kid and never picked up that the line had an inappropriate meaning. doesnt mean i think they should be sneaking in all kinds of innuendos in to kids shows. like the shrek movies, there are so many sexual jokes that the kids dont understand.
and i think its very easy to draw the line between hate and free speech. i cant go stand in the middle of campus and yell 'all purple people are lazy worthless pieces of crap! they all deserve to die!' that would be spreading hate, i dont have the right to do that.
 
Never seen either Mrs Doubtfire nor Shrek. I don't think sexual innuendos belong into kid movies. They learn about it soon enough. On the other hand, sexuality is an important aspect of our society. Pretending it doesn't exist is not the best thing either.

That reminds me of something.
A couple of month ago I was at the trainstation. They have this huge poster campagne for AIDS awareness. Those posters show for example a banana with a condom over it, reading "For good fruits" or something like that. Anyways, there was a boy, maybe five years old, asking his mom about the meaning and I though "Wow, wow you're stuck explaining safe sex and AIDS to a five year old when all you wanted to do was shopping" I really didn't envy that woman...
 
A good way to think about freedom of speech is that the threat of a sanction makes us less free than we would be without it because the threat makes it more difficult and more costly for us to exercise our freedom. Sanctions such as this usually take two major forms. The first, and most serious, is punishment by the state, which usually consists of a financial penalty, but can extend to imprisonment. The second threat of sanction comes from social disapproval. People will often refrain from making statements because they fear the ridicule and moral outrage of their peers.
 
MiaCharlize said:
I think censoring talk shows, songs and stuff like that is very useless. Everyone knows what is being said and the shrill *beep* is very annoying.
Click to expand...

It always makes me giggle. Same with nudity, all those fuzzy spots so you couldnt' see boobs 'n stuff. It's american thing.
We are not worried about nudity. There's one new Finnish movie, ad has been on tv a lot and there the main guy is shown naked, front. (gives me creeps tho :p )
and the swearing... no beeps.
Then something like "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has beeps? wtf? doesn't it start like 11:30pm? What kid is up then?
 
Then something like "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has beeps? wtf? doesn't it start like 11:30pm? What kid is up then?
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Makes me laugh everytime. Seriously, on day time talkshows I understand it. (Even if the words bleeped are obvious and the pixelled nudity is flimsily covered at best) but late night talk? Hello? If kids are allowed up late enough to watch it then something is seriously going wrong. I doubt those kids really need the bleep then.
 
^I know :lol:
Another big fuss was back in early 90s when NYPD Blue started and I think they had to move it by one year because of the language? And then they made compromise that they could use..was it 32 "bad words" per episode? (along with the "normal" like shit or ass or such)

It shows how ridiculous it is!

if you ever saw Finnish prime time shows :rolleyes:
 
In Germany anything that they don't want to censor just shows after 11pm. They give a warning at the beginning that whatever they show is not suitable for people under 16/18 and that's it. I think it would be ridiculous to censor movies or TV shows.

What I find funny is that they sometimes rate movies 18+ for violence and language while they show explicit nudity and sexuality in 12+ movies.

But in the end, it's parents responsibility. You won't be able to keep kids away from things they want to see.
I've watched my first porn when I was 13. And don't get me started on the online activities me and my friends did when we were younger... You can't censor everything just because children migh somehow gain access to it.
 
^I think I start to liek you even more :lol:

Now shush me or PG-13-o-Meter will go after me.
 
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