As an online course, the writing that we do in English 305 is substantially different from a face to face course. As such, it is imperative that you understand the course style from the start. Nearly all of your work in this course will be posted on the course blog.
EACH WEEK YOU WILL HAVE THREE BLOG ASSIGNMENTS:
1. A BLOG ENTRY,
2. A READING, AND
3. A WRITING ABOUT THE READING. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the Friday (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. You have all week each week to complete the reading and writing for that week, but there are no late assignments accepted, so be sure to be disciplined about the work from the start. Let me re-state that point; if you do the assigned work before or during the week it is due, you will receive full credit. If you do the work after the Friday of the week it is assigned, you will get zero credit for that week.
I believe a little censorship is necessary for a country to run with authority control and an atmosphere of peace and quiet. People are different from each other. We all have different views at things, different beliefs, and different approach at tasks that we are given. Therefore, a little government control is necessary to achieve a certain tie amongst everyone as a resident of one country. We all need the one piece that will connect everyone. In United States, that one thing are the rules and regulates laid out by the government. When it comes to censorship, I think it is a necessary part to pass on these rules and regulation. In some cases, censorship is a provision in order for some of these policies to be pass through and place in order. Without censorship, how is the government going to know that the laws are being followed. How are they going to establish what is right and wrong, or what is acceptable or what is not without a little censorship. What's not acceptable is censorship to the point that government is monitoring every single movement that people are doing even in their private life. So, overall, censorship is good, because without it, there would be no norm; there would be no tie that can connect everyone together as residents of one country. As long as that censorship does not go overboard, then it is acceptable.
i just think that when people say that censorship should be banded, they are overlooking the fact that that's what got us here today. I know that the country is not in a good condition, but we still have to admit that there where many good things that had been made towards the development of our government.
Abeer, that's when censorship becomes unacceptable, when boundaries are not set to how far government can go. Private life should be left alone and not tied with government intervention.
Rose Ann, I would like to think that we can all live in solidarity in this country because we are able to enjoy the same equal freedoms. I can also see, how people can unite when governments over-censorship is oppressing daily life. I just don't believe the government has the best interest for me, so why would I want to let them censor what I can do? I do believe in censorship, as long as it does not infringe on my rights. P.S. I'm not an Anarchist.lol
Rose Ann, I agree with many of the points you have made, but has the government not censored some valuable stuff we have had? Like Ruben said I too believe in censorship, with limitations
Everyone has their own opinions towards certain things; therefore, censorhip can be both acceptable and unacceptable, yet good and bad. It all depends on what is being censored. Certain countries in the world today believes in censorship. They regulate certain things by either blocking or allowing certain information to be acknowledged or unacknowledged by their people. For example, China censors the media that can be seen by their people. They will block certain information from the people, especially if the information contains an idea that is opposing the goverment. In this case, I believe censorship is unacceptable and bad because it does not allow everyone to have a freedom of thought or speech. However, censorship can also be acceptable and good, especially in terms of parenthood. Parents have the rights to censor certain information from their child. Some parents would use the parental control on the tv to block their child from viewing certain channels. Generally, I believe that censorship is acceptable and good up to a certain point. If censorship is used only towards creating a safe environment and not to the point where it will invade into our private life then it should be fine.
I agree. People should have freedom especially to have their own thoughts and to be heard. Censorship as far as parenting goes, is a must because as parents, we try to mold our children to be wholesome individuals.
I agree that that censoring the information, like the Chinese do, is form of oppression. They want to limit the flow of information to be and agreement with their thoughts and beliefs. This kind of censorship is bad for the development and progression of society.
for me, honestly i think censorship could either be bad or good depending on what is being blocked. Everything I looked up about censorship is always reflected in a negative and bad way. The bad way being that people are not allowed to be free in what they do, some acceptable censorships are like schools not allowing kids to curse. this is blocking them from bad lanuage and bad habbits, as a parent i would deerly like that for my kid but other things like the new stations censorship things is bad for our world because we want to know every detail in the world we live in, and new stations censor what they say and not. So to me, I accept some censorships but there is some like many things in the world that aren't, people have there goods of things and bads, thats life, there will never be any topic that the world 100% agrees on positivley anyways right? so Censorship in my mind is positive
That's true, in a way it is our fault beacause we do want to know every little detail about everyones lives. If we wouldn't fall for the traps, maybe censorship would be better.
Well, many believe that censorship goes against our freedom of speech;having one's thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and statements blocked from being heard. As a United States citizen and the fact that it's ingrained in our culture leads me to form the opinion that we have the right to be privy to any information and content that we so desire. So the censorship topic is very debatable and whether it is ever acceptable or good depends on the content being censored. For example, China's censorship policy exhibits the extreme spectrum of the debate, where all media content must have the government's approval before being showed. This extreme censorship is obviously unacceptable and denies China's citizens of their right to information. On the hand, in this country due to progressively less censorship in the media any and all graphic and nude scenes are at our children's fingertips. Curse words are everwhere; from tv, internet, and the school yard. So yes I think, in some circumstances censorship can be good and acceptable. Censorship is a way of regulating media and internet content and is no different than the thousands of of regulations we adhere to on a daily basis. For without these regulations we become a chaotic society.
I strongly agree with you Denise, I think, at some point, censorship can be beneficial to achieving peace and quiet. We, as Americans,forgets to accept the fact that censorship is what sets our norm, whats acceptable and what is not. We always obsessed about our freedom, when the fact is without a little censorship, we can never have freedom.
I think in order to have some order and control in a country, there must be some censorship. I understand that everyone has a "right to information" in the United States of America, but there should be guidelines to insure that are safety is not jeopodized.
Censorship is a highly debatable and controversial topic in modern society, especially within the United States where each citizen is guaranteed freedom of speech and expression. One can argue that censorship invades on personal freedoms and hinders the ability of normal folk to express opinions that may be deemed controversial, unrealistic, or cynical by members of the higher classes and/or country leaders. Others may argue that censorship is aimed at protecting society as a whole because of the vast number of cultures and religious organizations within the United States. Censorship, like many other rules and regulations, in moderation, can influence the equality in and stability of a country. In the United States, citizens have the right to bear arms. However, an individual can not just walk down the street carrying a visible weapon. Some states issue concealed weapons permits, but for the most part, individuals can not just "bear arms" when and where they please. Censorship runs along the same lines as regulations had on citizens bearing arms. Because people are naturally different from one another and in turn bear different opinions, if each country did not emphasize some sort of censorship in the daily activities of individuals, a catastrophic breakdown of society would likely emerge. The key to censorship is finding the right balance to implement among citizens. This balance will indeed differ in each country, as per cultural rules and beliefs, the tolerance for censorship varies. Though many countries do employ censorship to a degree, no country today has succeeded in finding the perfect balance among its citizens.
I agree with you that a catastrophic breakdown would likely emerge in a society if countries do not regulate some sort of censorsihp. For example, people can build upon their curiosity and possibly stir up a rebellion against the government.
I try to censor everything in my life! Censorship has changed over the years. There was a time on television when Elvis had to be filmed performing from the waist up because the t.v. censors said that his hip rocking was obscene! I guess Elvis would be rolling in his grave knowing what is played on television today. I believe that the level of censorship depends on the situation. I am not a big fan of bad language or overexposed bodies. I think we could even have more censorship of songs on the radio with all the sex talk and violence. I know I sound like an old prude, but so what? By the way: Does anybody know our class ID and password for turnitin.com?
I agree with you Marisol. I am 21 years old and even just a couple of years ago when I was in my teens things were not this bad. Times have really changed and they can put more of an effort in controlling what goes on the radio or television.
The idea of censorship is good if it doesn't cross any extreme boundaries such as withholding information that everyone should be aware of or invading personal privacy without reasonable cause. Everyone is entitled to have their freedom of speech, but most importantly, be able to decide their own thoughts and opinions. There are certain restrictions however, that are unacceptable and will ruin the governing of our society, but when people's thoughts and opinions are being "molded" for them; it's overboard. For kids, I believe censorship is necessary because we don't want them to be negatively influenced with things such as porn, cursing, or even violence. To me, censorship is acceptable as long as it doesn't become too extreme.
I also agree with you Aleda, censorship plays a fundamental role for everyone, but especially parents, who are very occupied and cannot see what our children are viewing in the media. This tool provides certain security that our children are watching appropriate programs.
This was very well said Denise. Yes, I think that the people in China do have a right to information, and it everything is being censored by the governent, it would put those people at a disadvantage. I would also agree that children in America are being exposed to many adult-like things way too easily. But, I think that it is more up to the parent in this case to do the censoring, and not so much the government's responsibility. Things like restricting certain television shows and web-sites, and teaching respectful language in the household would be good.
Censorship is a highly debatable topic in our society especially lately with regards to the SOPA and PIPA acts being hotly debated within the United States. I believe that censorship is both a necessity and an infringement of rights. As a citizen of the United States, a free nation that prides itself on human rights, I believe that we are all privy to any information that we so wish to pursue with the exception of national security. On the other hand some type of censorship is necessary in order to run a working and authoritative government. The federal government must have some power to censor some things as they see fit, the internet should not be one of them. In the case of China and its censorship practices, I believe that it is wrong and the citizens of China are being stripped of their freedom of speech and freedom to pursue knowledge. Censorship has been present in the United States for many decades but not to the extent of the newly proposed SOPA, PIPA, and OPEN bills that are currently in Congress. I believe that the internet was one of the greatest inventions and was created to be open and free. To begin to censor it would be detrimental to society and slowly begin to strip us of one of our most basic rights, freedom of speech. Therefore I believe that as a whole censorship is bad but in certain instances it is necessary.
Censorship has its pros and cons and everyone has their own opinion about that matter. I think censorship can be acceptable on certain things, such as children. For example, there are things on TV where children cannot watch. In that matter, have a right to not let the children watch bad stuff on TV. So, it should be censored in that situation. When it comes to situations that have to be controlled by the government I think censorship should be acceptable. When it comes to setting the rules on the table, they should definitely be censorship that should be passed. The world is not perfect; therefore, if there was no censorship I think that this world would have more problems. I think that censorship is good in today’s society in certain situations that need to be handled. Censorship is a way to control media and shows that are shown on TV. In today’s world there have been a lot of movies that have a lot of nudity and should not be even watch by young children. So in this case Censorship is acceptable and in many other situation that should be dealt with. In the matter of China, censorship should be acceptable but at the same time it should not be acceptable, for the reason that there are a lot of bad things on the internet that should not be allowed especially if a young child is on the computer. On the other hand, their shouldn’t be censorship in China because everyone has freedom of speech and there should not be any reason for an adult to have censorship.
Censorship has been seen throughout history. Our government uses censorship to protect the people or shapes us into thinking a certain way about certain topics. One example of censorship is the topic of medicinal marijuana being legalized in California, I read that some radio stations have rejected Marijuana Policy Project campaign to be aired. So is that protecting the people or shaping the way we think or view this? Censorship, is like the abortion topic too, its difficult to know when it’s good or bad.
I agree. From what I have seen, people tend to change their point-of-view as time passes. Back in the 40s, abortion was not a big deal. Now, it's a huge issue.
Censorship can be good and bad and it has its advantages and disadvantages. However, censorship can be used by the government to govern the society and people self-censor all the time. It can be used for the purpose of “protecting” people or it also can be used otherwise. I personally, don’t like the fact about controlling information, ideas under the form of “shaping society.” Some parents like to monitor information and what their kids should see, hear, or listen to and I have seen many parents do that, yet, I think some go extreme.
Abeer, you brought up a good point. Your right the government could hide stuff for the protection of the peoople. I really didn't take that into consideration.
When we look at censorship from this angle it's more of a bad thing than good. We can be easily fooled by government since they can filter the information we receive.
Censorship can definetly be a good thing on certain levels. There are some cases where I do believe that censorship should not be used. When it comes to childen; censorship is necessary. The world that we live in right now is very different than the one it was even just ten years ago. I believe that children are growing up to fast because of the things that are not being censored on the television, the radio, or the internet. Parents can only do so much to keep thier children away from what it bad; but when everything is exposed the way it is today, it is very easy for them to get any information they please off the interent if they want to. Yes, people have the freedom of speech and yes we should be pushed to be creative and think for ourselves, and when it comes to things that this then censorship can take things too extreme. There are also alot of things that are not told to us via the news. The government and what is actually released to us is not everything that really happenes. I think that they should speak the truth and tell the people what is really going on in the state or even country. All in all censorship has its positives and its negatives.
Lesley I agree with you about the children, I cringe to use the word censorship on them but definitely there should be a limit to what their exposed to and when. As for the government needing to be more open about the state of the country this a little scarier. The truth can hurt and sometimes the truth can kill. Orsen Wells gave a good example of this with his War of The Worlds broadcast. He stated at the start it was a story but as people listened to it, the world began to unravel, people drove their cars into canyons to escape the "aliens" the US Military was put on alert and, many committed suicide fearing the end of the world. This was only a story, imagine what the truth would have done. I feel there are some things that should be left unsaid, the problem is I can never agree on who is allowed to make that judgment call.
I believe censorship is only good to a certain extent. It’s used on the radio, on television, and even on certain webpages. However, how effective is it? From the curiosity that I’ve seen from many people, people seem to figure out the ‘unavoidable.’ This is 2012. Times now are so different. From my opinion, censorship has been around for quite a while. Now, people are rebelling simply because they feel like they can’t express their so called “views.” If it’s banned, people will be argue that it needs to be restored. And yet, if it’s not banned, people will still argue that it should be banned. It all depends on how society sees it. And from what we have seen, I wonder what will happen as the years pass?
Your definetly goin to always have different opinions on issues. I do think people should be able to express their "views", but I think there's certain ways to do it in a positively.
Censorship has it's place in society. For example, filtering the internet for elementary schools who do not want to expose their students to inappropriate web content is appropriate censorship. A similar scenario applies to radio and television. The FCC has strict programming guidelines to censor vulgar and offensive content. This kind of censorship is implemented to protect audiences of all ages from unsuitable listening and visual material. The problem with censorship rules, is that it does not apply to all groups. What might be suitable for one group does not necessarily apply to the other. This type of censorship restricts users from enjoying original & uncensored content. It also restricts freedom of speech from content providers. The FCC censorship has build such bad reputation that late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has a created a comedy bit called “Unnecessary Censorship” to poke fun of what excessive censorship can do to good content. Another example of bad censorship is Arizona's House Bill 228. This bill bans ethnic studies from public schools because learning about other cultures may encourage students to overthrow the U.S. Government. Sounds like a bad Saturday Nigh Live skit but unfortunately it's not, just a really bad case of censorship hindering the education of Arizona students. China censors their citizen's internet and the U.S. may be headed in the same direction if the “Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)” or bills similar to it pass through congress. SOPA gives copyright holders the ability to shutdown websites that MIGHT be suspected of copy right violations with out notice, judge, jury, or trial. Keep in mind that we already have legislation that deals with copyright infringements. Is censorship ever good? Yes, but too much censorship is bad news to all of us.
When it comes to censorshiip there's good and bad. There has to be some aspect of filtering on the internet. Everything needs some regulation and that includes the internet. This is key for young people in our society that need to be protected from vulgar and inappropriate content. The internet is an amazing tool for society to use to gain knowledge and a staggering rate, but you must have some form of censorship. To me, cenorship has come a long ways over the years. I mean you can practicly here ever curse word on basic cable. Comedy Central has recently been showing uncenored comedy shows late at night, where you can here every curse word and explicit content. I personally don't have a problem with the pursuit of less censorship. If your an adult you should have certain rights, just don't abuse them. Now when it comes to children I believe that parents and schools should make sure they take the proper steps to protect them from inappropriate content.
Many opinions differ once we come to the topic of censorship. Certainly, censorship has numerous advantages and disadvantages. For example, one of the advantages that censorship brings in the media area is that it restricts obscene language or inappropriate programs that many children could possibly see. In this case, censorship is a great tool that benefits the parents who might be occupied with their responsibilities such as work, school,etc.. Moreover, having censorship on certain television programs and websites allows a more relaxant life for children since they grow up in a more secure ambient. On the other hand, censorship also has numerous disadvantages. For instance, for a liberal person, he/she might think that the fact of having to submit to an authority takes away their privacy. Furthermore, being controlled may lead us to think that we are not having the right of freedom of speech and expression. Although, we live in a modern era, I accept censorship in the media since it allows society to develop in a more insure and tranquil ambient. This translates to a more harmonious world for everyone.
Joel, I agree with your benefits of censorship for the children but there is sad twist, a double edged sword as I heard someone else say. The media sadly is subsidized, the various organizations that make up the media, CNN, NBC, MSN, ABC...etc, deicide what they want to run with what they want to show, from commercials, news, and shows. By them picking and choosing whatever agrees with their motives, they create a form of a censorship which is further censored by the FCC. So what we get at the end is fragmented water down version of a truth. We saw this in the Bush/ Gore election with one news outlet declaring Bush victor and another declaring Gore it created a fiasco that cost a lot of tax payer money, and a stain on our democracy regardless of who won. With those two news outlets and their followers, United States fragmented on something that should have been black and white. So censorship can come with a lot of half truths and opinions disguised as truths, which can cause more harm than good.
Censorship is a one of the issues that means so many different things to different people. To me, censorship existed my whole life. From elementary school through high school, we were encouraged to sit down and learn, opinions should only be given if asked, and disagreeing with a teacher was a sure fire way to the dean. After high school graduation, I joined the military and even gave up more freedoms and was strictly censored. I didn’t even know we were at war with Afghanistan until I graduated boot camp, 9/11 and the aftermath was kept from us until we graduated, I can honestly say it was quite a shock entering the world after boot camp. During the service, regardless of right or wrong, easy or the hard, way you did what your superior told you, this did not leave much wiggle room for freedom. After the service, I went to college were censorship seemed nonexistent, teachers encouraged free thinking and discussion or so it seemed. Alas not 3 months ago I watch the president of our campus have banners ripped down by campus police because he disagreed with what was said. Censorship is all around us, I’ve grown up with it and yet I’m still happy. I have two sons, a wife and dream to pursue which various censorships have not been able to touch. So is censorship ok? I don’t know, I haven’t been allowed to live the alternative yet. All that comes to mind is the grass is always greener on the other side, and I fear if censorship did not exist I would still find an issue with it. A good movie that would address this is Who Invented Lying Anyway.
I think that it is could be a good thing if a country was able to censor some things that come into their country. It is great that we have the freedom to search or learn about anything that we want to know. Censoring certain images and items would be helpful, however, in controlling our country and making it a peaceful place to live. Take for example the Occupy Wall Street and other "Occupy" protests. Now, I do not personally know all of the details, but it seemed as though it was getting larger and larger due to the ridiculous amount of news coverage it was getting. Meanwhile, people went to these protests, many for all the wrong reasons. During these protests, people were defacating in the street and destroying property. Meanwhile, people were raped, assaulted, and victimized. I think that if the government had the power to say, "ok, we are going to limit the amount of news coverage on this, in order to stop it" it could be over much quicker.
Yes, censorship can be good when used wisely. I have been working with children for a couple years, and when I am asked to give my opinion on censorship I think about how censorship is good to protect the most vulnerable in our society, our children. For example, children are exposed to excessive violence, drugs and sexually explicit content, and exposure to this is what shapes their opinions and views. Censorship is necessary to have some control over this although we will never have full control over what our children see and listen to. Censorship also helps protects people’s children from trusting others or from being used and cheated on, like for example child pornography. Censorship laws do not stop child pornography, but at least we are able to have some control over it.. Without any censorship laws this problems would only be getting bigger and would be completely out of our control. Even with censorship laws child pornography is ongoing, but with censorship laws people are getting caught faster than if there was no censorship laws.
A little Censorship is acceptable and good depending on what is censored and why it is censored. For instance, censoring words over the radio is a very good idea due to the fact that kids could be listening. Another way censoring helps is censoring television for kids so that they are not exposed to violence, drugs, and sexual content. A little censorship is a good thing because it helps parents protect their kids who are vulnerable to anything at a young age.
Censorship is acceptable and good in many ways. The main reason I support censorship is for the mere fact that little kids are so advanced now a days, since kids are exposed to drugs, violence, sex, and other jargon. Censorship will at least protect their eyes and ears from things kids have no business of knowing. On the other hand, for those that are mature and want to know all the truth then let them have it. When I compare my childhood to the world we live in today it seems more corrupt so a little censorship will not hurt anyone. As long as the truth is not hidden from the people who seek it, we still hold our rights of knowing whats going on in our world.
Ricardo, I completely agree with what mention due to so much advancement and lack of censorship many children know far more than they should, although sometimes we won't be able to protect them. Keep in mind that children find a way around the system and manage to outsmart it.
Yes, I agree with you Ricardo because censorship is acceptable especial for our kids. As a parent I have to have in control what my children are watching on television or in the computer.
Censorship in general is unconstitutional. Everyone has the right to free speech and should be able to view and access whatever information is available. However, there is a lot of unsuitable material on the web that is easily accessible by children and that needs to be controlled. Not necessarily censored but controlled by parents. For example when you go to a video store, adult material is accessible but is in an area meant only for adults. So censorship shouldn’t be the answer but controls on adult or violent material should be acceptable. Parents can block certain websites and monitor what their kids are doing on the internet, so in my opinion censorship is not acceptable. We are adults and can see whatever information we seek. We can also put forth the efforts to protect our children from what they should not see, that’s up to the parenting not the government.
Much of the time we feel like if we exclude or block a certain thing we have accomplished getting rid of the issue but don’t realize that there are ways around everything. By censoring items on the web, TV, radio or elsewhere doesn’t mean it will eliminate the issue on the contrary it just means finding another way to around it. I agree that it might help in sense of making things less accessible, but if we don’t want certain people to view or have access of things should the parent not be the one to protect and censor items to their children?
Lizet, I agree that people will do anything to get around censorship. Egyptians, during the birth of the Arab spring revolution, were downloading Tor's Project software to be able to browse the web with out having their activities log. For those with out internet because of intentional black outs, used ham radios, fax machines, and dial-up internet connections to foreign servers. Information is power and the key to Egypt's revolution.
Well, I think censorship is acceptable and good in some cases for instance; rating television programs, computer access, cell phones, etc. All of these are good because we can protect our children for many circumstances that some television shows provide only for adults. Also, protect our children from some language that some people use, or the easy computer access to any person who can harm our children. However, the censorship is not acceptable in some cases because we have the right to speak. We live in a country where the freedom of the speech is important, but sometimes it does not happen because we feel we cannot speak clearly because some people are watching or hearing us. We can be in trouble for our comments. After 9/11 everything changed in this country. Of course, this situation is worst in some Latin countries where everyone should be careful when they speak about the government because they can get into trouble. Also, hackers can get all your information if they hear your conversation by phone; they can steal your belongings, steal your money from your bank account because they have access to your information. Censorship is a new technique that many countries use to monitor their own citizens.
Nora, i agree! I feel everything changed after 9/11 and that censorship is a new technique countries use to monitor their citizens! Good way to put it.
You have to ask what is being censored, and who is censoring it. For example, cutting out the blood and gore of a live TV story is a good thing people may throw up etc. However censoring things people deem "immoral" is entirely subjective, and usually negative. In its basic form, censorship is a manipulation of truth. it can have it's positive sides (keeping porn off kids programs) but is overall a negative tool used to influence millions.
necessary evil in the world. we all have different ranges of what is good and bad. Acceptable and unacceptable, if we follow a Conservative but too Conservative model there should be less people offended.
I believe a little censorship is necessary for a country to run with authority control and an atmosphere of peace and quiet. People are different from each other. We all have different views at things, different beliefs, and different approach at tasks that we are given. Therefore, a little government control is necessary to achieve a certain tie amongst everyone as a resident of one country. We all need the one piece that will connect everyone. In United States, that one thing are the rules and regulates laid out by the government. When it comes to censorship, I think it is a necessary part to pass on these rules and regulation. In some cases, censorship is a provision in order for some of these policies to be pass through and place in order. Without censorship, how is the government going to know that the laws are being followed. How are they going to establish what is right and wrong, or what is acceptable or what is not without a little censorship. What's not acceptable is censorship to the point that government is monitoring every single movement that people are doing even in their private life. So, overall, censorship is good, because without it, there would be no norm; there would be no tie that can connect everyone together as residents of one country. As long as that censorship does not go overboard, then it is acceptable.
ReplyDeletevery good post rose
DeleteYou make some very notable arguments.
Deletei just think that when people say that censorship should be banded, they are overlooking the fact that that's what got us here today. I know that the country is not in a good condition, but we still have to admit that there where many good things that had been made towards the development of our government.
DeleteYOu made a very good argument about Censorship Rose...Good Job!!
DeleteYou indeed made a pretty good argument, but I wonder, how far can the government go? is there some sort of boundaries/ limits?
DeleteAbeer, that's when censorship becomes unacceptable, when boundaries are not set to how far government can go. Private life should be left alone and not tied with government intervention.
DeleteRose Ann,
DeleteI would like to think that we can all live in solidarity in this country because we are able to enjoy the same equal freedoms. I can also see, how people can unite when governments over-censorship is oppressing daily life. I just don't believe the government has the best interest for me, so why would I want to let them censor what I can do? I do believe in censorship, as long as it does not infringe on my rights.
P.S. I'm not an Anarchist.lol
Rose Ann, I agree with many of the points you have made, but has the government not censored some valuable stuff we have had? Like Ruben said I too believe in censorship, with limitations
DeleteEveryone has their own opinions towards certain things; therefore, censorhip can be both acceptable and unacceptable, yet good and bad. It all depends on what is being censored. Certain countries in the world today believes in censorship. They regulate certain things by either blocking or allowing certain information to be acknowledged or unacknowledged by their people. For example, China censors the media that can be seen by their people. They will block certain information from the people, especially if the information contains an idea that is opposing the goverment. In this case, I believe censorship is unacceptable and bad because it does not allow everyone to have a freedom of thought or speech. However, censorship can also be acceptable and good, especially in terms of parenthood. Parents have the rights to censor certain information from their child. Some parents would use the parental control on the tv to block their child from viewing certain channels. Generally, I believe that censorship is acceptable and good up to a certain point. If censorship is used only towards creating a safe environment and not to the point where it will invade into our private life then it should be fine.
ReplyDeleteI agree. People should have freedom especially to have their own thoughts and to be heard. Censorship as far as parenting goes, is a must because as parents, we try to mold our children to be wholesome individuals.
DeleteI agree, you need to censor certain things and parents should make sure they regulate what their children watch.
DeleteI agree that that censoring the information, like the Chinese do, is form of oppression. They want to limit the flow of information to be and agreement with their thoughts and beliefs. This kind of censorship is bad for the development and progression of society.
Deletefor me, honestly i think censorship could either be bad or good depending on what is being blocked. Everything I looked up about censorship is always reflected in a negative and bad way. The bad way being that people are not allowed to be free in what they do, some acceptable censorships are like schools not allowing kids to curse. this is blocking them from bad lanuage and bad habbits, as a parent i would deerly like that for my kid but other things like the new stations censorship things is bad for our world because we want to know every detail in the world we live in, and new stations censor what they say and not. So to me, I accept some censorships but there is some like many things in the world that aren't, people have there goods of things and bads, thats life, there will never be any topic that the world 100% agrees on positivley anyways right? so Censorship in my mind is positive
ReplyDeleteThat's true, in a way it is our fault beacause we do want to know every little detail about everyones lives. If we wouldn't fall for the traps, maybe censorship would be better.
DeleteWell, many believe that censorship goes against our freedom of speech;having one's thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and statements blocked from being heard. As a United States citizen and the fact that it's ingrained in our culture leads me to form the opinion that we have the right to be privy to any information and content that we so desire. So the censorship topic is very debatable and whether it is ever acceptable or good depends on the content being censored. For example, China's censorship policy exhibits the extreme spectrum of the debate, where all media content must have the government's approval before being showed. This extreme censorship is obviously unacceptable and denies China's citizens of their right to information. On the hand, in this country due to progressively less censorship in the media any and all graphic and nude scenes are at our children's fingertips. Curse words are everwhere; from tv, internet, and the school yard. So yes I think, in some circumstances censorship can be good and acceptable. Censorship is a way of regulating media and internet content and is no different than the thousands of of regulations we adhere to on a daily basis. For without these regulations we become a chaotic society.
ReplyDeleteGood point there Denise, in that without regulations our society can become chaotic.
DeleteI strongly agree with you Denise, I think, at some point, censorship can be beneficial to achieving peace and quiet. We, as Americans,forgets to accept the fact that censorship is what sets our norm, whats acceptable and what is not. We always obsessed about our freedom, when the fact is without a little censorship, we can never have freedom.
DeleteI agree, you can still have your freedom along with some regulations. A lot of censorship is for the better of young viewers, which is important.
DeleteI think in order to have some order and control in a country, there must be some censorship. I understand that everyone has a "right to information" in the United States of America, but there should be guidelines to insure that are safety is not jeopodized.
DeleteCensorship is a highly debatable and controversial topic in modern society, especially within the United States where each citizen is guaranteed freedom of speech and expression. One can argue that censorship invades on personal freedoms and hinders the ability of normal folk to express opinions that may be deemed controversial, unrealistic, or cynical by members of the higher classes and/or country leaders. Others may argue that censorship is aimed at protecting society as a whole because of the vast number of cultures and religious organizations within the United States. Censorship, like many other rules and regulations, in moderation, can influence the equality in and stability of a country. In the United States, citizens have the right to bear arms. However, an individual can not just walk down the street carrying a visible weapon. Some states issue concealed weapons permits, but for the most part, individuals can not just "bear arms" when and where they please. Censorship runs along the same lines as regulations had on citizens bearing arms. Because people are naturally different from one another and in turn bear different opinions, if each country did not emphasize some sort of censorship in the daily activities of individuals, a catastrophic breakdown of society would likely emerge. The key to censorship is finding the right balance to implement among citizens. This balance will indeed differ in each country, as per cultural rules and beliefs, the tolerance for censorship varies. Though many countries do employ censorship to a degree, no country today has succeeded in finding the perfect balance among its citizens.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that a catastrophic breakdown would likely emerge in a society if countries do not regulate some sort of censorsihp. For example, people can build upon their curiosity and possibly stir up a rebellion against the government.
DeleteI try to censor everything in my life! Censorship has changed over the years. There was a time on television when Elvis had to be filmed performing from the waist up because the t.v. censors said that his hip rocking was obscene! I guess Elvis would be rolling in his grave knowing what is played on television today. I believe that the level of censorship depends on the situation. I am not a big fan of bad language or overexposed bodies. I think we could even have more censorship of songs on the radio with all the sex talk and violence. I know I sound like an old prude, but so what? By the way: Does anybody know our class ID and password for turnitin.com?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Marisol. I am 21 years old and even just a couple of years ago when I was in my teens things were not this bad. Times have really changed and they can put more of an effort in controlling what goes on the radio or television.
DeleteThe idea of censorship is good if it doesn't cross any extreme boundaries such as withholding information that everyone should be aware of or invading personal privacy without reasonable cause. Everyone is entitled to have their freedom of speech, but most importantly, be able to decide their own thoughts and opinions. There are certain restrictions however, that are unacceptable and will ruin the governing of our society, but when people's thoughts and opinions are being "molded" for them; it's overboard. For kids, I believe censorship is necessary because we don't want them to be negatively influenced with things such as porn, cursing, or even violence. To me, censorship is acceptable as long as it doesn't become too extreme.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Aleda, it sounds like its a matter of boundaries....what is being blocked and what is what so it all depends.
DeleteI also agree with you Aleda, censorship plays a fundamental role for everyone, but especially parents, who are very occupied and cannot see what our children are viewing in the media. This tool provides certain security that our children are watching appropriate programs.
DeleteThis was very well said Denise. Yes, I think that the people in China do have a right to information, and it everything is being censored by the governent, it would put those people at a disadvantage. I would also agree that children in America are being exposed to many adult-like things way too easily. But, I think that it is more up to the parent in this case to do the censoring, and not so much the government's responsibility. Things like restricting certain television shows and web-sites, and teaching respectful language in the household would be good.
ReplyDeleteCensorship is a highly debatable topic in our society especially lately with regards to the SOPA and PIPA acts being hotly debated within the United States. I believe that censorship is both a necessity and an infringement of rights. As a citizen of the United States, a free nation that prides itself on human rights, I believe that we are all privy to any information that we so wish to pursue with the exception of national security. On the other hand some type of censorship is necessary in order to run a working and authoritative government. The federal government must have some power to censor some things as they see fit, the internet should not be one of them. In the case of China and its censorship practices, I believe that it is wrong and the citizens of China are being stripped of their freedom of speech and freedom to pursue knowledge. Censorship has been present in the United States for many decades but not to the extent of the newly proposed SOPA, PIPA, and OPEN bills that are currently in Congress. I believe that the internet was one of the greatest inventions and was created to be open and free. To begin to censor it would be detrimental to society and slowly begin to strip us of one of our most basic rights, freedom of speech. Therefore I believe that as a whole censorship is bad but in certain instances it is necessary.
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ReplyDeleteCensorship has its pros and cons and everyone has their own opinion about that matter. I think censorship can be acceptable on certain things, such as children. For example, there are things on TV where children cannot watch. In that matter, have a right to not let the children watch bad stuff on TV. So, it should be censored in that situation. When it comes to situations that have to be controlled by the government I think censorship should be acceptable. When it comes to setting the rules on the table, they should definitely be censorship that should be passed. The world is not perfect; therefore, if there was no censorship I think that this world would have more problems. I think that censorship is good in today’s society in certain situations that need to be handled. Censorship is a way to control media and shows that are shown on TV. In today’s world there have been a lot of movies that have a lot of nudity and should not be even watch by young children. So in this case Censorship is acceptable and in many other situation that should be dealt with. In the matter of China, censorship should be acceptable but at the same time it should not be acceptable, for the reason that there are a lot of bad things on the internet that should not be allowed especially if a young child is on the computer. On the other hand, their shouldn’t be censorship in China because everyone has freedom of speech and there should not be any reason for an adult to have censorship.
ReplyDeleteCensorship has been seen throughout history. Our government uses censorship to protect the people or shapes us into thinking a certain way about certain topics. One example of censorship is the topic of medicinal marijuana being legalized in California, I read that some radio stations have rejected Marijuana Policy Project campaign to be aired. So is that protecting the people or shaping the way we think or view this? Censorship, is like the abortion topic too, its difficult to know when it’s good or bad.
ReplyDeleteI agree. From what I have seen, people tend to change their point-of-view as time passes. Back in the 40s, abortion was not a big deal. Now, it's a huge issue.
DeleteCensorship can be good and bad and it has its advantages and disadvantages. However, censorship can be used by the government to govern the society and people self-censor all the time. It can be used for the purpose of “protecting” people or it also can be used otherwise. I personally, don’t like the fact about controlling information, ideas under the form of “shaping society.” Some parents like to monitor information and what their kids should see, hear, or listen to and I have seen many parents do that, yet, I think some go extreme.
ReplyDeleteAbeer, you brought up a good point. Your right the government could hide stuff for the protection of the peoople. I really didn't take that into consideration.
DeleteWhen we look at censorship from this angle it's more of a bad thing than good. We can be easily fooled by government since they can filter the information we receive.
DeleteCensorship can definetly be a good thing on certain levels. There are some cases where I do believe that censorship should not be used. When it comes to childen; censorship is necessary. The world that we live in right now is very different than the one it was even just ten years ago. I believe that children are growing up to fast because of the things that are not being censored on the television, the radio, or the internet. Parents can only do so much to keep thier children away from what it bad; but when everything is exposed the way it is today, it is very easy for them to get any information they please off the interent if they want to. Yes, people have the freedom of speech and yes we should be pushed to be creative and think for ourselves, and when it comes to things that this then censorship can take things too extreme. There are also alot of things that are not told to us via the news. The government and what is actually released to us is not everything that really happenes. I think that they should speak the truth and tell the people what is really going on in the state or even country. All in all censorship has its positives and its negatives.
ReplyDeleteLesley I agree with you about the children, I cringe to use the word censorship on them but definitely there should be a limit to what their exposed to and when. As for the government needing to be more open about the state of the country this a little scarier. The truth can hurt and sometimes the truth can kill. Orsen Wells gave a good example of this with his War of The Worlds broadcast. He stated at the start it was a story but as people listened to it, the world began to unravel, people drove their cars into canyons to escape the "aliens" the US Military was put on alert and, many committed suicide fearing the end of the world. This was only a story, imagine what the truth would have done. I feel there are some things that should be left unsaid, the problem is I can never agree on who is allowed to make that judgment call.
DeleteI believe censorship is only good to a certain extent. It’s used on the radio, on television, and even on certain webpages. However, how effective is it? From the curiosity that I’ve seen from many people, people seem to figure out the ‘unavoidable.’ This is 2012. Times now are so different. From my opinion, censorship has been around for quite a while. Now, people are rebelling simply because they feel like they can’t express their so called “views.” If it’s banned, people will be argue that it needs to be restored. And yet, if it’s not banned, people will still argue that it should be banned. It all depends on how society sees it. And from what we have seen, I wonder what will happen as the years pass?
ReplyDeleteYour definetly goin to always have different opinions on issues. I do think people should be able to express their "views", but I think there's certain ways to do it in a positively.
DeleteIs censorship ever acceptable and good?
ReplyDeleteCensorship has it's place in society. For example, filtering the internet for elementary schools who do not want to expose their students to inappropriate web content is appropriate censorship. A similar scenario applies to radio and television. The FCC has strict programming guidelines to censor vulgar and offensive content. This kind of censorship is implemented to protect audiences of all ages from unsuitable listening and visual material. The problem with censorship rules, is that it does not apply to all groups. What might be suitable for one group does not necessarily apply to the other. This type of censorship restricts users from enjoying original & uncensored content. It also restricts freedom of speech from content providers. The FCC censorship has build such bad reputation that late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has a created a comedy bit called “Unnecessary Censorship” to poke fun of what excessive censorship can do to good content. Another example of bad censorship is Arizona's House Bill 228. This bill bans ethnic studies from public schools because learning about other cultures may encourage students to overthrow the U.S. Government. Sounds like a bad Saturday Nigh Live skit but unfortunately it's not, just a really bad case of censorship hindering the education of Arizona students. China censors their citizen's internet and the U.S. may be headed in the same direction if the “Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)” or bills similar to it pass through congress. SOPA gives copyright holders the ability to shutdown websites that MIGHT be suspected of copy right violations with out notice, judge, jury, or trial. Keep in mind that we already have legislation that deals with copyright infringements. Is censorship ever good? Yes, but too much censorship is bad news to all of us.
When it comes to censorshiip there's good and bad. There has to be some aspect of filtering on the internet. Everything needs some regulation and that includes the internet. This is key for young people in our society that need to be protected from vulgar and inappropriate content. The internet is an amazing tool for society to use to gain knowledge and a staggering rate, but you must have some form of censorship. To me, cenorship has come a long ways over the years. I mean you can practicly here ever curse word on basic cable. Comedy Central has recently been showing uncenored comedy shows late at night, where you can here every curse word and explicit content. I personally don't have a problem with the pursuit of less censorship. If your an adult you should have certain rights, just don't abuse them. Now when it comes to children I believe that parents and schools should make sure they take the proper steps to protect them from inappropriate content.
ReplyDeleteMany opinions differ once we come to the topic of censorship. Certainly, censorship has numerous advantages and disadvantages. For example, one of the advantages that censorship brings in the media area is that it restricts obscene language or inappropriate programs that many children could possibly see. In this case, censorship is a great tool that benefits the parents who might be occupied with their responsibilities such as work, school,etc.. Moreover, having censorship on certain television programs and websites allows a more relaxant life for children since they grow up in a more secure ambient. On the other hand, censorship also has numerous disadvantages. For instance, for a liberal person, he/she might think that the fact of having to submit to an authority takes away their privacy. Furthermore, being controlled may lead us to think that we are not having the right of freedom of speech and expression. Although, we live in a modern era, I accept censorship in the media since it allows society to develop in a more insure and tranquil ambient. This translates to a more harmonious world for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJoel, I agree with your benefits of censorship for the children but there is sad twist, a double edged sword as I heard someone else say. The media sadly is subsidized, the various organizations that make up the media, CNN, NBC, MSN, ABC...etc, deicide what they want to run with what they want to show, from commercials, news, and shows. By them picking and choosing whatever agrees with their motives, they create a form of a censorship which is further censored by the FCC. So what we get at the end is fragmented water down version of a truth. We saw this in the Bush/ Gore election with one news outlet declaring Bush victor and another declaring Gore it created a fiasco that cost a lot of tax payer money, and a stain on our democracy regardless of who won. With those two news outlets and their followers, United States fragmented on something that should have been black and white. So censorship can come with a lot of half truths and opinions disguised as truths, which can cause more harm than good.
DeleteCensorship is a one of the issues that means so many different things to different people. To me, censorship existed my whole life. From elementary school through high school, we were encouraged to sit down and learn, opinions should only be given if asked, and disagreeing with a teacher was a sure fire way to the dean. After high school graduation, I joined the military and even gave up more freedoms and was strictly censored. I didn’t even know we were at war with Afghanistan until I graduated boot camp, 9/11 and the aftermath was kept from us until we graduated, I can honestly say it was quite a shock entering the world after boot camp. During the service, regardless of right or wrong, easy or the hard, way you did what your superior told you, this did not leave much wiggle room for freedom. After the service, I went to college were censorship seemed nonexistent, teachers encouraged free thinking and discussion or so it seemed. Alas not 3 months ago I watch the president of our campus have banners ripped down by campus police because he disagreed with what was said. Censorship is all around us, I’ve grown up with it and yet I’m still happy. I have two sons, a wife and dream to pursue which various censorships have not been able to touch. So is censorship ok? I don’t know, I haven’t been allowed to live the alternative yet. All that comes to mind is the grass is always greener on the other side, and I fear if censorship did not exist I would still find an issue with it. A good movie that would address this is Who Invented Lying Anyway.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: The movies name is: The Invention of Lying. Sorry
DeleteI think that it is could be a good thing if a country was able to censor some things that come into their country. It is great that we have the freedom to search or learn about anything that we want to know. Censoring certain images and items would be helpful, however, in controlling our country and making it a peaceful place to live.
ReplyDeleteTake for example the Occupy Wall Street and other "Occupy" protests. Now, I do not personally know all of the details, but it seemed as though it was getting larger and larger due to the ridiculous amount of news coverage it was getting. Meanwhile, people went to these protests, many for all the wrong reasons. During these protests, people were defacating in the street and destroying property. Meanwhile, people were raped, assaulted, and victimized. I think that if the government had the power to say, "ok, we are going to limit the amount of news coverage on this, in order to stop it" it could be over much quicker.
Yes, censorship can be good when used wisely. I have been working with children for a couple years, and when I am asked to give my opinion on censorship I think about how censorship is good to protect the most vulnerable in our society, our children. For example, children are exposed to excessive violence, drugs and sexually explicit content, and exposure to this is what shapes their opinions and views. Censorship is necessary to have some control over this although we will never have full control over what our children see and listen to. Censorship also helps protects people’s children from trusting others or from being used and cheated on, like for example child pornography. Censorship laws do not stop child pornography, but at least we are able to have some control over it.. Without any censorship laws this problems would only be getting bigger and would be completely out of our control. Even with censorship laws child pornography is ongoing, but with censorship laws people are getting caught faster than if there was no censorship laws.
ReplyDeleteA little Censorship is acceptable and good depending on what is censored and why it is censored. For instance, censoring words over the radio is a very good idea due to the fact that kids could be listening. Another way censoring helps is censoring television for kids so that they are not exposed to violence, drugs, and sexual content. A little censorship is a good thing because it helps parents protect their kids who are vulnerable to anything at a young age.
ReplyDeleteIs censorship ever acceptable and good
Censorship is acceptable and good in many ways. The main reason I support censorship is for the mere fact that little kids are so advanced now a days, since kids are exposed to drugs, violence, sex, and other jargon. Censorship will at least protect their eyes and ears from things kids have no business of knowing. On the other hand, for those that are mature and want to know all the truth then let them have it. When I compare my childhood to the world we live in today it seems more corrupt so a little censorship will not hurt anyone. As long as the truth is not hidden from the people who seek it, we still hold our rights of knowing whats going on in our world.
ReplyDeleteRicardo, I completely agree with what mention due to so much advancement and lack of censorship many children know far more than they should, although sometimes we won't be able to protect them. Keep in mind that children find a way around the system and manage to outsmart it.
DeleteYes, I agree with you Ricardo because censorship is acceptable especial for our kids. As a parent I have to have in control what my children are watching on television or in the computer.
DeleteCensorship in general is unconstitutional. Everyone has the right to free speech and should be able to view and access whatever information is available. However, there is a lot of unsuitable material on the web that is easily accessible by children and that needs to be controlled. Not necessarily censored but controlled by parents. For example when you go to a video store, adult material is accessible but is in an area meant only for adults. So censorship shouldn’t be the answer but controls on adult or violent material should be acceptable. Parents can block certain websites and monitor what their kids are doing on the internet, so in my opinion censorship is not acceptable. We are adults and can see whatever information we seek. We can also put forth the efforts to protect our children from what they should not see, that’s up to the parenting not the government.
ReplyDeleteMuch of the time we feel like if we exclude or block a certain thing we have accomplished getting rid of the issue but don’t realize that there are ways around everything. By censoring items on the web, TV, radio or elsewhere doesn’t mean it will eliminate the issue on the contrary it just means finding another way to around it. I agree that it might help in sense of making things less accessible, but if we don’t want certain people to view or have access of things should the parent not be the one to protect and censor items to their children?
ReplyDeleteLizet,
DeleteI agree that people will do anything to get around censorship. Egyptians, during the birth of the Arab spring revolution, were downloading Tor's Project software to be able to browse the web with out having their activities log. For those with out internet because of intentional black outs, used ham radios, fax machines, and dial-up internet connections to foreign servers. Information is power and the key to Egypt's revolution.
Well, I think censorship is acceptable and good in some cases for instance; rating television programs, computer access, cell phones, etc. All of these are good because we can protect our children for many circumstances that some television shows provide only for adults. Also, protect our children from some language that some people use, or the easy computer access to any person who can harm our children. However, the censorship is not acceptable in some cases because we have the right to speak. We live in a country where the freedom of the speech is important, but sometimes it does not happen because we feel we cannot speak clearly because some people are watching or hearing us. We can be in trouble for our comments. After 9/11 everything changed in this country. Of course, this situation is worst in some Latin countries where everyone should be careful when they speak about the government because they can get into trouble. Also, hackers can get all your information if they hear your conversation by phone; they can steal your belongings, steal your money from your bank account because they have access to your information. Censorship is a new technique that many countries use to monitor their own citizens.
ReplyDeleteNora, i agree! I feel everything changed after 9/11 and that censorship is a new technique countries use to monitor their citizens! Good way to put it.
DeleteYou have to ask what is being censored, and who is censoring it. For example, cutting out the blood and gore of a live TV story is a good thing people may throw up etc. However censoring things people deem "immoral" is entirely subjective, and usually negative. In its basic form, censorship is a manipulation of truth. it can have it's positive sides (keeping porn off kids programs) but is overall a negative tool used to influence millions.
ReplyDeletenecessary evil in the world. we all have different ranges of what is good and bad. Acceptable and unacceptable, if we follow a Conservative but too Conservative model there should be less people offended.
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