Censorship: Assassination of Ideas

Censorship: Assassination of Ideas

Director/ producer Steven Spielberg once said, "there is a fine line between censorship and good taste and moral responsibility(BrainyQuote)". Merriam-Webster dictionary defined the word "censor" to examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable. Censorship is not only famous for the present generation; since the ancient times, censorship was practiced by some groups of people, especially the government. They destroy scrolls, books, and evidences just to censor the public from this information(Random History, 2010). Taking the cases of Abraham Lincoln and Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. as examples, the worst way to censor people is to resolve to killing informants in order to prevent them from delivering necessary information. Today, people must know what really happens when arts will be censored by considering its nature, its causes and its variations in implementation and action.

Censorship is unintentionally practiced in every country. It is more likely to be a cycle not just an one-way process. Everything starts in our minds where we ask questions and where we try to find the corresponding answers to it. People choose here if they will fight to know the answers to their questions or they will let go the opportunity to learn new ideas beyond what was spoon fed to them. The world's education started here. After that, the circulation of one's curiosity will happen. This is where a person communicates with others to gain new knowledge to that topic. Searching for the correct answers may take us years, but the journey and the people who joined it are greatly rewarded with knowledge. The world's education continues here. Lastly, the government was formed and its job is to safeguard the people who made it. Protection by any means possible is its aim. The idea of censorship was built with the government and it slowly kills the people who established it. The sharing of "dangerous" ideas are preventing the public to know. The world's education may end here.

Like technology, idea making has also advance and everything that is made by these ideas have their own reasons. Likewise, they also applies in censorship. The most accepted reason in censoring arts is the protection of social norms. Widespread support is what this reason gets from the public. This is widely accepted because it shows respect between religion, beliefs, and culture. Laws are established to protect the innocent ones. Pro-censorship movements loves to tackle the topic "Sex in Arts(Llagas and Pison, 2004)" because it builds contradictions against religions and cultures. No study proved that exposure to sexually explicit arts and social behavior is connected to the corruption of beliefs(American Civil Liberties Union, 2006). Security purposes for everyone is also the root of censorship. Physical violence, which was mastered by terrorists, can be prevented by censoring sensitive and valuable information to the public. Media violence is frequently gain high support from the public because it has freedom to present what is unlawful in reality. Lastly, political criticisms are the most sensitive topic because it questions the government that imposes censorship. Political always forget that they are there because of the public. Holding power is the politicians' aim in imposing censorship(Arab IP Nation).

Censorship always involves these three concepts; Curiosity, Circulation, and Presentation of Authority; and we can differ this with our country today with our 1972 Martial Law experience. Our curiosity under the Martial Law became so limited because most of the vital information that pertains to society's growth was blocked by the government. Some people accepted this fact just to live. Others took the odds and fought against this and this is where circulation of ideas come in. The usual way to circulate ideas is to talk to others. To circulate ideas was a dangerous job in that time because the consequences are grave and sometimes, inhumane. There were plenty of newly established newspaper firms like" Dumaguete Times." The staffers used their writing talent to educate the people on what is the reality in Negros.

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