Brian's Views
It would take alot of wind to explain everything that bothers me about the world so will take it one topic at a time. First up, Censorship
What Should They Do?
What is the point when the government should stop censoring? You cannot buy a cd with a warning label without showing id. You cannot get into a rated R movie unless you are 17 and there are even ratings in the corner's of television shows.
Now I am 18 and I am not concerned with ratings being enforced. I agree with this. The problem I have is with the strength of the ratings. It seems to me movies that would have been rated R five years ago are now rated PG-13. A perfect example is Lord Of The Rings. Now I am not against this movie, in fact I thought it was a great movie. But I also think a movie where a man getes shot thru the head with an arrow should probably be rated R.
Also the judgement of these form's of media seems to be very selective. Are we saying Music is less likely to corrupt our youth than movies? It appears that way since movies have 5 different ratings, while cd's have one warning label. Not only this but their isn't even a suggestive label on Books at all. Children can't go and see The Green Mile in theather's, but what stops them from reading the book?
Also if we are regulating all forms of media why does the most popular form go untouched?
Television has only advanced to the point where their are little symbols in the corner. Shouldn't something be done about Jerry Springer being on at 3 in the afternoon, on regular broadcast television? This show shouldn't be on regular tv at 3 in the afternoon. These are things that parents don't want their children to see. Chances are they won't be able to stop it though, because they will still be at work when their kids first get home from school and turn on the TV.
Are we saying that it's not alrighht for a child to hear swearing on a cd, but it's ok to see a man in drag beating up his midget lover? And people wonder why the world's so screwed up.
In closing their should be a universal ratings system that is fair, easy to understand and explains why the product got it's particular rating. Also I feel that broadcast television should govern what types of shows it puts on during the afternoon. But money drives everthing so I doubt that anything will change, ... for a while at least.
Don't worry though, there is still plenty more to cover. Next up, cigarette companies |
