Too often in this country do we A) take our freedoms for granted, and B) give away our freedoms for nothing. A prime example is the censorship laws and regulations of the entertainment industry. Usually, when this abhorrent exercise takes place, it is done under the guise of “for the children.” Let me tell you from first-hand experience that the children are already corrupted. So when a politician or corporate suit tells me I can’t hear the words “fuck,” “shit,” or even “whore” on my radio or see two people on TV sharing a bed, I say to them “WAKE UP!”
The rules of the game were written thirty to fifty years ago and are run by people over the age of fifty. Which means that they still think blacks should have separate bathrooms, women shouldn’t be in the work place, and that the general public isn’t ready to see or hear things that happen every day. Take for example the surge in America’s youth joining gangs. Gang initiations range anywhere from a group beating of the pledge to a homicide. You can’t tell me that the youth in this example hasn’t heard or seen things that go far and beyond what Hollywood has to offer.
The recent case of Atlanta Falcons’ QB Michael Vick comes to mind. Here’s the back story: the NFL dropped its video game deal with Midway because Midway wanted to include real-life scenarios like juicing a player, betting on games, and harsher tackles. Also, the NFL forced ESPN to cancel its critically-acclaimed and widely viewed program “Playmakers” because of the same real-life goings on. That being said, Michael Vick was indicted this week on charges of being involved with dogfights. A few years ago, most of the Minnesota Vikings team went on a cruise ship and not only trashed it, they did drugs and solicited hookers (allegedly…wink). And these are just the things we are told about. So why is the NFL so against games or shows that show a reality instead of an idealized reality?
The same for TV shows. I loathe broadcast network cop shows, forensic shows, etc. because the realism is lost when someone gets shot and the next line from whatever character isn’t “Holy shit!” It’s usually something like “My goodness” or “Gee willickers.” Okay, maybe even THAT is a little far back, but you get my point. This is why I turn to HBO, FX, Comedy Central, and others for my entertainment because they keep the suspension of disbelief alive. They aren’t afraid to show some nudity or have people talk like they are from today’s world and not 1956.
The programs today are so whitewashed that they aren’t fun. There are no more creative teams at networks because the creativity is dead. Shows fail because the writing sucks or the scenarios are not believable. Yes, there should be discretion involved in the process but to completely yank the heart and soul out of the entire entertainment genre is absurd. The line has been pushed so far back that it’s almost more restrictive than it was fifty years ago.
Have you ever watched an R-rated movie on TV? Of course you have. Aside from the voice-over actor sounding nothing like the on-screen actor, the dubbing is silly. They are given things to say like “Holy frick” and “You’re a wow hole.” It takes away from the tone of the scene and detracts from the experience.
The irony is that there are so many channels to watch. Let’s assume that you watch NBC and one Thursday night you are watching “My Name Is Earl.” All of a sudden, Earl says a dirty word. Instead of turning to another channel (we’ve only got 500) or rolling with the joke, you write a letter or call the FCC. Why? Are you ruining it for the rest of the viewing audience that didn’t care? I think that we should start calling the FCC when someone curses or when there is a real situation shown, and tell them that we’re okay with it. The vocal minority is ruining it for the rest of us who know that entertainment give kids “potty mouths” or become sexually active. These things happen because of parental neglect, or abuse, social acceptance or rejection, and all of it is just part of growing up.
The funniest part of the censorship is that foreigners/outer space aliens must think we’re insane. They are probably watching a movie and someone says “son of a gun” instead of “son of a bitch.” So the viewer, unless told otherwise, now thinks that “son of a gun” is a curse word phrase. And the irony is that people will start using that phrase and then it will be officially a curse word.
At the end of the day, unless you are carefully taught which words are bad, and which actions are bad, you don’t know. If enough people used the word “scarf” as a naughty word, it would become one. Three recent example is the word “skeet” which is a term used in rap lyrics to represent ejaculation; “gat” which is a gun; and “yay” which is cocaine. When these words were introduced, no one knew what they meant and were allowed on TV, radio, etc. But when the definitions got to the powers that be, the brakes were put on and now you hear either silence or a sound effect when these words come on.
Children playing doctor don’t know the shame in what they are doing. They haven’t learned that particular brand of shame yet. They are curious and it’s out of this curiosity that they are playing. They aren’t doing it to hurt someone else. They aren’t doing it to add numbers to their sexual conquest tallies. They are doing it because they are trying to experience life. It’s the same principle as when a baby sticks everything it can get its hands on into its mouth. The baby is just trying to figure out things in the world. The baby doesn’t know certain things are dirty, or inedible, or hot, or cold. The baby finds these things out along the way either by trial or by negative reinforcement from a parent.
Another irony is that when I was a kid, there was no “clean version” of a song. If you wanted to go to a concert that your parents might disapprove of, you had to find a clean song and play it for them. Today’s kids just buy the Wal-Mart clean version of 50 Cent, play the whole thing for their parents and off they go to a concert that is anything but nice. Lots of cursing, racial epithets, police tape, racism, violent scenes, the works.
What the whole argument boils down to is personal responsibility. Teach your kids right from wrong, and use discretion is your habits. Sure, some kids might start a fight club or mimic pro-wrestling but the vast VAST majority don’t. Don’t cut down the whole tree because of one bad apple. I think the best arguments of all when you come across one of these social manipulators are: What did Hitler have in his iPod? What did Genghis Khan watch on TV? What did the slave-traders buy on DVD? What video games did the Crusaders play? The answer is so simple, it’s absurd: morals make the person not the ways they are entertained. So leave them alone, and try turning off things you don’t like instead of ruining it for those of us who like to be entertained.
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