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The Big [Censored] Theory

(pudding.cool)
1444 points feross | 4 comments | 29 Aug 22 17:34 UTC | HN request time: 0.627s | source
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still_grokking ◴[29 Aug 22 21:08 UTC] No.32643578[source]▶
What's the moral here?

There is also a lot of censoring in the "western" world.

It's also mostly justified by the exact same "reasons" like the ones mentioned in that blog post. Especial the "but the children" "argument" is used the whole time. And if that gets boring than it's "terrorism". Than again "the children".

Also there are a lot of things one can't publicity say for political reasons.

In Germany for example most people know: If you want to watch some more "controversial" movies, or play uncensored games you need to get them on the gray or black market. The German versions are very often heavily censored, or there is just no German version at all because the content is outright verboten.

Also communication online gets censored. It's impossible by now to say some (still) completely "legal" but "not politically correct" things online especially around mainstream media.

The censorship in the EU gets also stronger every year. Now they banned "dangerous" foreign media… Actually without any grounding in established law. But who needs laws? It will take as always many many years until some judge will have the last saying and declare the things the government did as illegal. But than the game will just start again, also as always: Making illegal "laws" takes weeks. Getting rid of them takes decades. Then they change the wording, and you need to sue through all instance form the beginning. Ad nauseam.

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1. tgv ◴[29 Aug 22 21:21 UTC] No.32643715[source]▶
You’re really not making a strong argument by invoking the German example. The things that they forbid are mainly glorification of a most shameful regime. Holocaust denial comes to mind. Good riddance, I say.
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2. danjoredd ◴[29 Aug 22 21:26 UTC] No.32643782[source]▶
I think its less holocaust and more pornography these days. That and violent video games are heavily censored for nonpolitical reasons like gore, nudity, etc. I am glad they censor the holocaust glorification, but I wish they would leave in the other stuff.
3. still_grokking ◴[29 Aug 22 22:57 UTC] No.32644614[source]▶
Given the down votes I guess I've got misunderstood.

I didn't made any argument up to now. I've asked for the moral of that blog post in the light of the fact that there is also quite some censorship elsewhere in the world.

Sure, Chinese censorship is bad (and the examples given are partly laughable in my opinion). But censorship is bad in general. This applies the same to for example the censorship we have in the EU. (And no, it's not "only some Nazi things").

Also it's a notable fact that the "justifications" given for our censorship are the exact same as the reasons given in, say, China (or likely elsewhere).

The concrete censored content may differ, but behind that is the exact same line of reasoning: That there is "inappropriate" content the people need to be shielded from.

That motivation is the part that is questionable at least. (Now I've made an argument).

Actually this reveals a lot in which way governments think about the population, no matter the country.

Still there seems to be a lot of black and white thinking in the line of "But we are the good ones, we have reasons, but just look what the bad ones do". I refuse to take part in this narrative. The world isn't as simple as that.

4. int_19h ◴[30 Aug 22 22:05 UTC] No.32655776[source]▶
I still remember when they censored the Hitler scene in Castle Wolfenstein. You know, the one where he is presented as a raving syphilitic madman - literally the opposite of glorification. For those that haven't seen it, here's the comparison:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQ1eBiRRRo