So on the strength of a discussion this weekend about good words to describe breasts, I had a line of thought. I wish there was more censorship on TV
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I have to admit, I don't recall any inappropriate fig leaves or chiseling the last time I checked them out. I do, in fact, remember feeling vaguely inadequate in the face of his David. Although I do recall a Plexiglas/lexan shield around one of his Pietas to protect it from vandalism. (The story went that some guy who had a problem with his mother attacked it as a scene of motherly love.)
I agree with you that defacing Michaelangelo is a horrific thing to do. I'm even very much inclined to agree with you about censorship. However, I'm of the opinion that the Super Bowl thing really shouldn't happen in the future, and trying to come up with something that would prevent it.
Incidentally, I'm not a fascist. The distinction being that I don't want to sanitize things, simply make them more subtle. I'm worried that removing the obscenity and profanity laws would allow more ridiculous stunts to happen, an ever escalating quest for shock and awe. While I'd like to see creativity, I don't really want to see it in more innovative ways of displaying or flaunting the body parts in question. Frankly, I'd really rather not see them at all in that context. (For one thing, talk about objectifying women. And men, come to think.)
Although you're pretty much dead on about the slippery slope thing. "You should show the same consideration before asking the government to get involved as you would before burning down an orphanage." Sorry, knee-jerked a little.
However, I'm definitely of the "something must be done" school of thought. As much as I hate to abandon the middle ground, I think it's not serving anybody particularly well.
However, I'm of the opinion that the Super Bowl thing really shouldn't happen in the future, and trying to come up with something that would prevent it.
Yeah? And you really think more stringent censorship will help?
I'm worried that removing the obscenity and profanity laws would allow more ridiculous stunts to happen, an ever escalating quest for shock and awe.
See, I'm of precisely the opposite opinion. And the thing is, history and statistics are on my side. More lax standards of censorship remove the lure of the forbidden, thus making "shocking" stunts less shocking and thus less likely. Whereas the more exacting and puritanical you make the laws, the farther people will go to break them utterly.
Sorry Dave, but I just can't see eye to eye with you on this one. Something must be done, indeed - but I think the something in question is not agonizing over Ms. Jackson's breast and getting the hell over nudity of any kind. Its only a big deal if we make it a big deal.
I agree with you that defacing Michaelangelo is a horrific thing to do. I'm even very much inclined to agree with you about censorship. However, I'm of the opinion that the Super Bowl thing really shouldn't happen in the future, and trying to come up with something that would prevent it.
Incidentally, I'm not a fascist. The distinction being that I don't want to sanitize things, simply make them more subtle. I'm worried that removing the obscenity and profanity laws would allow more ridiculous stunts to happen, an ever escalating quest for shock and awe. While I'd like to see creativity, I don't really want to see it in more innovative ways of displaying or flaunting the body parts in question. Frankly, I'd really rather not see them at all in that context. (For one thing, talk about objectifying women. And men, come to think.)
Although you're pretty much dead on about the slippery slope thing. "You should show the same consideration before asking the government to get involved as you would before burning down an orphanage." Sorry, knee-jerked a little.
However, I'm definitely of the "something must be done" school of thought. As much as I hate to abandon the middle ground, I think it's not serving anybody particularly well.
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Yeah? And you really think more stringent censorship will help?
I'm worried that removing the obscenity and profanity laws would allow more ridiculous stunts to happen, an ever escalating quest for shock and awe.
See, I'm of precisely the opposite opinion. And the thing is, history and statistics are on my side. More lax standards of censorship remove the lure of the forbidden, thus making "shocking" stunts less shocking and thus less likely. Whereas the more exacting and puritanical you make the laws, the farther people will go to break them utterly.
Sorry Dave, but I just can't see eye to eye with you on this one. Something must be done, indeed - but I think the something in question is not agonizing over Ms. Jackson's breast and getting the hell over nudity of any kind. Its only a big deal if we make it a big deal.
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