Obscenity And The Case For Censorship example essay topic

Pornography and obscenity is all we see and hear about today in the news, with no exception to most movies and even TV. As of 12 years old this issue strikes a bigger interest than in the past. When I flip through the channels and see the news or watch a TV show there is something always on that a younger child should not be watching or learning about unless they are older. When the world censorship is thrown around it is a very controversial issue with the rights of the people and the way the company's want to present their product. When Irving Kristol wrote his article "Pornography, obscenity and the case for Censorship" he was putting down his views and his opinions the topic of censorship and all the other obscenities in the world. Kristol is proposing a very conservative and clean way to view American literature with all its freedoms to publish what ever is wanted.

When reading his article it brings up many different points such as her main point of; "for the plain fact is that we all believe that there is a point at which the public authorities ought to step in to limit the 'self-expression' of an individual or a group" (604), this is exactly the way I feel on the topic. When reading this article you have to look at the central claim that the author is making and agree with him or disagree. when going through this reading there where areas of its claims that have you thinking about our society and culture as a whole, that we are a species that loves its different types of uncensored media as well as its pornography and violence in their sports and everyday lives, "no society can be utterly different to the ways that its citizens publicly entertain themselves. Bear baiting and cockfighting are prohibited only in part out of compassion for the animals; the main reason is that such spectacles were felt to debase and brutalize the citizenry who flocked to witness them" (604). When Kristol speaks about his ideas of censorship; his claim that one day, not now but someday soon that the government is going to have to take this issue of censorship within a society and place in their hands.

In essence Kristol is saying that this issue of censorship is not being carried out forcefully enough and it is hurting our society in the long run. Kristol makes a very valid point that when a society does have censorship and / or have a mutual understanding on what is obscene and what is not it works better for a society as a whole, .".. Britain, until a few years ago, you could perform almost any play you wished, but certain plays, judged to be obscene, had to be performed in a private theatrical clubs". (606) see even though that there are certain obscenities even with societies and their entertainment it would not affect American society that adversely. Censorship in other words is a good thing for society and its people. If this country looks at an issue such as obscenity and does nothing about it, it seems that our quality of life is going down as a culture here in the United States.

If we did instate a system of stricter censorship such as Kristol is suggesting it would not affect our country in the wrong way yet improve life quality for most without affecting the people who still want to obtain the obscene media or literature, .".. while still other books had to be read in the library. In both cases, a small minority that was willing to make a serious effort to see an obscene play or book could do so. But the impact of obscenity was circumscribed, and the quality of public life was only marginally affected". (606) The bottom line here is with everything in society today from obscene and graphic pornography and much violence in the media and in movies and TV censorship is a good idea for this country. Censorship will only bring down the convenience to our lives, as well as very minimally affect artistic ability. It will allow us to be more open and give our children as well as the average man the ability to watch TV or read literary works in a state of well being.

Kristol says it best when talking about what it will allow us as a country and society and the works that we produce, "I doubt that many works of real literary merit ever were suppressed". (606) that is one of the main reasons we can have censorship as well as have great literary and artistic works happening. This is just what needs to happen in our country, "I'll put it bluntly: if you care for the quality of life in our American Democracy, then you " ll have to be for censorship". And that is the bottom line.