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Censorship in modern society
Effects of censorship in media
Censorship in modern society
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Starting from the previous couple decades, labels such as ‘Parental Discretion’ and ‘PG Ratings’ have emerged. All of this is an effort to challenge the content that roams free in the media around us. Music is a universal ‘language’ that has spread and mostly effects each and everybody’s life simultaneously. Artists create music for their listeners but it goes through all the censorship regulations implied to ‘protect our society’. Is it really working? I don’t think so. Today, people themselves choose to be offended as artists and performers have worked their way around saying what cannot be said.
Censorship has been around in one way or the other in America. Certain forms of music, poetry, and dance were banned by Spartan rulers during ancient Greek times (Newman, 2000). These sorts of actions towards material seen as objectionable have repeated themselves throughout history. Since the 1950’s, and continuing today, music listeners across the country have protested some of music’s content and/or lyrics.
The following are just a few publicized incidents during that time frame:
1954- Webb Pierce’s, “There Stands the Glass”, is banned the radio as the lyrics are believed to condone heavy drinking.
1956- ABC bans Billie Holiday’s rendition of “Love for Sale” because of its prostitution theme.
1993- Superstores Wal-Mart and K-Mart refuse to carry Nirvana’s album, “In Utero”, because they object to the cover art and one of the song title’s Shortly after becoming the number one selling album in America, Wal-Mart and K-mart agree to carry “In Utero”; unveiling the album’s back cover art, and changing the name of the objectionable song from “Rape Me” to “Waif Me”.
1999- The National Football League (NFL) drops a series of ...
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...nsorship in America may become as extreme as in other countries. In 2003, The Rolling Stones album, “40 Licks”, had four of its songs removed from it altogether before it could be released in China. All four songs (“Brown Sugar”, “Honky Tonk Woman”, “Beast of Burden”, and “Let’s Spend the Night Together”) contained sexual content that the Chinese government found unacceptable for its citizens to listen to (Cowell,2003). Censorship, in its current form, may become an argument of tomorrow thanks to the internet and all of the music accessibility sites offered (Napster, i-Tunes, Win-MX, etc.). A recent report released by Forrester Research Inc. suggests that, by the year 2012, the sales of digital music will surpass those of physical music (i.e. CD’s, cassette’s, and vinyl records) (“Study: Music Downloads to Surpass CD Sales by 2012”, Nashville Business Journal.2008).
Lastly,music censorship also gives the impression that people are not mature or responsible enough to handle this type of music. Even with some kids listening to the music, there is no reason the censor it because chances are they have heard the words or phrases that are censored. There are people over 18 who can control what they are and aren’t listening too. In the article “Most Valid Pros and Cons of Music Censorship” it states, “People have the right to listen to the kind of songs they want ”, it also says in the same article “Children will be learning about sex, violence and drugs from other means and at a certain point of their lives” (Most Valid Pros and Cons). Censoring the bad things in music protects kids from things they will learn anyway, and people have a right to listen to the kinds of music and things they listen to and watch.
Nuzum, Eric. “Censorship Incidents 1950s.” Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America. Parental Adivsory, 2003. Web. 9 Nov. 2009. .
Censorship in music is a very controversial subject in today’s society. What is considered a form of artistic expression to some is also considered vulgar and inappropriate to others. But who ultimately gets to decide what is considered vulgar and what is not? Who decides who hears what in the music industry? The RIAA is responsible for applying the Parental Advisory stamp on every album that is released in the United States. The FCC is responsible for making sure that no vulgarities or controversial comments are aired on radio or television. But why is some content edited and other content not? I will try and explain these questions in our article.
Music is one of the most popular ways of expression and has been for generations. It makes us want to dance, inspires, soothes, relaxes, and sometimes tells us a story. Music is something the whole world shares and has brought together different kinds of people. However, there has been a question on whether some music has affected society negatively and crossed the line with some of its lyrics, content, and the persona of the artists. Certain music has been boycotted and even banned in the U.S. Pro-censorship supporters say that music is something that can deeply affect our society especially children who should not have to be subjected to things like violence, sex, drugs, or hate. However, being that music is a form of expression, censoring it would just be violating everyone's right to freedom of speech and expression.
The first amendment is the argument that many critics use when trying to eliminate music censorship. As stated in a global issues blog, “If censorship is made into law, it prevents artists from expressing themselves and conveying what message they want to get through to their listeners” (8 Most Valid Pros and Cons of Music Censorship). This is true because people have the right to freely say what they want and censorship limits what messages artists can convey to their listeners. Another strong argument against music censorship is how the meaning of a song can be changed by censoring it. One example of radio censorship is in Eminem’s song “My Fault” where lyrics about a girl overdosing on mushrooms is changed to a girl having an allergic reaction after eating a pizza with mushrooms on it (Strauss). The final reason why radio censorship does more harm than good is because it blinds kids to the real world around them. Censoring music is comparative to only showing happy and fun events on news channels. Children should be able to know what is going on in the world which they live in and they should not be mislead that the world is a problem-free, perfect society (Should Government Censor the Lyrics of Violent or Explicit Songs). Preparing the youth for the future is necessary for them to grow up and understand how to deal with issues in the
The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights exists because the Founders of our country understood the importance of free expression. The First Amendment states "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press . . ." (Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution 17). One of the ways the American people use this freedom of speech and expression is through the creation of the art form known as music. Music's verbal expression bonds our society through our emotions and experiences. This fundamental right of freedom of expression is being threatened by public and governmental groups who believe they have authority to monitor and decide what others should experience. The censorship of music lyrics is a violation of our First Amendment right, and public groups should not be allowed to bypass this right to censor obscene lyrics produced in the music industry.
That was not the only time a large retail store refused the sale of an item! In 1986, Wal*Mart stopped the sale of certain rock magazine, including Creem and Rolling Stone. (Family-Friendly..., 76) The company argued that the magazines conflicted with the family oriented atmosphere they tried to maintain. (Family Friendly..., 76) The same goes for the CDs with Parental Advisories. Wal*Mart and most large retail stores like it, will not sell any Parental Advisories CDs. Therefore, they have decided to clean up those CDs before putting them on the shelves, altering them in many ways to get rid of the so-called explicit lyrics.
Many bills have been passed to stop explicit messages in music from getting out. Censorship limits the amount of lyrics that get out to the community about violence. (History of Music Censorship) It may also limit anything in music that a community might find offensive to its values or beliefs. The lyrics presented in some songs are not appropriate for young adults. Some say music censorship goes against the First Amendment. It stops artists from expressing how they may feel. The profit on albums often goes down because of censorship. Censorship constantly targets rap and hip hop, and they are usually hit the hardest. (Forms of Music Censorship)
Music content is just one of the many issues that puts the First Amendment of our Constitution to work. On one hand people believe that lyrics should be censored so that people can be protected. And on the other hand, people believe that the First Amendment protects everyone's rights to free speech. Basically, it is a matter of whether lyrical censorship be accepted.
All of these criticisms towards music have even made the government step in and put
“Music is uniquely wonderful. It is incapable of being touched yet it touches everyone who is capable of hear sounds. It can seemingly evoke any emotion; we instinctively respond to happy tunes, mournful songs, beautiful melodies, inspiring anthems, stirring hymns, and majestic orchestrations.” (Doolan, Robert. 1985) There is no question that music is great part of society; it has been at civilization’s side whether it be the lyres and flutes of the ancient Greeks or how it calms or excites emotions and keeps armies in order during battle. Within society, there has also been social unrest and the desire for change. Protesting is the expression of a society’s concerns on current events of which they feel affected by whether it be through public rallies, picketing, riots or even bombings. Protest through music is one powerful medium for engaging people. Amidst what life throws at individuals, music has comforted the soul, provoked individualistic thought and opinion, and music draws people together through groups alike who have the same attachment or concerns with their surroundings. Whether it be rock, jazz, blues, rap, hip hop, dance, spiritual, or world, music has inspired artists to spill out their expression and views of society. Music is a universally effective tool of protest in generating social change and unrest as it continues to unite those with like ideas.
Music has always been a basic form of expression. From Antonin Dvorak, to Eminem, to even ancient, tribal music, it has been a medium through which individuals convey their thoughts and expressions. Today this medium is under attack. Everywhere we turn, everything we do and say is being scrutinized. We are being told what to say. We are being spoon-fed our emotions. No longer are we allowed to think freely, openly. All the censors out there are on the prowl for another piece to rip to shreds because it doesn't fit their description of what is decent and moral. What they fail to realize is that we don't make the music for them... We do it for release.
Smith, Claude J., Jr. "Bodies and Minds for Sale:Prostitution in Pretty Woman and Indecent Proposal." Studies in Popular Culture (1998): 91-99. Web.
Teens and the human populous have been draw to music, and the relief it gives off. As recent as the 1990’s, we’ve seen an increase in explicit and violent lyrics and deviant behavior in the music industry surrounding such genres as heavy metal, rock, rap, and gangster rap. During this past decade, lyrics are becoming more violent and sexually explicit. It is approximated that teens listen to an average of 40 hours of music a week, and somewhere along the way, a child will hear something derogatory, or cruel. Along with this, teens don’t necessarily interpret what is said through lyrics in the right manner. In one study, only 30% of those somewhat questionable lyrics by popular bands were comprehended by the teen population.
Censorship has always altered the lives of many people, whether they know it or not. People are constantly exposed to the censored version of entertainment. The movies they watch, the music they listen to, and the games they play have all first been screened through different rating systems to find anything in them that can be interpreted as “obscene”. Once someone finds something, the creator of the work has no choice but to delete, edit, and basically censor the offending portion, otherwise it never gets to see the light of public consumption. Censorship has been used for all different kinds of works, for all different kinds of reasons. The many examples of album covers provided at TabooTunes show different types ...