Banning books and other arts does harm to us all.
Why did I only just learn about Banned Books Week?
That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I would like to share some thoughts I have on this topic.
Both as a writer and reader, I am totally against banning books. Censorship of this nature is specifically targeted in the name of “protecting” children or some such – but that’s never the truth of it.
Most of the banned books – past and present – represent something that makes someone in power uncomfortable. Be it race, gender, religion, sexual preference, class, or what-have-you – banning books is all about someone in power lashing out at someone or something making them uncomfortable.
Banning books doesn’t make the topic they cover- nor those they represent – go away. Instead, they narrow viewpoints and create unnecessary conflict and disparity.
This can lead to intolerance, unkindness, a lack of compassion, hatred, and at the word violence and death.
Why? All because somebody felt their power being threatened – so banning a book allowed them to react in some way.
But it serves nobody.
We all have different tastes
The arts are often controversial.
Whether it is books, “obscene” paintings, “disturbing” music, or the like – not every art is for everybody.
That’s the nature of the beast, frankly. And every single one of us has different tastes and finds various things appealing and not appealing.
Take music, for example. I love a wide variety of music. Rock, showtunes, classical, instrumental jazz, folk, and other random artists and genres.
I am not a fan of country music, rap, R&B, and numerous other genres. Why? Because they don’t appeal to me.
However – I know they appeal to others. And recognizing that – I have no problem at all letting those others enjoy what they enjoy.
Every single person on Earth has likes and dislikes. All of us are into and not into arts of varying types. My father and sister, like me, are avid book readers. My mom and stepdad, however, only read magazines, newspapers, and web articles. To each their own.
Banning something that we dislike makes ZERO sense when all is said and done. Just because we are offended by something doesn’t make it bad, wrong, or worthy of censor.
Ah, you might think, what about neo-Nazi propaganda, white supremacist websites, and such? Most of these follow an ideal of destruction, hatred, and most disturbingly – call for the death, enslavement, imprisonment, deportation, or general disempowerment of people who are different. Frankly, that’s not art – it’s propaganda with the intent to do harm and hurt people. That’s not the same as controversial art.
Even if it offends, controversial art intends no harm, but rather to shock, awaken, and make people think.
Books, art, and music people seek to ban are cited as being potentially harmful. Unlike propaganda, they’re just works of art that don’t appeal to everyone.
Banning books is closed-minded
There are a loud minority of people out there right now with far too much money who are seeking book bans and the like.
They like to claim they’re protecting our “values” and “morals” by banning books. Maybe that’s partially true – but it’s not for everyone.
My moral compass and my values are not the same as yours. There might be similarities – but they’re simply not the same.
While many Americans identify as one stripe of Christian or another – Christians are not alone. There are also Muslims, Jews, Hindus, agnostics, Buddhists, and every other religious and spiritual philosophy/ideology you can imagine in the USA. And we all have different morals, values, and beliefs from our spiritual paths alone.
Banning books and other arts comes from fear that the “other” will take away something from your perception of your character. And by character, this might be a nationalistic viewpoint, religion, caste, or whatnot.
We live in an abundant Universe. Within it, there is more than enough room for our differences.
That goes deep into the depths of our mindset/headspace/psyche selves. But even further into our subconscious selves and all values, beliefs, moral codes, and habits therein.
Be kind, unwind
There are almost 8 billion people on this planet. Each of us has our own, unique perspective of life, the Universe, and everything.
Odds are, we’re not alone in the Universe. I suspect the main reason an intelligent life from elsewhere in space hasn’t contacted us is that they can see how we fail to get along with one another. If they are smart enough to find their way here, they’re smart enough to recognize how messy our interpersonal relational abilities are.
Banning books is a part of intolerance. People ban books and other arts because they fear those who are different. Why? I think it’s a false sense of lack, and that there’s scarcity that the “other” will emphasize and abuse to make them miserable.
When we pause and reflect, I think most of us desire kindness, compassion, and empathy from others. Why has this become so difficult?
Because certain so-called “leaders” keep telling us kindness, compassion, and empathy make us weak. But that’s simply not true at all.
Banning books and other arts is not kind, useful, or in any way helpful. Rather, it’s unkind and unfortunate. The narrow view banners of books and art are striving to preserve is missing out on a lot of amazing potential and possibilities.
That’s why banning books and other arts does harm to us all. Hence, why I for one stand against bans and similar censorship.
Why are we so afraid of our differences? Why can’t more people unwind and be kind? This is a choice to be made. Banning books and controversial art is – to be perfectly blunt – not the correct choice for greater personal knowledge and empowerment for all.
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