We the people put a stamp of approval on the current government, but we better watch carefully.

I wonder if obama will use the same metric of "not having serious value and offensive" when deciding if censorship of his supporters is necessary?

http://theobamaforum.com/

Somehow I doubt it.

I read this blog yesterday, but decided not to comment. I was hesitant because I myself am somewhat undecided on this one, and I am not prepared to make anyone mad, or argue about something I do not even have a developed opinion about. As a knee-jerk reaction, I am against all forms of censorship, but this issue begs the question and I have to ask: Are we as a species constituted so that when we are exposed to something, be it pornography, violence or hate speech, that it effects us to the very depths of our being and changes our understandings of what we value, and our morality? If so, what does that reflect about us? If not, why is exposure to questionable material such a concern for every parent, and apparently for our government as well?

I definitely agree that we are shaped by what we experience. I am just unsure of the depth and breadth of that shaping.

I am just not currently prepared to accept that we do not have a small core of conceptual understanding of right and wrong that remains firmly with us despite whatever conditioning we may experience. To finally admit that we represent nothing more than clay on a potter's wheel, subject only to the whims of the potter, removes any pretense of blame, or praise - except that assigned to the potter.

As far as sexuality being an acceptable or taboo subject, I think historically it goes in and out of fashion, depending on the objectives of any given society. I am a little younger than you, but I also remember certain subjects being thoroughly "off limits". I do not know if that was universal though. Actually, I am pretty sure it was not, even within our own country. I imagine we were heavily influenced by those directly controlling our environment and in turn, they were heavily influenced as well.

I wonder to what extent the media shaped the understandings of our parent's generation. If I had to guess, it was every bit as much as it shapes the kids of today, perhaps just in a slightly different direction.

I still do not know exactly what I think about this, but I am hoping that questionable material appeals to those who are predisposed to whatever it is that they seek out, for whatever reason, and that it is not the exposure in itself that causes the disposition. To assume anything else, I think necessarily eliminates the faith in human autonomy that civilizations rest on.