Insufficient Authority - Do not open this thread

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by marichiko

Well, Rich specifically asked "Is there anything too disturbing for the average adult to handle?"

Yes, there is such a thing as proprietary information, and companies do have the right to that. I guess Rich will have to clarify further just what exactly it is he's asking.

I meant that outside of the damage that the information would do to others, (the nation, children, owners), is there anything that should be kept from someone to protect them from being too disturbed or disillusioned by it? Should we censor to protect the relative innocence of adults by not allowing them to see graphic sex or mutilation which goes beyond some extreme point? Should we censor to protect them from information which would dissuade them from being good citizens? Is there any information which could harm the average person just by viewing or hearing it and should they always have the choice to see it?

There was some SF story on one of the shows like Outer Limits or Twilight Zone about someone who comes back from (Tibet?) with a phrase that drives people insane upon hearing it. It begins to spread like a virus being passed from person to person.

Is there anything that really exists that could seriously damage the average persons psyche, and should anyone have the right to censor it?

We see horrible pictures on the Internet all of the time dealing with war, starvation, and disease. Is there anything too graphic for adult viewing?

Well, we can't make the evils in this world go away by turning our backs to disturbing things and chanting, "That is not really happening." I agree that some pictures/information are extremely disturbing. Some movies or TV programs will warn you beforehand, "Viewer discretion advised." The thing is, how can you make positive steps toward righting these wrongs if you don't know about them? Perhaps, the MORE upsetting they are, the more you should know. As far as citizens becoming demoralized by news about what the government is up to, I think everybody should have the right to that information, too. Sure, it will turn some people apathetic, but other people will become determined to try to make things better.

From time to time you hear of people being inspired to commit crimes after watching some violent film, but I can't help but suspect that someone that unstable in the first place would have eventually committed the crime, anyway.

I could probably make the argument that the networks shouldn't have been showing those scenes from 9/11 when it happened. I cried watching the news coverage, and everyone in the US was pretty shocked and upset. If 9/11 had been reported in less detail, would Americans stil have supported Bush in his stupid war? Would lying by omission have been a good thing? I think not. The American people get lied to enough as it is.