From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Mon May 27 2002 - 21:24:01 MDT
We all exhibit various levels of disapproval when reading
posts. The question is, what is the appropriate way to
express our disapproval, or feelings, or opinions, and
what terms should be used?
In the 1970s and '80s, several times a Vice President of
the United States strongly condemned the opinions coming
from some quarters. Because of his position, and because
of the language he used, cries of "censorship!" could be
heard. It's similar in many ways, though not all, to
recent Extropians cries of "censorship!".
Samantha Atkins wrote (off-line communication)
>Censorship requires force (and perhaps something more stringent
>than just that). Requesting someone stop beating on a subject
>that is painful and arguably disruptive is not in the least
>censorship.
I am compelled to agree completely.
>Even a list moderator ending a thread is not censorship
>as a list is a private place that the moderator is
>charged with keeping going according to its charter.
But this seems to me to be going too far. Due to the
meanings of the words involved, were a list moderator
to end a thread, or to take any forceful action whatsoever,
we must conclude that censorship has occurred. (I'm hardly
saying that it's always wrong---I gather that a gun debate
was once forcefully taken off this list, and that may have
been entirely appropriate, especially if due to list
volume, other issues were being driven out.)
To be absolutely sure, this latter form of censorship,
provided it occurs in a free country, is not at all
as repulsive as the actual shutting down of an individual
or forceful suppression of views. To shout down a speaker
at a rally, for example, is tantamount to censorship.
But clearly, no one can really be shouted down on an online
forum. The nearest thing to that---and although quite
deplorable---is "piling on", which is an effort to exert
social pressure in place of reasoning and debate. But
even that's not censorship, I submit.
>I hardly see why a request and expression of extreme
>discomfort is censorship.
Yes. What concerned a number of us, including me, was the
forcefulness of the requests---sometimes demands---that
certain topics be avoided, that certain persons not submit
an intended post. Such was the language used that I inferred,
perhaps incorrectly, that the parties writing would be very
happy if censorship were imposed by the list authorities.
So, in conclusion, I would ask those crying "censorship!" to
rephrase their expressions of dismay. I would also appeal to
those protesting a certain discussion topic to attempt to provide
reasons why a topic should not be discussed, beyond "it makes
me sick", or "it's counter to Extropian principles to discuss
that".
Thanks,
Lee Corbin
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