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Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. Tashmere Send a noteboard - 07/02/2010 11:52:02 PM


1. Are there any books that should ever be censored? If so, why? If so, which ones? Who should decide what books are censored and for whom?

2. Should any books be withheld from libraries in high schools? If so, why? If so, which ones? Who should decide what books are withheld?

3. Name five books (aside from religious works) that you think have had a massive impact on the world, and at least one that is frequently overlooked on lists of that sort.

4. Do you think any of the books you listed in point 3 should be read in schools as mandatory reading? Why or why not?

5. Name five books (aside from religious works) that you think SHOULD be mandatory reading in schools (or at least "on the curriculum" if you don't like the word "mandatory"), and why.

6. Do you think schools are too careful in choosing books due to pressure from those who would censor the curriculum? If so, which sorts of books do you feel are unjustly censored?

7. Do you think schools place too much emphasis on particular themes or ideas when choosing their curriculum? If so, which ones?

8. Are there any authors you would remove from school curricula who are presently well-represented? Why?

9. Are there any authors not represented that you would like to see added generally? Why?

10. Is there ONE book (aside from religious works) that you think EVERYONE should read? If so, what book and why?


1. Censored in general? No. Censorship is a double-edged sword. I wouldn't play with it. I don't think that anyone is responsible enough to handle wielding it. I wouldn't want to be where anyone was trying.

2. In highschool? That may be a little different but more for financial and liability purposes. Some books simply aren't worth buying for the libraries and other books would open the schools to lawsuits if they carried them and students happened to have used them before committing a crime on themselves or society. I don't think that books on how to commit suicide or build bombs with everyday household cleaners would be something schools should have on the shelves.

I will have to come back to this later. I have a headache that is getting worse by the minute.

I liked your questions, Tom. I had good arguements with myself yesterday while thinking about them.
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Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 05/02/2010 05:15:17 PM 1366 Views
Interesting post - 05/02/2010 06:19:06 PM 873 Views
I agree. One Shakespeare is sufficient. *NM* - 06/02/2010 06:42:51 AM 323 Views
Oh, fun! You mentioned the 语录 by Chairman Mao... - 06/02/2010 06:35:21 PM 781 Views
Tough Subject, censorship - 05/02/2010 07:24:39 PM 904 Views
tough questions - 05/02/2010 08:26:30 PM 846 Views
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we coverd most of those things as well - 06/02/2010 08:08:22 PM 950 Views
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What about... - 18/02/2010 06:57:56 PM 1075 Views
Hmm. - 05/02/2010 09:11:13 PM 853 Views
Love the survey. - 05/02/2010 09:42:29 PM 966 Views
Interesting. Do you really think that Nineteen Eighty-Four is plausible? - 06/02/2010 10:13:56 AM 815 Views
It doesn't have to be plausible as a whole to be relevant. - 06/02/2010 08:28:20 PM 813 Views
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You raise an interesting point. - 06/02/2010 06:06:20 PM 801 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 05/02/2010 11:09:41 PM 939 Views
Nietzsche as mandatory reading - that's a fun idea. - 06/02/2010 06:00:29 PM 886 Views
Re: Nietzsche as mandatory reading - that's a fun idea. - 06/02/2010 06:03:59 PM 862 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 05/02/2010 11:47:08 PM 931 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 06/02/2010 12:11:06 AM 805 Views
I agree with most of that. But to quote our eminent Camilla... - 06/02/2010 10:30:15 AM 911 Views
I agree on the Shakespeare (and mentioned that below). - 06/02/2010 05:54:50 PM 807 Views
Re: I agree on the Shakespeare (and mentioned that below). - 06/02/2010 06:05:48 PM 916 Views
I don't think high school students need to discuss possibilities for staging. - 07/02/2010 01:36:03 AM 759 Views
I think there is value to discussing staging - 07/02/2010 01:52:47 AM 762 Views
nice post - 06/02/2010 01:27:23 AM 782 Views
Re: nice post - 06/02/2010 01:29:34 AM 797 Views
A lot of people think von Clausewitz is important. - 06/02/2010 05:51:44 PM 718 Views
More than Sun Tzu? *NM* - 06/02/2010 08:31:44 PM 300 Views
Sun Zi was relatively unknown in the West until recently. - 07/02/2010 01:30:06 AM 775 Views
Sure, but he could still have influenced world history by influencing Asia... *NM* - 07/02/2010 01:35:17 AM 327 Views
Doubtful. - 07/02/2010 01:41:01 AM 785 Views
Tom, you did not just write that - 07/02/2010 10:12:40 AM 823 Views
The Mongols are not East Asian. They are Central Asian. - 07/02/2010 03:06:19 PM 804 Views
Neat. - 06/02/2010 06:41:37 AM 1045 Views
Brave New World is an excellent choice. - 06/02/2010 05:15:15 PM 733 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 06/02/2010 01:44:07 PM 904 Views
I agree that Shakespeare is over-emphasised. - 06/02/2010 04:29:16 PM 673 Views
Before responding to others, I'll post my own responses - 06/02/2010 04:26:53 PM 933 Views
Re: Before responding to others, I'll post my own responses - 06/02/2010 10:34:10 PM 753 Views
Hmm. - 06/02/2010 11:33:02 PM 815 Views
New Zealand has culture? - 07/02/2010 03:25:28 PM 976 Views
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The Whale Rider is lovely. - 10/02/2010 02:36:01 PM 678 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 07/02/2010 11:52:02 PM 845 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 08/02/2010 03:14:24 AM 1030 Views
Re: Censorship, promotion of books and dissemination of ideas. - 11/02/2010 10:58:23 PM 909 Views

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