CENSORSHIP AND PORNOGRAPHY

CENSORSHIP and PORNOGRAPHY

(Thoughts on the freedom of the Press and other media).

by

JOHN ROBERTS (1999)

Introduction

Freedom is God's gift to all humanity: however, it is conditional in all its forms. There is no aspect of "Freedom" which is not curtailed or restricted in some manner. This has been so, throughout the history of humankind.

There are diverse kinds of freedom: physical and personal freedom: freedom to live as one wishes, within reason: Freedom of speech: Freedom of conscience: Freedom to educate our children as we see fit: Freedom to enjoy the environment in which we live: Freedom to develop our moral values: Freedom to dress as we like. One could continue to detail the various choices that we are permitted to make, as individuals, living, as we lucky people do, in a democratic and enlightened cultural environment.

Our personal liberty is subject to the principle that we respect the rights of others. This equally applies to our choice of domicile, subject to controls regarding nationality and immigration laws. Freedom of speech is limited by the laws of slander and libel, including the sanction of criminal libel. Otherwise, we can, generally, say what we like, except in certain totalitarian societies. Even in such enlightened communities as the United States, it has not always been wise for people to say what they felt, regarding controversial issues. We are free to enjoy the open-air, provided we do not pollute it too obviously.

Society has moral laws, which generally need to be observed and our behaviour needs to conform to these laws. Similarly, in regard to dress, we clothe ourselves in such a way as to declare our sex to other persons, in order to avoid confusion and embarrassment.

It will be apparent, then, that our freedom to behave in any particular way, is often restricted and curtailed by express legal sanctions or by the pressure of social mores and public opinion. During the second half of the Twentieth Century, we have witnessed a lessening of controls over freedom of communication.

There are now a greater number of avenues of expression of mass-communication, the principle medium being, of course, Television. We live in a social climate which has been, correctly, described as, "The Permissive Society".

Chapter l

The Film Industry

What then, do we observe in relation to mass-media communication at the present time, at the close of the Century? The Television and Film Industries, which seem to be internally responsible for their own censorship, present to the unfortunate filmgoer, a continuous barrage of irrelevant and irritating simulated sex-acts, in almost every film made today. This, in spite of the obvious fact that in most instances, sexual intercourse would be impossible, given the relative positions of the two people being filmed. To some extent we are called-upon to use our imaginations, as if the flailing limbs, passionate groans and jerking bodies are not sufficient indication as to what is supposed to be taking place. Nakedness, in itself, not necessarily an unhealthy or offensive state, is routinely presented as an incitement to sexual arousal, for both male and female audiences.

Some modern films appear to be largely devoted to the presentation of sexual scenes, without regard to the fact that they continuously interrupt the superficial plot of the screenplay, making it quite clear what is the idea behind the film in the first instance. It is well known that Scandinavian and French films are often of a semi-pornographic or even substantially pornographic nature.

It is equally apparent that few aspiring young actresses could hope to make a career for themselves in the film world, without the necessity for them to disrobe, from time to time. One need hardly speculate on the sexual implications facing young women, when obliged to strip before a host of film producers, directors and technicians. It is abundantly clear that these spicy scenes, in the vast majority of instances, add nothing to the story line and merely distract the viewer from the plot. That they influence the moral standards of young people everywhere cannot be doubted.

A further development from the spicy film is that of the expressly pornographic film, which has been with us for many years. Previously taboo, in respectable Western Societies, it is now gradually intruding into the lives of ordinary people, who would not normally exert themselves in order to watch films of an expressly sexual nature. The present lax system of rating films, permits many pornographic films to be presented for "adult" viewing.

There is, of course, a large market in which the public may obtain video-films, depicting nothing but purely sexual activities of a most explicit nature: usually between professional female prostitutes and degraded males. That such products should be banned and the producers and distributors of such material prosecuted in all decent societies, goes without saying. The material is filth: produced in order to take advantage of the weaker instincts of those who cannot think for themselves.

Then there is the issue of violence in film-making. One never ceases to be surprised at the versatility and ingenuity of film directors, in using modern techniques to portray images of butchery and mayhem, in an amazing variety of ways: all calculated to impress upon the immature, and sometimes the grown-up mentality, a picture of brutality and cruelty, which it is impossible to eradicate from the memory, for hours or days ahead. In spite of the system of rating of movies, ostensibly to enable parents to control or limit their children's access to such horror movies, children all too often are permitted by weak, drunken or lax parents to observe these terrifying scenes. I have already commented in my essay on "War and Weaponry", on the effect which such images undoubtedly have upon children. They go a long way towards warping and twisting the concepts that children have, of the real world out there. Added to the above, there is the increasing tendency for the display of horror scenes in cartoon-type entertainment, specifically designed for children. The ghoulish, sadistic and repulsive monsters depicted in such cartoons, be they in the printed page or on the film and television screen, are clearly unsuitable for presentation to young children: yet little children, as young as three or four, are regularly exposed to images of such grotesque, evil-eyed characters. All the hellish paraphernalia of the cartoonist is displayed as entertainment for children. The world turns a blind eye to the obvious psychological damage, which is being caused to children and simple-minded adults, by this torrent of visual and literary refuse.

The rot set-in many years ago, when the morbid, if brilliant, mentality of Walt Disney introduced ghoulish imagery into such films as "Snow White" and "Fantasia". It is only now, in one or two instances, following harrowing scenes of bloody massacres, perpetrated by children, in all parts of the world, that authorities are awakening to the dangers that are being deliberately created and promoted throughout the Western World. That the visual media must take the greater share of the blame for the creation of this disastrous situation, with regard to our modern youth, is clear. This includes the producers of computer games, which constantly depict images of humanoid robots: highly efficient killing machines, against which the child is called-upon to pit its skill. To suggest that the sustained and constant barrage of such images is relatively harmless, is to misconceive the nature of the childish mind and the long-term effects which a child must suffer from such repeated visual impressions.

If the film industry itself cannot control the production of obscene and harmful material, then Governments (and principally, the Government of the United States,) will need to give their attention to this urgent problem. It is not a question of relative morality but that of the safeguarding of the public interest. Whilst on the topic of "Public Interest", it might not be out of place to mention here the deplorable state of Television advertising, particularly here in Australia.

There is absolutely no Government control here, of the extent and content of TV advertising, which is left entirely within the discretion of the television companies themselves. The result is the poorest standard of television presentation in the world. This is true both as to content of programmes and the volume and type of television advertisements. It would be true to state that a greater proportion of viewing time is devoted to loud, repetitive advertisements, than to the programme which is presented as an inducement to viewers. It is not uncommon for a movie show to be interrupted six or more times per hour, each interlude lasting for a full five or more minutes. The broadcast volume is invariably increased considerably when ads are being shown.

These advertisements are often produced by people of poor taste and judgement and rattled-off by garrulous announcers, who are all too conscious of the fact that the add is only to last thirty seconds and requires the loudest and fastest declaration from them. The quicker the better! No consideration is shown to the viewer, who, happily, is able to use his remote control to reduce the level of irritation. The viewer has no say in this matter and is exploited to the hilt by the TV Companies. His only alternative is to switch off, which in the case of my wife and myself, is happening much more frequently.

At one time, it was true of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, (The ABC), that it presented a selection of good programmes, many of which were high-quality British programmes, for the entertainment of the viewer, without the irritating interruption of advertising. Whilst still free from this blight, the standard has fallen dramatically in recent years and is particularly related to Government insistence on the promotion of programmes made in Australia. As the general standard of Australian TV shows and films is third-rate, there is no incentive these days to watch programmes on the ABC TV network. Fund slashing has also resulted in the endless presentation of "repeat" programmes: time and time again.

There is one network, here, "SBS", a programme originally devised as a medium for reaching newcomers to Australia, of diverse ethnic origin. For many years this was funded by Governments, for political reasons, but for the past four or five years, has been forced to present advertisements, funded by commercial interests. Fortunately, these ads are only presented at the commencement and conclusion of programmes and are, generally, of an infinitely higher standard than those portrayed on the private commercial channels. It is unfortunate that the quality of some of the films presented does not conform to this higher standard, as many are of a type bordering upon the pornographic.

As my own and my wife's interest in television is not completely self-absorbing, we do not subscribe to any of the Cable-TV companies. Nor is this likely to happen in the foreseeable future.

In summary, therefore, it could be honestly averred that, Television, which could be a vehicle of the greatest cultural benefit to humankind, is the mere tool and plaything of commercial interests. It is a highly convenient vehicle for the brain washing of whole communities and a propaganda machine of immense value to political parties.

Chapter 2

The written Word

There have always been dirty books around. The stimulation of the sexual appetites by cheap literature has been popular for centuries. During the l9th Century, Society, on both sides of the Atlantic, would tolerate no foul language or unduly sensual imagery in printed matter. During the latter half of the present Century, the strict standards maintained for a hundred years have been relaxed, to such a degree, that we witness literature containing four letter expletives in monotonous and mindless repetition. The advent of graphic reproduction has also meant an increase in pornographic portrayal of lascivious sexual activity in magazines, expressly produced for the male market. Some twelve years ago, a centrefold portrayal of a charming young lady was left in the men's room of a workplace of mine. This lovely creature rather spoilt any aesthetic appreciation of her charms, by revealing her genitalia for the gratification of the reader's curiosity. It revealed more than just the lady's sexual charms: it portrayed the unfortunate fact that there are those who are prepared to exploit human weakness to its ultimate limit of degradation. There are also people, albeit quite charming, who will sell their self-respect for the chance of an easy "buck". The fact that society, in the United States and here in Australia: indeed, all over the world, is prepared to tolerate such explicit pornographic material in printed form, reveals the degree to which we have descended in our indulgence of grosser forms of sexual perversion.

It is a fact that millions of dollars have been made by those responsible for the production of such filth. Once again, it is not a question of prudery or excessive sensitivity to nudity or sexual activity, it is a question of the protection of the community from itself. The purveyors of this material are well aware of the nature of their product: that it is filth, designed to ensnare the unwary: that they are profiting from the greed and weakness of others. They have a weighty responsibility: like paedophiles and other corrupters of youth, persons who trade in sexual imagery are responsible for the contamination of minors: of the degradation of human beings. These are crimes that will exact a penalty of their own upon the perpetrators.

Generally speaking, newspapers adopt a responsible attitude towards the publication of salacious material, although their coverage of news events is, to say the least, less than objective. There are, here and there, newspapers which periodically publish photographs of naked or semi-naked females, to stimulate their more weak-minded readers. It merely remains to be affirmed that we read in newspapers what the proprietors wish us to read. Contrary to certain opinion, newspapers and other media mould and direct and do not merely reflect public opinion. Otherwise, I do not propose to comment adversely on the role that newspapers play in guiding the habits and interests of their readers.

Chapter 3

The Censor

It is evident that self-censorship does not work. It can be too easily argued that "standards are changing - one must move with the times", and hence a lowering of censorship categories is justified. There are individual bodies in all countries of the world, charged with the protection of public morals. These people are constantly under pressure to lower standards. Governments are too easily persuaded to surrender their direct powers of control to such bodies, which can themselves be influenced by bribery or other means.

That a more comprehensive form of universal censorship is needed in the present world, must surely be evident to the most indifferent of mortals. The gross contamination of public morals, which is reflected in such scenes as are described above, needs to be reversed. It is, once again, symptomatic of a spiritual malaise, which has affected all societies throughout the world. This malaise is reflected, more graphically, in our acceptance of expressly pornographic material. It is in the portrayal of sexual imagery and crude brutality in the visual media that, more than in any other field, the attention of the official censor is needed.

Whilst one feels, at times, that the Islamic world is functioning at a lower level of social sophistication than that enjoyed by Europeans, it is greatly to the credit of Muslims that, collectively, they oppose sexual deviancy and the promotion of pornographic material, which is so much a part and parcel of U.S and European lifestyles. Whilst, no doubt, this is due to the innate conservativeness of Muslims, it reveals a positive attitude towards a problem that constitutes a grave threat to stability in Western Society. It points the finger at one source of Western decadence. This is clearly evident to Muslims and is one reason for the increasing hostility of Muslims towards the degenerate influence of the West. The Christian world, in the past, has held itself out as culturally and morally superior, in many respects, to what has been seen, as the regressive and antiquated traditions of Islam. Whilst, in my view, there is much to criticize from that viewpoint, there is no doubt that the condemnation of those who produce sexually explicit material is a major plus, so far as Islamic morality is concerned. This is not to deny that pornography exists in Islamic countries. It does not intrude itself so forcefully and freely into the homes of the ordinary man and woman, as it does in the West.

The role of the Censor must, once again, be given its proper place in our Societies. It can no longer be a sinecure: a role for dilettantes. It needs a strong mind and a firm hand, to deal with the inevitable demands for freedom to contaminate.

Chapter 4

Conclusion

What then, is to be done to remedy this situation? Primarily, governments have to understand that the role of the Censor is vital towards the establishment and maintenance of sound emotional life within the Community.

The Censor must be a person (or body of persons) of sound character and deep commitment to the cause of the Public Weal.

He/She must be independent of Government and be thoroughly incorruptible.

He/She must have wide discretionary powers to exclude the publication, promotion, distribution and sale of pornographic material.

He/She must be supported by effective legal sanctions.

He/She must be guaranteed the fullest co-operation of the Law Enforcement authorities.

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The Public itself needs to be re-educated as to the harm which is caused to children and young people, by the dissemination of filth and violence in all societies.

The Public also needs to be counselled regarding questions of personal morality. How to approach this problem, raises the huge question of how to go about reversing social attitudes on a massive scale, when "Society" has spent fifty years undermining "old-fashioned" concepts, based upon religious principles. The dilemma for us is that, whilst the churches are still active in the Western World, their real influence is negligible, being entirely at a superficial level. Nowhere is this more painfully apparent, than in the United States, the most "religious" country on Earth and, at the same time, the most corrupt.

If people can believe in divine guidance, whatever its form, there is a great incentive for them to, at least, attempt to live in accordance with certain spiritual precepts. Without such a consciousness, there is merely the intellectual question of the relative merits of right or wrong. Most people are incapable of making a decision of this nature and, hence, they tend to drift with the tide. They take life as it is presented to them. Such people need the active interference of the Censor in their lives, who will make the decision for them, be it right or wrong. Without such unobtrusive assistance, they would find themselves exposed to a morass of erotic and violent images, which would increasingly undermine any latent moral perception they may have once possessed.

Forget about any illusions regarding philosophical questions on the need for unrestricted freedom. There is no such thing.

Unless something is done now to rectify this horrifying situation, in conjunction with necessary reform in other fields of human endeavour, we are looking ahead to a steadily escalating measure of violence and sexual confusion in the forthcoming Century.

Some responsibility for reform rests with all those associated with the communication industry. You have made a hell of a mess of things up until the present. If you do not act now, Governments will be compelled to act for you: to ensure that you do not continue to pollute the intellectual environment of this Earth any further.

One could be forgiven for being terribly pessimistic regarding the possible state of things in another twenty years. Nor would one need to be a prophet, to discern the calamities which will, undoubtedly, arise if action is not taken at an early date to rectify the mistakes which have been made in the past.

Mr Censor: I do not envy you your task. To have to peruse daily, a host of films, books, magazines and other publications, containing foul language, sexual imagery of a most lurid nature and other objectionable material, must impose a heavy burden upon even the most devoted and conscientious public-servant. However, you have the satisfaction of knowing that your work is vital to the maintenance of the intellectual and moral health of a huge community of, otherwise, ignorant and helpless human beings. Remember, their fate is largely in your hands: you have the power to remove from the public scene, that which you determine is wholly unacceptable to a fair-minded and decent society. At the end of the day you can congratulate yourself with the thought that you are, truly, the guardian of the Community.

POSTSCRIPT : The early months of the year 2002 reveal only too clearly the continuing downward spiral in the moral standards of a world-wide community. One wonders what on earth those persons, who are paid to look after the interests of the people, are doing with their time and our money. It seems to me that they totally abrogate all sense of public responsibility, judging by the increasing numbers of films which we view on the television and which indicate that the producers of films are exercising their imaginations very freely in the exploitation of sex as an entertainment attraction. Simulated sexual activity is the norm, nudity and even naked frontal male viewing is becoming increasingly more frequent. Foul language increases daily, so much so, that one is appalled at the frequency with which both male and female actors and actresses use the “fuck” word. All this is detrimental to public morality and does nothing for the youngsters who, inevitably, will be viewing this material, sooner or later. One hesitates to think about what our world will be like in a year or two. Perhaps by then, this writer will have moved-on to another sphere and will not be plagued with thoughts of how rotten our society is becoming. It goes without saying, that sex does nothing to add to the story line and only detracts from what might otherwise prove to be an intelligible and interesting film.

THE END

John Roberts Sydney, Australia, 19th January l999.

Amended 2 April 99.

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