| “Censorship is necessary in modern society.”
Censorship is an issue which frequently
generates a great deal of heated debate, with
supporters maintaining that it is vital in order to
protect society, whilst opponents claim that it is an
unjustifiable restriction of public access to
information.
Firstly, all countries have secrets which must
be safeguarded for reasons of national security.
For instance, if an enemy country were to acquire
such highly sensitive information, the effects could
be catastrophic. Consequently, governments have to
have the power to restrict access to information
concerning areas such as the armed forces or
particular aspects of foreign policy.
Secondly, it is often argued that censorship is
necessary to prevent the broadcast and publication
of obscene material which is considered offensive
or harmful to public morals. Many people feel that,
without censorship the public would be constantly subjected to material that the majority would find offensive. For this reason, the government has a duty to impose certain restrictions on the mass media by censoring films and texts which contain explicit scenes of sex, violence or foul language.
In contrast, opponents of censorship point out that when it is abused by governments, censorship becomes an instrument used to misinform society and maintain power. In order to control the flow of information which reaches the public, repressive regimes try to put constraints on the media, thus denying citizens the right to information owing to the fact that governments believe it may lead them to seek greater freedom.
Furthermore, it is generally felt that mature adults are able to make informed choices about what they watch, read and listen to and should, therefore, be permitted to make their own decisions. For example, some comedians make use of offensive language and taboo subjects in their performances. Critics of censorship argue that the only people who will watch or listen to such material are adults who have made a conscious decision to do so. Thus, it is claimed, it is unjust to censor material like this since it is not forced upon people who may subsequently be offended by it.
All things considered, it can be concluded that a certain degree of censorship is always necessary. The best course of action would be to attempt to achieve a balance between the requirements of the country and the public on the one hand, and individuals’ rights on the other.
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33. Read John Doe’s social and political viewpoints in 27 again. Choose one of them as a composition topic and write an essay in about 350 words.
