Censorship is never justified. Do you agree?

Censorship is the use of the authorized means to restrict speech. Censoring things may be a good way not to let certain information reach the general public as government may have things or information that they do not want to be revealed. By censoring Information, they can prevent it from happening.

However, the extent to which censorship should be implemented is a controversial issue. Right and wrong is subjective, without looking from the other point of view; one may not understand the implication of the particular action or speech, hence, attempt to censor it. We will not be able to determine what is justifiable or not as it lies in a grey region, and are a result of different perspectives and concerns.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/whodecides/definitions.html

The need to allow voices to be heard has led to a variety of versions regarding just a single issue. These may all seem reasonable or even factual, but the analysis done and personal viewpoints may not do right to everyone involved, thus the need of censorship. Although some do bring light to the vast community, some are just plain propaganda game or even bad lies that do not benefit anyone.

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1378676,00.html

These personal opinions are often lies or grumbles that are packaged into seemingly true information, and taken in as facts. Although freedom of speech is granted in some Western countries, it is often misused, and some may twist certain facts to achieve their goal. To prevent “demerit” material from reaching the population, the government will normally try to prejudge the materials involved. With failure to counter the argument, censors then blocks it before it gets disseminated to the public.

To this group of people, censorship is a need to make the world a better place, as things that “should not” be around, are not. It is a filter system to chuck away the impurities, flaws or unnecessary arguments that divide people and cause disharmony.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/16523/the_effect_of_censorship_in_howard.html

On the other hand, to the opposition of censorship, it is merely another method for the officials to cover up for themselves. The so-called discretion actually serves as a tool to block out information to be released to the public, so that the government may do whatever it wants, and not let the population know.

Some may argue that censorship is the society’s lack of confidence in itself, as mentioned by Potter Stewart. This is even more so, if the censored material is a controversial one, as it proves that there is something more to it, and the censors do not want others to find out. They do not realize that the action of censorship actually does act as a small publicity. As the saying goes, “forbidden fruit taste the sweetest”, so the more they do not want to let the other know about it, the more they will want to find out and they will try other alternatives to do so.

That proves the point that censorship gives the opportunity to block out the ideologies, but they fail to nip the bud of it. There may be undergrounds means of reaching the public which the censor do not know of, or cannot control. For one, there is piracy, which many tried to fight, but ended up In vain. So in order to prevent people from obtaining the materials, we should adopt a much sensible way of banning them, and cutting off the supply, rather than curbing the distribution.

In order to have a justified censorship, responsibility is much needed. As long as the Earth stays round, we will not be able to get everyone in the society to plays their part by adhering to the rules and regulations, hence, the need of censorship. Though it is so, the degree to which we do so, or the extent it covers, can never be justifiable, and pleasing to everyone.

Seeing may not be believing anymore, in this reality. We have to decide for ourselves what is right and what id wrong, instead of the usual sponge like absorbing of information. Censorship is merely another method of present information to you, and the final judgment is still on yourself.

http://www.quotegarden.com/censorship.html