Censorship can be loosely defined as the suppression of content in any form of communicative material that may be considered sensitive, harmful or objectionable by a censor. When talking of issues pertaining to a nations security, censorship finds a well-qualified place. However, in a society like today's, it is ludicrous to expect that censorship of improper content and language in public media by a government body or any other agency will in any way do good to mankind. Most especially when the argument being made is scattered with loosely defined words like "improper content" and "questionable language".

Censorship has in one form or the other prevailed in society over centuries. A this-is-right-and-this-is-wrong standpoint by any one particular body only serves to create feelings of unrest and consternation in one party or the other and hence should not be advocated. The ambiguity of what can or cannot be viewed only lends itself to such controversy. It is for each individual to decide for himself/herself, what content is appropriate and what is not, and in the case of a minor it is the responsibility of the concerned guardian or parent.

That the reduction in portrayal of violence in the media will somehow decrease crime rate is an argument that is flawed from the word 'that'. The causes of violence go beyond portrayals of anger and might in the media, and those are the ones that need to be researched and dealt with. An argument based on such a basis is comparable to claiming that it is the printing industry that is responsible for child abuse, that the banks are being robbed because Mr. Bachan does it in some movie, or that children have started smoking because they've heard that Mr. Khan does so.

Allowing censorship by a governing body would mean handing over a tool to certain sects of society that would not hesitate to use this to further their own propaganda, which is NOT unheard of in today's world. For example, a dictatorial regime could use such policing to suppress the spread of politically sensitive content and the rise of resistance. Or a theocratic government, as we have seen in the case of Europe, could use and has used such means to oppress the masses, thwart invention and the hinder the quest for knowledge. Governments have been known to and accused of using censorship to falsify scientific research, school- textbook material, amongst other things to abet its own interests.

Also, in the world of the world wide web it is absolutely farcical to think it is possible to try and control what content is available, what can be viewed and by whom. The problem is only compounded by the fact that the technology is only emerging and is hence more vulnerable.

Censorship not only curbs the right to freedom of expression but also prevents open debate about sensitive social and religious issues like homosexuality, prostitution, etc. An intellectually stimulating discussion of such like matter is of prime importance in not only creating awareness but also in impeding the creation and spread of fanatical sentiments.

Promotion of sensible and realistic censorship at home is a more pragmatic proposition. Yes, young minds are impressionable- but it would be fallacious to think that one could control somehow a child's perception by just removing a few scenes from a movie or beeping the bad words. It could be just an ordinary bus ride that could teach him about chain snatching, absolutely atrocious language and sexual abuse- what do you, stop him from taking the bus? Parental guidance is the need of the hour. The concerned bodies can be brought in to bring about regulation of timing of shows, after a survey and a generalization of the TV-time that children are allowed- this being the extent to which these bodies are allowed to exert power.

To conclude, it is absolutely imperative that a child/ person be aware of what is happening in and around the world he lives in and later has to face. This will facilitate the individual in equipping himself/herself to not only thrive but also prosper by making informed decisions that are based on a thorough understanding and analysis of consequences of what has happened and issues that are being created by what is happening today. Disallowing particular things in one region of the world is not going to stop people from just migrating to a place where these things are not illegal. Only prevention of the availability of "improper" content in public media does not in any way reduce the chances of a person being exposed to them, and in these cases caught unawares.

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Sentences you've GOT to use at least once in your lifetime

1. It was neither the lack of acuity nor that of acumen that actuated her drop into an abyss of academic abasement and her climb to the acme of acerbity ever seen in a lady.

2. The hirsute hoary filled with hubris of his hortatory talent failed to see how humdrum his homilies actually were.

Just because she comes off strong doesn't mean she didn't fall asleep crying and even though she acts like everything is fine, maybe, just maybe, she's really good at lying.

As Sri Lankan players click away with their cameras at the air lift they're getting from the cricket ground, and I totally completely understand their excitement, be as it may that the air lift was necessary because of the attack on 6 of their players- Modi shoots out at Sonia Gandhi for being a "foreigner" and for selling out the Indian farmer.

Gen. Qureshi takes on a defensive stance and tells India that we don't really want peace with their country while at the same time, answering each question with a question of his own- why does the world point a finger at the Pakistani government or the ISI the minute there's a terror attack anywhere in the world. Speculation on our parts, is accusation and finger-pointing to Gen. Qureshi today.

The Ambedkar issue along with the ever green Ayodhya ticket are ALL the BJP have on their side, to even be able to get a few news reporters to gather around. Hindus, muslims, tamilians, farmers, foreigner- where the hell do these divides come from but such like assholes.

The ordinary Indian student sits in his college canteen picking up the news on the radio and shakes his head in defeat, remembering that India is actually the flavor of the month amongst the terrorists, and wondering what the week is yet to bring.