Newspaper Publisher Disturbed By His Own Reaction To Walking Dead; Thinks Censorship Might Be The Answer
from the censorship:-still-never-the-answer dept
It's a very strange situation when a beneficiary of free speech call for limits on free speech, but that's exactly what happened recently in an editorial written by the publisher of a San Francisco community newspaper.
Stephen J. Moss, publisher of The Potrero View, found himself enjoying The Walking Dead a little bit too much. And that scared him. (via Reason)
I got drawn into watching AMC's "The Walking Dead," a ghastly television program that revolves around a zombie apocalypse. The show is so full of stomach-twisting mutilations — bloody decapitations, disembowelments, and amputations — that while viewing it I had to set aside my usual habit of TV snacking. Once the season ended I ordered the compilation of comic books on which is was based — almost five inches of death pornography — and topped that off with a 330 page prequel-like novel. Over the course of a few weeks, I became a reading zombie, gorging on dark depictions of depravity, torture, and killings.This doesn't sound all that unusual. People become fans of various cultural offerings all the time, and often immerse themselves in everything they can find related to it. But Moss feels it effected him negatively, something he clearly wasn't expecting.
I can't easily explain why I was attracted to this gloomy entertainment. But I do know that the gory consumption binge impacted me emotionally. Like the fictional characters I was following on pages and screens, I became more fearful, distrustful, and morose.Well, the simple explanation would be that the subject matter itself is gory, gloomy and morose. Like anything else, entertainment should probably be enjoyed in moderation. But sometimes you just can't help yourself and you binge. And, like any other type of binging, it may be followed by regret. So far, still no problem... unless you're Stephen J. Moss and you feel someone else may find themselves walking a mile in your fearful, distrustful and morose shoes.
Occasionally viewing or reading a brutal or sexual scene seems largely harmless, at least for grown-ups. But saturating ourselves with any set of images seems likely to mold our minds along particular channels.This is undoubtedly true. What Moss experienced is hardly truly obsessive behavior. He went into a dive and pulled out. Others may not recognize the dive until it's too late, or may be immersing themselves in brutality/sexuality for the dive itself. But this isn't a problem inherent in the content consumed. It's a problem with the person consuming, one that can be exacerbated by this imagery, but not one that can be created by this imagery. There's a rational approach to this subject, but Moss goes in another direction, questioning whether (subjectively) disturbing artistic efforts should be allowed to roam free.
I'm recovering from all that now, but the episode got me wondering how what we watch or read impacts us. We've long attached warning labels to shows and movies that have violent or sexual scenes. We used to censor or ban provocative books. Recent attempts have been made to regulate rap music and video games, lest they incite youth to aggressive acts. Liberals, libertarians, and secular intellectuals have typically dismissed such efforts as liberty-stifling government over-reach. Up until now I'd have agreed with them. But my immersion into the zombie milieu has prompted me to reconsider.Ah, yes. The "logical" solution would be censorship. If something affects Stephen J. Moss negatively, we should consider stifling, stunting or outright banning artistic efforts like these for the good of those less enlightened than Stephen J. Moss. If it's possible for even one person to be turned into a bloodthirsty (but morose) zombie killer by binge viewing, than it's high time we started blocking off anything someone might find disturbing, provocative or aggressive. Only once we've turned the nation's creative output into a bland pastiche that allows us to emulate society's teens and "experience neither highs nor lows," will we truly be able to save the future of America. Or something.
There's a lot of advice that counteracts this sort of thinking, most of it usually delivered to special interest groups with overactive imaginations. If you don't like it, shut it off. If you think your kids might be negatively affected by it, don't let them have access it. But don't go off on tangents based on a personal experience and project your subjective feelings all over the rest of society.
Free speech doesn't stop when you, as an individual (or even as an overly-concerned special interest group), feel your morality or sensibilities are being trampled on. Toughen up. Move on. Express your concern but realize that a call for censorship isn't the answer. As Neil Gaiman stated, defending speech you don't like is at least as important (if not more) as defending the stuff you do approve of.
Because if you don't stand up for the stuff you don't like, when they come for the stuff you do like, you've already lost.You'd think someone running a community paper might realize how problematic a call for censorship of unpleasant speech might be. Or at least see how calling for censorship of other media forms might make them look a tad hypocritical. But this sort of clear thinking is often pushed aside by disturbing personal experiences, resulting in regrettable calls for action. (See also: nearly every piece of legislation crafted in the wake of a tragedy.) Moss' editorial isn't the most dismaying call for censorship I've seen, but his position and where it appears makes it notable. He should know better.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: censorship, potrero view, stephen moss, violence, walking dead
Reader Comments
The First Word
“Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
What an idiot...
What a moron.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What an idiot...
Well, here is something I would be glad to pay for and would love to see it on Pay-Per-View.
Stephen J. Moss in an Arena having to face 50 Zombies with only a small Campfire Axe to Defend himself.
Now that would be an Awesome Sight !
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[Longs for UK TV.]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Mass media censorship - not only the refuge of narcissistic idiots, but also highly ineffective.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Makes much more sense than meddling with my rights and everybody else's rights.
Also, he's a moron =D
Hopefully he won't sue me for expressing my opinion =D
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Might as well post your opinion here, since (not surprisingly) there's no way to do it on Moss' website.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Liberty
Is the guy's name Stephen J. Moss(first of post) or Stephen J. Ross?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Liberty
It's Moss. Somehow Tim got spun around a bit in the middle of the post and we didn't catch it in the editing process. Fixed now..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Singing GG Allin Covers would be an Appropriate thing to do when Stephen J. Moss is in the Audience.
Bite It You Skum !
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
This guy demonstrates the same faulty reasoning that has brought us the War on (some) Drugs and has made gambling illegal. Calling for laws to counter your own weaknesses only makes things worse for everyone.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just my own little nitpick, but why is it that people can't think about anything other than people on the same political ideological spectrum?
Would a Socialist actually enjoy a few discussions on how zombies are a part of society that describes our worst fears about our fellow man?
Would someone that is a Marxist actually talk a little more about communities if they were represented in the show?
How about anarchists?
Kind of one of those things where people who believe more in individual rights would actually supportmore conversation instead of preventing people from just talking about what to do during a zombie apocalypse.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Rose colored glasses?
However, I truly believe that censorship is an anathema to individual rights and freedom. Those who believe in personal freedom would view censorship as the ultimate evil (except, of course, when it is censoring themselves to avoid conflict with others.) The moment I take it upon myself to censor someone elses speech, I have discounted their individual rights in favor of my own, and there is only one word for that, tyranny. However, those with more statist opinions would view that as the good of the many outweigh the good of the few, which I have never subscribed to (except in life threatening circumstances, where the few volunteer to save the many.)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
I think it's obvious you've no introspection at all -- nor, as I've remarked several times, any notable self-awareness. You're just plain nihilists. People who want to create and build don't watch violence nor engage in violent video games. They're too busy at MUCH more entertaining activities.
Even if you pooh-pooh -- as you will -- my "moral panic", then you should at least follow the ancient Greek (I think) maxim: Moderation in all things.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
Including your postings. boy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
They're too busy at MUCH more entertaining activities."
Name one, boy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
Just as Moss did.
So much for the "...mature and thoughtful moderate who draws back from the brink of depravity and madness..."
He's a Puritan hypocrite who enjoyed it, then complains that he enjoyed it.
Just like you, boy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
So where does it end?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
Kind of hard to practice moderation in gory zombie stories when gory zombie stories have been banned.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
Including moderation
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: But why are you kids ALWAYS pro-violence and gore?
Oh, right, it's you - you can't attack what's actually being said so you have to attack a word or opinion not said in the article. Not typing a comment or even - god forbid - actually agreeing with an article wouldn't satisfy your strange obsession.
"People who want to create and build don't watch violence nor engage in violent video games"
What about the people who create violent videogames?
" the ancient Greek (I think) maxim"
The ancient Greeks who created myths about gods doomed to live for eternity having their liver eaten by crows every day or guarding the world of the dead? Or the Greeks who participated in Dionysian orgies?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The solution is of course to eliminate the mention of gore-related dietary choices from all media. I call for a ban on such frightening utterances!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Something about a pot and a kettle
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
jesus rose from the dead
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
'The "logical" solution would be censorship.'
LYING is rampant here at Techdirt. It's you little weenies who go into a panic at ANY thoughtful analysis of the current moral climate. And you can't stand opposition to your mindless hedonism and amorality. Above are at least two thinly veiled wishes for harm to Moss.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 'The "logical" solution would be censorship.'
Sigh...Let me break it down for you:
"We used to censor or ban provocative books[...]Liberals, libertarians, and secular intellectuals have typically dismissed such efforts as liberty-stifling government over-reach. Up until now I'd have agreed with them. But my immersion into the zombie milieu has prompted me to reconsider."
His words, not ours.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 'The "logical" solution would be censorship.'
Oh wait, Mr Stephen J. Moss?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 'The "logical" solution would be censorship.'
Like the "thoughtful analysis" of Seduction of the Innocent's Fredric Wertham who said comics caused juvenile delinquency, encouraged book bonfires, almost destroyed an entire arm of the entertainment industry, and has recently been revealed to have falsified his reseach to justify his hypothosis?
Good role model, boy!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 'The "logical" solution would be censorship.'
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Which the rest of the world is laughing about. So what?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Can we just lower our pitchforks for a second...?
Moss even comes to the right conclusion himself at the end of the blog post, which is kind of disingenuous leave out don't you think?!
I don't see a call to censor anything or ban TWD, the guy is just airing his thoughts about how an obsession has affected him (and I consider myself borderline obsessed with TWD) and how that has caused him to reconsider his views on an issue.
Guys, reconsidering your views is not a change in stance, or politics, or a signal to start a revolution - it's merely a signal that you're giving more thought to an issue and checking our own bias.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Can we just lower our pitchforks for a second...?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Can we just lower our pitchforks for a second...?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Let's censor calls for censorship!
EXACTLY. We should submit an op-ed to the paper that calls for censorship of his type of calls for censorship. Really drive the point home of how absurd the idea is, and do it in a way that couldn't be too far over his head.
Unless this was an Onion article I just took seriously. Because, c'mon, is this really a thing that happens in America, or did I just fall for satire?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Let's censor calls for censorship!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
He paid for this...
Walking Dead is on cable TV. It's not easily consumed unless you've paid money for the right to see it on AMC. So I have difficulty with the idea that we should censor something that has a pay wall around it already.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Where do they find those???
Those are the manufacturers that need to be regulated. If only Mr. Moss could have used the OFF button, he wouldn't have to needlessly suffer.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
http://www.rebuildgame.com/games/rebuild/
Humanity getting back on its feet and fighting back the Z-man. It usually gets me out of any zombie-induced morose state.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Guns don't kill people
I think this is a good analogy to the gun debate now. Freedoms and rights are being taken away to "save the children". Censorship or banning, it's all the same.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"I'm on the sidewalk to heck!"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I had a similar experience to Stephen
As a result, I went to the store and bought a machete and ball bat. I wanted an AR 15 but the gun control scare has prices so high I will have to wait on that.
Alas, I found no zombies to massacre and have returned to being a productive civilian. I can only imagine if the show had been about cats. I might now be in jail for going on a rampage against cats.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Nearly every piece of legislation; please name good legislation produced after tragedies?
No such animal exists.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Abortion is needed in some circumstances unless the politician want to be responsible for murdering women and defining the exceptions is virtually impossible without ending up with free abortion or some dead pregnant women.
What is porn? Illegalizing something without a surefire way of identifying it is 100% certain to curb legal speech.
Making it illegal to visit hookers is something Sweden have had some experience with. It hasn't removed prostitution except for the "out of sight out of mind". Since the laws are there to stop trafficing eastern europeans it is hard to say what the effect on that has been (dark numbers are dark), but it is 100% sure to have given worse working-conditions for the prostitutes. There are also several very problems with the definition. Also: "If you do that, I am willing to have sex with you" is now an encouragement to break the law...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This should be affected.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
relax girls
As for the free speech bs, let's agree to disagree. When fanatics call on fanatics to harm non fanatics then I have no moral dilemna shutting them off.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This is why there are no full time jobs rating tv shows, games, books etc...Not one human being is capable of multiple exposure to the things we aren't allowed to see, read etc...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
freespeech
[ link to this | view in chronology ]