We live in a coarse, vulgar society. Why? Entertainment is just another commodity in the open marketplace. The adult film industry would not exist unless individuals were willing to purchase explicit videos. Hollywood produces violent action movies because these films sell tickets.

Government intervention in any marketplace is usually ineffective, even counterproductive. Does anyone remember Prohibition? Will Rogers once joked that we could become the smartest country on earth if we just outlawed books for five years.

Put aside the obvious arguments about First Amendment freedoms... censorship and government controls simply do not work. The only impact of government intervention in the marketplace would an increased cost for trashy entertainment. Oh, and the profits from providing this illicit entertainment would flow to criminal enterprises rather than legitimate (read taxed) businesses. Does this remind anyone of the "War on Drugs?" Witness the abuses that happen when government is given near unlimited power.

The argument for censorship and government intervention usually invokes children. Parents are responsible for children, not government. Every television, VCR and radio has an "off" switch. Cable television allows parents to "block" offensive channels. Movies receive ratings to give parents better information about content.

Yes, it is difficult to rear civilized children in a coarse, vulgar society. It requires a great deal of work from parents. It means saying "no" to activities or divertisements that fall below one's standards or run contrary to one's values. Nonetheless, it is a responsibility for a parent, not a politician.

Culture will only change when we stop underwriting the most crass of commerical endeavors. Perhaps if we spent the same energy raising our children as we do amusing ourselves, the next generation might build a better society.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@att.net), October 31, 2000

Answers

You're right of course. Trouble is, it's not gonna happen. Bad money will continue to drive out the good. Oops, gotta go. Howard Stern is telling a really funny gross-out joke.

-- (lars@indy.net), October 31, 2000.

When specimens such as yourselves get busy & start reproducing, maybe we won't have to suffer these societal ills any longer.

-- flora (***@__._), October 31, 2000.

Brown-noser.

-- "Maybe the Dingo ate your baby" (howe9@shentel.net), October 31, 2000.