upvote

points

by john_strinlai1 days ago |
comments
upvoteby Aurornis1 days ago|
next
[-]
The confusion is because some books were literally banned somewhere, while others were just deemed not to be age-appropriate for young children in a school environment.

We don’t call R-rated movies “banned” because we’ve decided not to show it at schools to kids. That’s why it’s confusing when we switch to books and the word “banned” means somebody, somewhere, decided it wasn’t appropriate for kids in their school or something like that.

reply
upvoteby john_strinlai1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
the confusion is fake. books are the only time people get fussy about the word. (despite the same conversation occurring every month or two here)

dang bans someone from HN? no confusion. alcohol banned in public? no confusion. weapons banned from schools? no confusion.

books? oh my god, they aren't banned they just aren't allowed

reply
upvoteby Aurornis1 days ago|
parent|
next
[-]
> dang bans someone from HN? no confusion. alcohol banned in public? no confusion. weapons banned from schools? no confusion.

Notice how all of those bans include a specific context? From HN, in schools, in public.

No confusion.

Notice how the only context in the headline is “in Portugal” but the books are not banned in Portugal?

Confusion.

It’s really not hard.

reply
upvoteby john_strinlai1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
like every post on HN, if you want the context, you should read more than just the headline. its really not hard.
reply
upvoteby account421 days ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
If someone opened a banned speech museum and then it turns out most of the display is just spam comments from HN it would be pretty silly and rightly criticized.
reply
upvoteby wonderwonder1 days ago|
prev|
[-]
In your opinion is Hustler magazine a banned book becuase its not allowed in schools?
reply
upvoteby InsideOutSanta1 days ago|
parent|
next
[-]
If you were to make a list of banned books, yes, it would be fine to include Hustler magazine, as it was (and remains) banned in many places (and because of its historical significance in the fight against censorship).
reply
upvoteby wonderwonder1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
I can pick one up at the corner store or order it online but its not allowed to sit in the libraries of US elementary schools so would you consider it to still be banned in the US?
reply
upvoteby InsideOutSanta1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
No, I would not consider it to be "banned in the US".
reply
upvoteby john_strinlai1 days ago|
parent|
prev|
next
[-]
if i said "hustler is banned from my school", and someone came along and said "it's not banned, it's just not allowed", i would laugh.

the word "banned", specifically and only in the context of books, is one of the fucking strangest quirks of HN.

reply
upvoteby topgrain21 days ago|
parent|
next
[-]
Pretend confusion, especially over the very terms of the discussion, is a really common shitposting tactic all over the Internet. Though yeah it’s maybe more common here. Possibly because it falls under the category of trolling that doesn’t draw moderator ire (here, I mean, not in general)
reply
upvoteby wonderwonder1 days ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
its not strange. Books represent knowledge and ideas. Ways of thinking. An attempt to ban a book is an attempt to restrict freedom of thought and the exchange of ideas. It has a historical context and a ban is generally considered on a societal level, not building specific. Some books are not allowed in school buildings, they are not banned.

Banning books for example has a very different context than banning cocaine. Cocaine use in the United States is banned, Hustler magazine is not. I can swing by the store tomorrow and pick one up legally, I can't get cocaine legally.

Restricting Hustler from a school full of kids is not banning it. Thus the quirk.

If I don't allow Green Eggs and Ham in my house does it belong in a museam of banned books?

reply
upvoteby john_strinlai1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
>a ban is generally considered on a societal level

no, its not.

>Restricting Hustler from a school full of kids is not banning it.

only if you are making up your own definition of "ban".

by any dictionary definition, it is completely appropriate to say hustler is banned from the school.

reply
upvoteby wonderwonder1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
If I don't allow Green Eggs and Ham in my house does it belong in a museam of banned books?
reply
upvoteby john_strinlai1 days ago|
parent|
[-]
its completely normal and acceptable english to say that you've banned green eggs and ham from your house. that's my point.
reply
upvoteby tremon1 days ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
I'm more likely to laugh at the implication that Hustler somehow qualifies as a book.
reply