Quote:
Originally Posted by Moejoe
What your proposing is 'back-door censorship' where somebody or some board, usually of a ridiculously prudish nature, gives a coded message to other prudes as to the content of the book. It's a sneaky "WARNING: EXPLICIT LYRICS" and should appall any free thinking individual. If we had your system in place then a book like Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath would come with this message on the reverse:
Contains scenes of violence, nudity, and some foul language.
Are you advocating a world where a few prudes and their misguided attempts to shield 'children' from 'bad things' would put nasty little coded warnings on the books of every other person? Besides all that, whatever your concerns or worries, if you have a thirteen year old, they'll be reading whatever they like whenever they like and there's little you can do to stop them. What you can do is 'discuss' with them what they like and why, maybe treat them with some respect and not be so afraid at some 'sex' in a book.
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If you're asking "Would I like to see a time where decency and respect and morality began to rise again? Damn straight.
As for the the last comment, about the discussions. Yes. I do plan on discussing the tenants of my belief, as well as "the birds and the bees" speech. However, this has nothing at all to do with 'being afraid of some sex in a book" (and I actually resent this implication), however I also firmly believe that kids should not grow up when they are 13-14 years old.
This is why we have teenage pregnancy. This is why we have teenage drug use. Kids grow up WAY too fast nowadays, they do not have time to be kids. They get thrown into sex temptations too young, and they are not wise enough to understand how to deal with it. Allowing free reign on a child is the worst thing you can do, and a faster way to destroy them.
What is the adage? "Spare the rod, spoil the child"? Have you seen children who run rampant in the stores and their mother is in another isle, and does not care? This same 'careless' attitude I equate with letting a child read whatever she wants when her experiences, growth and wisdom are not at a level to handle it.
That's like letting a 1o-year old shoot a 12-guage. Sure, he may know all the safety regulations, seen all the hunting videos, know how to call the ducks, what to wear, how to do, but he pulls the trigger and he will get thrown back on his ass and possibly break an arm or worse. He is not physically ready.
Wise enough does not mean smart enough. Wisdom comes with age, with experiences, not by reading about sex in a book. Also, reading induces thinking, and when a child thinks about something, they will want to do it.
You say that if a child wants to read something, they will. However, if you allow that child to read it, you are saying to the child "I am letting you read this because I feel you are old enough to", and when they read it, they will also assume they are old enough to act it out. You are telling them that they can have sex at their age.
If that is your belief, then fine. But it is not mine. And I would like to be able to have the opportunity to glance at the back of the book, see the info box, and put the book back on the shelf.