082 Government should never censor the artistic wo

[vemvin]

Hi All

 

Here's my essay on the topic. This is sort of similar to the other one on censorship. Please give your comments - good or bad. :D

 

Thanks!

-vemvin

 

 

82: "Government should never censor the artistic works or historical displays that a museum wishes to exhibit."

 

 

 

Humans are born free – free to express and investigate. Is the government then justified in acting as a censoring body, deciding what we, as the public, should see and know and what we shouldn’t? I believe that, while it is necessary to uphold norms of the society, it is the right of every artist to communicate his expressions to the public by his artistic works, and the right of the people to know facts about the past, shocking or otherwise.

 

Censorship of artistic works curbs an artist’s freedom of expression. It may be argued that the purpose of censorship is to filter controversial and questionable work, and provide the public with a healthy dose of artistic expression. However, it is an artist’s desire to express his thoughts, emotions and sentiments by way of his work. And after doing so the artist seeks an appreciation of his work from the general public. By regulating what the artist can express the government tends to discourage the artist in his or her artistic pursuit. When the artist knows that a certain work will not reach the public and hence will remain unappreciated, he or she will lose interest. Censorship confines the artist’s expressions. For example, if an artist wishes to express his or her unhappiness with status quo through a painting, he or she must be allowed to do so. By curbing this desire, the government is violating his right to expression.

 

Censorship of historical displays too can prove detrimental to society. The purpose of historical displays at museums is to inform and educate the general public about events of the past. These are proof of the happenings of the past. While it may be argued that some selfish bodies may fabricate historical evidences to serve their own ends, it is true that they may even abuse censorship and withhold true information for the same purpose. By limiting the displays, the regulatory body is limiting the public’s access to information. For example, if there is evidence that a person in history, thought to be democratic in his rule was actually despotic, then the public has a right to know that.

 

Complete absence of censorship, on the other hand, can prove harmful too. Society has some values and norms that need to be followed so that there is peaceful co-existence of all the people, whatever their interests and inclinations are. It is part of the duty of the government to maintain this balance. By giving unlimited freedom to artists they endanger the interests of some groups. An example of this is a painter who would like to depict the absence of God. While this is an expression of his feelings, it may not appeal to some sections of the society. This difference of opinion can lead unrest among the people, and ultimately the government is blamed for this unhappiness. To avoid such situations, censoring bodies are necessary. While this may be so, it is also true that the public today is more educated and more capable of deciding for itself what it wishes to see and what it doesn’t. The ability to discriminate between right and wrong is the strength of society today.

 

Thus censorship is justified in some measure only. When the government exercises its control over artists and information sources, society is deprived of works of art and information about the past. Censorship curbs the artistic impulses of artists and discourages historians to bring to light more information about the past. Freedom of thought and expression are basic human rights, and no government must exercise its control over them.

 

 

 

[AmigoRo]

Vemvin,

 

Your essay is a true masterpiece.

 

I think the line

The ability to discriminate between right and wrong is the strength of society today.

 

is very poignant. I think this is your trump card and you have played it well.

 

There is no flaws as such in your essay. But, ideally, you could've used the word express and its derivatives a wee bit less in the first paragraph.

 

When's your exam ?

 

HTH

AmigoRo

 

 

[vemvin]

Hi Amigo!

 

>Your essay is a true masterpiece.

well, that's surely an overstatement! thanks anyway :o

 

>There is no flaws as such in your essay. But, ideally, you could've used

>the word express and its derivatives a wee bit less in the first

>paragraph.

Thanks for the tip! Yeah, after you pointed it out, I reread it. You're right - one should always look out for repetitiveness.

 

>When's your exam ?

:D finished it today! The writing sections were cool. But you need to really practise with time constraints. I think you should practise writing your essays for 40 minutes, becuse you'll definitely need time to think which topic to choose when you are given the options. And also, you need to have atleast 10 seconds after you finish writing your essay so that you feel sure that you've completed it. So, 40 minutes is the thing!

 

And when is yours??? All the best!

 

although my exam is over I'd like to continue contributing here. The essay writing part is truly an intellectul exercise and I like it very much :) Also, it's important that someone critiques the essys that you write. I would definitely like to help in whatever way I can.

 

-vemvin

 

PS:'ll be posting al my scores in 3 weeks time on the score reporting section. I'll give them all as a bunch. Wish me luck for my essays!!!!

 

[sairam]

Hi vemvin excellent essay.I feel u will get 6/6 for this one.

-sairam