Friday, June 11, 2010

America's Standards?

When you read a news story on the web, do you ever read people’s comments below the story?

I do. It can be entertaining, scary, and enlightening all at the same time. But sometimes, it’s just scary.

I usually feel this way when there’s a story about something that’s been shown on TV that probably should not have been shown on TV. That’s when I always read the following inevitable comment: If you don’t want to watch it, just turn it off.

Does that make it ok? By this logic, should anything be allowed on TV, since people can just “turn it off”?

This kills me. Have we sunk so low as a country that we feel as though anything should be allowed to be broadcast? Are there no standards left? How far does free speech extend anyway?

I’ll be honest. I worry about what my kids see on TV. Sure, I can monitor and make sure they don’t see certain things. But anymore, the most inappropriate things pop up at the strangest times and on the strangest stations. Besides, an enterprising young child can find anything on the internet nowadays.

And then the next argument comes: Well, you should monitor your kid on the internet too! Yep. Absolutely. That’s a parent’s job.

But how far does this go? As a parent, am I not allowed to express my concerns about the lowering of America’s standards? Or are my arguments invalid because they don’t match the liberal interpretation of freedom of speech? People like me usually get shouted down as old fashioned, conservative, etc. And these are insults, apparently.

Oh well. I don’t care. Some things are just wrong.

5 comments:

  1. Old fashioned is fine! My soon to be 14 year old heard news that Beyonce and Lady Gaga's video had been banned from MTV and had found it on YouTube within minutes. UGH!

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  2. Geoff, the reality is that we are the 10 that would have saved Sodom.

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  3. And this is why not having TV where I live doesn't bother me. Of course, most of it's accessible on the internet.

    And it bothers me that the President and VP think it's okay to swear on national television. What's up with that?

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  4. We have a saying in my house, "TOO much sharing!". Just because we have the freedom to share doesn't mean we always need to. Everyone wants to be famous, but no one seems to care for what reason. I love that I only have time to watch tv shows I've recorded, no commercials and limited information regarding all of the stupid things people are doing. However, like you said, just because I don't watch it doesn't mean it's not there for all of our kids to watch!
    PS, I think old fashioned is a compliment.

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  5. Those comments are a little crazy. But what is to be done?

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