Serious Matter

[jaded_grin]

I was going through my friends list trying to catch up (because I am a heinous person and an even worse friend) when I read etrix 's post on what I realize now to be practically Orwellian control of reading material and things heading in a direction where books like Lolita will be yoinked from public consumption (OMG!She's underage!) and things like The Naked Lunch will have never existed. Frankly, folks, as a writer of man-porn and a staunch reader of everything I could get my hands on (Jane Eyre when I was nine, etc) I live in terror of the very real possibility that one day books that shaped my life will be nothing more than memories. I know, I tangent, but if you're a devoted reader/writer, Etrix has a post you simply cannot miss. Please, check out her post out here because she has some very interesting and very alarming things to point out. Thank you all, guys, and keep writing the love and loving the writing!

Comments

[natila.livejournal.com]

First I must say I am very impressed that you are up and posting already ! :D I estimate the time in the States at around 7 or 8 am ? wow !
You are not a heinous person, hee hee, sometimes I forget to check my friend`s page for months ! :o I have gotten better at it though, lately.

You are making me paranoid with that post, and I am already paranoid by nature. But its a bit funny to observe how governments are trying to control the net, Im sure some of them would be more than happy if internet had never been invented.
I am old enough to remember times when censorship wasnt as strong as it is today. It seems to me that the moral/religious lobbies are getting more and more influence. I hope its just a trend that will go away but again the lille paranoid inside me says otherwise.. :(

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I posted this around five in the morning *smacks stupid self*

I agree with you, the morals police seem to be gaining strength the more the world goes to pot. Let's hope that it IS just a trend and not the head of a greater beast.

[egyptianchaos.livejournal.com]

Really? They're going to take away classics of literature like Lolita because she's underage, and yet keep books like Twilight that encourage abusive relationships? Yeah, because that COMPLETELY makes sense. Can we say Fahrenheit 451?

I think every avid reader should run out and buy up a copy of every book they hold dear, just in case something would happen. :/ Or get a digital copy for even more protection.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if things went that direction. I will keep hold of my real copies of everything, my computer has died too many times for me to trust them much :D

[f-mystic.livejournal.com]

Depressing, isn't it? If you think about it, history has been re-written on more than one occasion because of censorship. But then, there's always something or somebody like Mr. Universe from "Serenity": "Can't stop the signal, Mal."

We can only hope.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

OMG! You totally brightened my day with that! What a hope that is, because it's true, you really can't stop it in the long run, can you :D

PS - I adore Serenity and watched Firefly with an obsessive love :D

[f-mystic.livejournal.com]

I totally missed Firefly, probably because I pretty much ignore network television, and I felt totally idiotic when Serenity came out and I realized there was a whole series behind it. I think it's one of my favorite sci-fi movies.

[randrews25.livejournal.com]

Damn~~~
That some fucked up shit right there!

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

You betcha!

[empererpenguin.livejournal.com]

God that's terrifying

[empererpenguin.livejournal.com]

I spent most of my childhood with an uncomfortable awareness that I only had the rights adults allowed me and that adults could take those away whenever they felt like it. No one else would protect me and I was in no position to protect myself, I used to think it would get better when I grew up. Since I turned twenty I've been realizing that politicians are the new adults. We are probably the adults to the politicians but somehow that's not very comforting.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, it's like it never ends - someone somewhere down the line is always going to be telling you what you can and cannot do/read/say/think. We do have to be the adults. We do have to take a stand and let them know that this sort of thing is absolutely not allowed. We are well within our rights to say so.

[etrix.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pimping it out.

Digital Rights Management coding has a lot more implications than just 'not being able to play iTunes on my Zune' but, because it technical, most people fall asleep before two words have been said.

I do not buy eBook or eSong or electronic-only versions of anything, because I want to control access to and use of the stuff I've spent my money on.

Old fashioned or paranoid, it doesn't matter what you call me. I can still share my movie collection with who ever I want. =}

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Hey, no problem! I agree with you on all aspects of it, and as a person with a history of book preservation, I understand what a dangerous line we are treading, trying to move entirely to electronic everything. One failed server and Oops, it's gone! And isn't that just a convenient way for the more staunch restrictives to get "books" off of the "shelves"?

I'll keep to the real thing, thanks, so my kids can have a chance to read the books I love.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

I agree! It makes me even more determined to become a librarian and get my hands on some solid, bound books!

[suedunham.livejournal.com]

This is so strange. First because I am just becoming aware of this issue myself. Second -when I saw this on my 'friends page' it made my eyes goggle just a bit. Etrix's Remembered, is the fanfiction that inspired me to write both Hard and Before Denzel Gets Home.
Since those are the first two things I have ever written, I suppose it would be fair to say she inspired me to write.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Etrix is the awesomesauce! Her work is, indeed, inspiring, so I am glad I was able to surprise you :D Remembered is an awesome fiction, and yours are fantastic as well, so not only does she inspire writing, she inspires AMAZING writing :D And if we want to keep that kind of amazing writing going, we have to be so super cautious of the limitations set out by our "betters" (and I use that term extremely loosely). *snugs you*