Books are Weapons in the War of Ideas

"An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all."

—Oscar Wilde

  

     Amen, Mr. Wilde. No matter how an idea is expressed, through words, actions, thoughts, or literature, there will always be that one someone against it making the idea "dangerous." If no feedback or constructive criticism is given in return, how is it worthy of "being called an idea at all"? Ideas provoke thought. Thought differs based on individual beliefs. Individual beliefs create criticism. I'd feel honored if any of my ideas made it to the news because of its controversy. Not for the fame or the reputation but for the fact that people are reading, thinking, and sharing.

     Something worse than storing ideas internally in fear of an uproar is sharing them and then getting them rejected and censored from the public. Your brain is being suppressed because it's being considered politically and/or morally unacceptable under whose conditions? Judgmental, fault-finding officials who work under the law yet deny freedom of speech? That's just wrong.

     I think I speak for everyone when I say that no one enjoys having their works censored, no matter who you are or what you do. Imagine you're an author just surfing the net one day and you come across a big news story about how your book has just been banned from many organizations as well as schools and libraries because of obscene language. well, if it offends you so much put the book down...simple as that. I don't think officials or school boards need to go so far as to legit restrict certain students or the public from reading it.

     Censorship really provides no benefits. What good can come from it? Is it to protect the innocent minds of our generation? Because I'd say you're too late. If you restrict someone from doing something, chances are, it will make them want to do it even more. Probably more than if you haven't even laid that rule down in the first place. It's this mindset that rules are there to be broken.

     I found this comic strip from Calvin and Hobbes which relates (in a way) to broken rules. Although ironically, the kid is setting the rules down and the mother is breaking them. Use your imagination.

     So, if you restrict someone's eyes from reading or watching something, it's likely they will have an urge to find out why was it censored in the first place. Censorship follows up with curiosity.

"No man and no force can put thought in a concentration camp forever."

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Hopscotch to Oblivion

"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand."

     hardy har har, another sample of Vonnegut's out-of-the-box-thinking humour. like i've said before, Vonnegut's one of the funniest dead people I semi-know. his dark humour is evident throughout Slaughterhouse-Five as he makes light of serious subjects. The reason why he throws the topic of death around like it's no big deal is to use this dark humour as a tool to create both discomfort and amusement for the reader. so while there is comic relief, the topic is still retaining its seriousness and provoking thought.

     this picture reminded me of Vonnegut and his humour almost immediately. it's called "Hopscotch to Oblivion."

"The best way to settle an argument is with a nice game of hopscotch."

     If you're not somewhat amused in any way you either don't get it or hate Vonnegut's humour which makes you hate this picture. Hint: the hopscotch is painted on top of a roof of a building not the ground.

     Why this picture reminded me of Vonnegut is because of how this childhood game is being portrayed as a death march of some sort. I mean, using a hopscotch as an "exciting way" of committing suicide or "settling an argument" as it's said in the caption is definitely making light of a serious situation, just like Vonnegut's humour. 

     This is how Vonnegut reveals his opinions to the world: by utilizing his black comedy and drawing more attention to how serious a certain subject actually is.