This has gone too far. Much too far.

[pat]

I always found it obnoxious that iTunes censored words such as "rapist" and "molester" and "pedophile". It's absolutely ludicrous. These are not by any reasonable standards obscene words.

But the absolute nadir was reached today, when I saw the follow song listing : "A C**k-Eyed Optimist" from South Pacific.

As a society, we are losing control over our ability to use language -- we often veer between gratuitous use of scatological and sexual obscenity on the one hand (I am sometimes guilty of this myself) and the ridiculous censorship shown here on the other. Sheesh, people, where is your common sense? Not to mention your understanding of the English language?

Comments

[rosefox]

I suspect it's protective coloring: this way, parental control and other censoring software won't be triggered and thus they'll make more sales. There was a big outcry on overheardnyc when Overheard started censoring its RSS feed, but it makes perfect sense as a business decision that gives them wider distribution.

Of course, the idea that "sht" or "sh*t" is less harmful/distressing/innocence-destroying than "shit" is, well, bullshit. As long as big groups of consumers buy into it, though, businesses will do better by complying than by defying.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

That makes a lot of sense, I had not thought of that.