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The Big [Censored] Theory

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Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#481

Post by falcor84 »

avodonosov wrote: post #410

> Cases in the category of disrespect usually involve a joke at the expense of China or its peers North Korea and Russia. They also care for Russia! That is friendship! https://www.google.com/search?q=%D1%80%D1%83%D1%81%D1%81%D0%...

Wow, this was an interesting Google images journey, thanks.

Also, is it just my own personal bias, or would I be right to say that imagery with such close bonding between males (2 particular example links below) would not have been used in the west due to concern of being interpreted as gay?

http://www.daokedao.ru/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/navek...

https://cs14.pikabu.ru/post_img/2022/03/11/4/164697462011834...

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#482

Post by lettergram »

Firmwarrior wrote: post #470
brigandish wrote: post #460

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the downvotes you're attracting give some indication for the HN crowd.

I didn't downvote him, but I could see how even a staunch COVID denialist would think his comment is taking the thread off the rails

I’m pointing out how censorship really works. It’s just as active here as anywhere else, just different topics

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#483

Post by astrange »

js8 wrote: post #99
DoreenMichele wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

America is much more sensitive about sex and nudity than a lot of other cultures. In I, Robot , a scene that showed in the European version did not show in the US version. It was a full body nudity shower scene and the point was to show you how extensive his robotic parts were. They had to find some other means to explain that to the audience in the US and it wasn't even a sexual scene. Just full nudity (of Will Smit…

> America is much more sensitive about sex and nudity than a lot of other cultures Nudity.. maybe. Sex? Most American shows I have seen just CANNOT STOP talking about sex. Sure, they won't display it, but it's all about it. Even TBBT. (FWIW, comparing to Czech culture and TV series.)

Movies have gotten surprisingly sexless (MCU has even less sex than you'd expect from a superhero movie) so some kinds of TV shows have been pumping it up to compensate.

Of course, they're not really TV shows anymore when they're unregulated streaming programs.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#484

Post by kasey_junk »

kypro wrote: post #469

This happens in the West too. For example one of my favourite shows, "Peep Show" has a scene removed because one of the main characters wears black face to break social taboos. Obviously, it's done in a mocking way, but even mocking someone for black face has been deemed inappropriate by modern Western standards. The show isn't even that old either. I'm almost certain there would be things seen as normal or inoffensi…

Peep Show was not edited due to laws, it was a private streaming service that made that decision. At the same time a rival streaming service was showing the unedited version.

I think there is an important conversation to be had about censorship by large corporations but equating them to widespread, governmental censorship is not helpful.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#485

Post by II2II »

ginger2016 wrote: post #335
clouddrover wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What in particular is racist about it?

If you have watched the show and failed see why it is racist, then we need to give some anti-racist education. It is affirming the stereotype Indian males lack confidence with women. Raj can’t speak with women without the use of alcohol, the show constantly mocks his accent, worshipping of cows etc.

> If you have watched the show and failed see why it is racist, then we need to give some anti-racist education.

I will both agree and disagree. The show frequently oversteps what can be thought of as parody, so calling it racist is a fair assessment.

On the other hand, we also have to be careful. Think of the video clip in the article, the one with Sheldon's mom. The article makes it sound like it was censored since it was disrespectful to the Chinese people. While I can understand how that interpretation can be made, it is far more likely a commentary on racists tendrils that infest parts of America. Of course, Chinese viewers may not realize that so their interpretation would likely be different.

As for affirming the stereotype of Indian males lacking confidence with women, I didn't know that such a stereotype existed. If it does, I can see how it could (perhaps should) be labelled as racist. The "joke" runs too deeply throughout the show and it rarely appeared to be handled critically.

I believe the ultimate bar for judgment should be: does the joke reinforce stereotypes or does the joke force the viewer to reexamine their beliefs. Humour shouldn't be used as a carte blanche justification for racism. On the other hand, a lack of a sense of humour shouldn't be used as an excuse to label everything as racism.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#486

Post by kelnos »

neither_color wrote: post #416
Animats wrote: post #394

What's more striking is what comes out of China's domestic entertainment industry. There are far too many historical costume dramas. Those aren't as heavily censored as modern ones. More modern content looks like it was censored in accordance with the US Television Code of the 1950s. ("The code prohibited the use of profanity, the negative portrayal of family life, irreverence for God and religion, illicit sex, drunk…

What's interesting is in the US that kind of censorship is attributed to the most mainstream religion but China is officially atheist and does the same. Whenever people tell me that it's only one religion standing in the way of equal rights for disadvantaged groups I remind them that there's an atheist superpower that's even less permissive except for on reproductive issues(although, in their case they do regulate it…

Any people in power will find justifications for asserting control over others.

Personally I would prefer someone coming out and being (mostly) honest about why they're trying to control others, not the religious "we're saving your soul!" nonsense.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#487

Post by kelnos »

delecti wrote: post #476
neither_color wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's interesting is in the US that kind of censorship is attributed to the most mainstream religion but China is officially atheist and does the same. Whenever people tell me that it's only one religion standing in the way of equal rights for disadvantaged groups I remind them that there's an atheist superpower that's even less permissive except for on reproductive issues(although, in their case they do regulate it…

There's definitely a tendency to oversimplify authoritarians by criticizing them for other aspects. American right-wing authoritarians are bad because they're authoritarian, but get criticized for the Evangelical tone through which they enforce it. Likewise with Chinese authoritarians getting criticized for being communist while they do authoritarianism, rather than for the authoritarianism itself.

That's a fantastic point that I think many people miss. And others are well aware of it, but try to deflect attention from the authoritarian bits by focusing on the other bits.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#488

Post by astrange »

gwbas1c wrote: post #98
jrm4 wrote: post #3

I find that it's always interesting to THEN consider, okay -- while there's no centralized board or anything -- what does e.g. American censorship go after?

In the US, you can get in a lot of trouble for publishing military secrets. (IE, you bet a movie that casually mentions a military secret would get into a lot of hot water right away.) Otherwise, the rest of censorship comes from social pressure; or someone with hurt feelings trying to twist the courts to enforce their will.

Publishing military secrets is legal (eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Progressive,_....). Journalists don't have a duty to keep classified information secret, only the people who've agreed to keep it secret do.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#490

Post by Animats »

no_where wrote: post #425
neither_color wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's interesting is in the US that kind of censorship is attributed to the most mainstream religion but China is officially atheist and does the same. Whenever people tell me that it's only one religion standing in the way of equal rights for disadvantaged groups I remind them that there's an atheist superpower that's even less permissive except for on reproductive issues(although, in their case they do regulate it…

Also that the self imposed censorship in America was a response by the studios to their customers. Where was Chinese government is furthering its Communist briefs.

China's government seems to be more concerned about containing criticism of the current Chinese government than Communist ideology. It's not like the Maoist period. The Economist has a good story about that this week.[1] Some militant Communists are now in opposition to the Xi regime.[2] The current regime is more authoritarian than Communist. Which is what usually happens when you get a Supreme Leader for Life.

[1] https://www.economist.com/china/2022/08/25/chinas-communist-...

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/world/asia/china-maoists-...

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