Live data from Hacker News

Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

richardosgood.com

291–300 of 396 posts

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost the entire article is about turning a light bulb into a Wi-Fi hotspot/web server, and your takeaway was, well actually, _The Color Purple_ is not technically banned. Unless I missed something I only spotted two book examples since that wasn't the focus of the article.

It's just tech enthusiasts being socially inept. There is literally no discourse to be had from this comment, infact it only serves to detract from the main point of the article

It is the fact that this tool would only be providing minors with these "banned books" that shows a lack of social awareness.

It is the choice of the individual to base their project around these "banned books", which invites this discourse.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that there isn’t really a better term, and using “banned” gives the correct impression for most people to see the problem. In many cases these books are not simply being removed at the school level but are being driven by the government and it is politically motivated. Ignoring the problem won’t lead to them being banned in the sense that having them would be illegal, but it could make it more difficul…

I find the trend of redefining or twisting terms to serve a specific cause really counterproductive. It eventually devalues the words themselves and makes nuanced discussion nearly impossible. If a problem is really that serious, it shouldn't require misleading language.

>I find the trend of redefining or twisting terms to serve a specific cause really counterproductive.

which term is being redefined?

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#294

As expected, the book examples given were not "banned". They're usually school libraries that are removing books from their collection that contain explicit material, usually at the request of parents.

So the books are being banned from being in that library? "removing books" and "banning a book in a library" is equivalent.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#295
post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As expected, the book examples given were not "banned". > They're usually school libraries that are removing books from their collection that contain explicit material, usually at the request of parents. So they were banned from certain school libraries then. Something doesn't have to be banned globally to count as being banned.

By your logic any book in existence can be banned at any point in time. It's a meaningless designation.

By your logic, no modern book in existence is banned. The books are always available somewhere.

"Banned" isn't generally universally applied. It may just be banned in the OPs libraries. Or maybe these are simply commonly banned books.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#296
post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "information wants to be free" discourse of just under 30 years ago feels so charmingly naive now that we've seen how lies are also information and can travel even better using the same flow.

And who shall we appoint at the supreme arbitrator of what is lie and what is knowledge? Some of us remember when they assured us that the novel virus in china was not to be afraid of.

> And who shall we appoint at the supreme arbitrator of what is lie and what is knowledge?

Ask the parents of the Sandy Hook children, they'll tell you.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#297
post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As expected, the book examples given were not "banned". > They're usually school libraries that are removing books from their collection that contain explicit material, usually at the request of parents. So they were banned from certain school libraries then. Something doesn't have to be banned globally to count as being banned.

By your logic any book in existence can be banned at any point in time. It's a meaningless designation.

Never say a "red apple" then because lord knows it had been green at some point! It's a meaningless designation.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#298
post #34

“As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth’s final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to informatio…

We have abundant free flow of information today and yet I see a rise of tyranny. "This is how democracy dies, with thunderous applause." feels more grounded in reality.

Do we, or are a lot of people who may or may not be on the side of tyranny doing a lot of work to control how the information actually flows.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#299

Cool project, except these aren't really "banned" books. thats a misleading term. In most of these cases, the book isn’t actually banned. Nobody is being arrested for owning it, Amazon isn’t forbidden from selling it, and adults can still read it whenever they want. What’s really being debated is whether a particular school library, children’s section, or curriculum should include a book. That’s not the same thing as…

How is this different from banning alcohol or pets or weapons or any other thing? Whether or not you can buy and have at a different location doesn't mean the word is misleading.

Re: Banned book library in a wi-fi smart light bulb

#300

Cool project, except these aren't really "banned" books. thats a misleading term. In most of these cases, the book isn’t actually banned. Nobody is being arrested for owning it, Amazon isn’t forbidden from selling it, and adults can still read it whenever they want. What’s really being debated is whether a particular school library, children’s section, or curriculum should include a book. That’s not the same thing as…

How is this different from banning alcohol or pets or weapons or any other thing? Whether or not you can buy and have at a different location doesn't mean the word is misleading.

Maybe something like "not library available" or "lending restricted"?

I understand the point you are trying to make and you have good evidence backing your statement ("alcohol is banned the stadium", etc) but when it comes to books, when people hear ban, they think Fahrenheit 451 or The Khmer Rouge burning books. So I also understand the OPs point.

Unless you're an alcoholic, banning alcohol in schools or stadiums isn't quite the hardship of arresting people for owning To Kill A Mockingbird.

Its connotation has changed in the same way that people calling others "Nazis" and "Fascists" has changed with the constant misuse of them.

Post reply on HN