SELECTIVE CENSORSHIP

16/11/09


A new videogame “call of duty modern warfare 2” was released a few days ago and the sales have already broken previous records. It has been rated 18 on grounds of explicit violence. As it has been customary in the past, its release led to fervent discussions in media about the effects of such games on society. There is now an ongoing verbal warfare between persons who want to sensor it and the people who do not. The main reason sited by the former is that the game is very offensive and could incite violent behaviour particularly in children. The game lobby answered that as it was rated 18 that objection does not apply.


I do not understand how something which is offensively violent for some one who is 17 yrs old becomes nice and pleasure providing to another who is 18 or older. As we all know policing such age restrictions is not only difficult but impossible.


But even if it was easy to do I still find it unacceptable on a basic principle. The gamer lobby does accept that the game is extremely violent and has got some elements (playing a role of terrorist) which society in general feels very uneasy with. And I am sure even the most avid gamers will not knowingly let their children play this game. This is not just out of respect to the law but also due to an instinctive feeling to safeguard their children.


The question is safeguarding against what? The game is not going to harm the child physically as by choking, burning, drowning etc. The harm as everyone perceives is more subtle, probably at psychological or moral level. I personally feel that if some thing is morally or psychologically harmful to people less than 18 yrs old, it can not be categorically said that it will not be the same for the rest.


The situation is similar to what it used to be in past. Many a books and objects of art were banned on the grounds that they were unsuitable for women and servants.


I am not for or against censorship but certainly I am against such selfish selective banning where we fudge the issue by giving an 18 or adult ratings. Either it should be banned for every one or none.


I accept my logic is flawed but that’s how I feel. And who is flawless?

WHY I FEEL HAPPY IN AUTUMN

8/11/09

Yesterday I went to Dunham Massey. It is a grand stately hall with a big garden with lots of trees. As you know it is autumn in U.K. The woodland has turned very beautiful with radiant yellow, golden and red coloured leaves intermingled with some green leaves of course. The grass below is covered with falling leaves of various colours, painting an abstract design on the green canvas. The sun was timidly looking through the high white clouds. It was not windy and it was not raining. I felt very happy being there. Soon all the leaves would fall leaving skeletonised trees. In a few weeks winter would prevail turning the trees into ghosts against a dark sky. In autumn I feel happier than in summer even.

Happiness is very difficult to define. I equate happiness with contentment in present. And if one is thinking or planning to have more in future then by definition he is not content with present and hence not happy in present. By corollary it seems if one is going to have less in future, he will be more happy in present being all other parameters equal.


It may be this paradigm, why I find my self so happy in autumn.

A QUESTION OF TRUST

01/11/2009
Recently we had some building and plumbing work done. We took quotes from three firms. All three builders were nice people. They explained to me in detail what the work entailed and how they will do it. All reassured me that if there is any problem later, they will come and fix it. All it will need is a phone call.

The problem we faced was how to select one from the three builders. Which one is trustworthy? When we trust a machine, all we expect that the machine will do what is expected of it. Machines do not have their own interests to look after. When we trust a person we expect much more, not just the ability to perform the task but also integrity and honesty.
The builder has to make as much money from you as he can and you wish to have the work done in as less money as possible. How can you trust the advice of a person whose interest conflicts with yours? It will only be possible if you can ascertain not only the ability but also integrity and honesty or benevolence of the person.
One of the builders was Peter. He had done some work for a friend of mine. I rang my friend and he said that overall he was happy with the standard of the work done by the builder. As we knew nothing about the other two, we decided to get the work done by Peter even though the "overall" in my friend's recommendation was a bit worrying.
Now I am happy all the work is finished and yes, overall I am happy with his work.
To my expense (not a great one though) now I know what "overall" means.
See you next week.