In: Psychology
In what way was the idea of indecency linked with the "invention" of childhood?
(BOOK: childhood in American Society)
Many examples from the literary world from Harry Potter to Game of Thrones to Huckleberry Finn ,the digital world is dotted with censorship attempts aimed at protecting children from what might be inappropriate for them. "Indecent" information is said to be the top culprit in harming the positive development of a child whether in art, in literature, or on a Web site.
The main question here is, is this assumption true?
The history of "indecency" is described by Marjorie Heins in her book Not in Front of the Children. Right from Plato who argued in favor of rigid censorship through the strict Elizabethan laws that prevented kids from becoming too precocious right up to current battles over sex education in schools, it seems like we are navigating an ideological minefield. EDxamples all over the world however suggest that this premise is flawed and children have a inherent and acute sense of right and wrong. Free expression of the rights of young people is a conversation that needs to happen and continue.