The word spastic is an offensive term here. It's used so frequently where I live that it's commonly abbreviated to 'spa'. It's not a good word to use on a TV show made for kids...
In context neither the word bastard or spastic are offensive - in the TV show and in the situation Torana mentioned they were both perfectly acceptable. Censorship is useless, and counter-productive. People will invent new words, or formerly 'acceptable' words such as car will be used for a different meaning. You'll end up in a situation where you can't use the majority of the words you use because it might offend someone, when really the only person who would take offence is you. And who actually decides what offensive words are, anyway? You? How? By what right do you control what I say and think? Interesting that England has its own copy of the book...I'm going to keep an eye out for that. Then make a petition that other areas of Britain get their own, as well (although we do) just to be politically correct
I agree to a point. It's a slippery slope when a group of people starts deciding which words are ok to use and which aren't. Still, though, I think there needs to be some guidance about which words are included in shows geared toward children. I thought it was interesting, too. When I first found out, I thought just the covers were different (there are children covers and adult covers of the English version, too...interesting), but then I read the English version of the first one, and I think it's a lot better with all the slang included. I want to buy the English version of the books...but it's kind of hard to find them in the US.
I completely agree with you on this point. Turning the words into taboo is what draws them in. you shouldn't "hide" kids from this sort of language, other wise they are not really learning right from wrong.
i find it funny that people still find the word bastard offensive. I mean before sure, saying that someone was born out of wedlock was a slap to the face to yourself and your mother, but it simply isn't like that anymore.
I was watching the Office season 3 on DVD and Michael Scott kind of summed on using vulgar language. "Did you know that gay used to mean happy? When I was growing up it meant "lame". And now it means a man who makes love to other men. We're all homos. Homo sapiens." and "You don't call retarded people retards. It's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they are acting retarded." Does that make any sense?
We don't want to make things too and. It will give people a sense of morality that doesn't exist, and will make people because they do not understand society as a result of censored education. It will mean that a lot of social interaction will be areas for these people that are always in. As a result, they will not identify a in their garden or be able to cook with a. Perhaps there will be a rise in. That would mean many people would be and moved out of their houses by. What do you think when someone tells you not to park on the with a, or when you up a? Confusing, isn't it, when words that may be considered offensive are censored? And to think, they haven't even made a Gaelic copy yet! I'll let the fanatics deal with that, whilst I make a recycling plant for the English copy. That or JK gets off of our island
Guiding and hiding are two separate things. Just because you don't need to deny the existence of dog crap, doesn;t mean you need to showcase it. Children's programming delivers content to children on a glittery pedestal. If you include questionable material, it will be absorbed as guilessly as the well chosen, wholesome bits. And like it or not, parents can't be there 100% of the time to point out to the child what is and is not appropriate to take up. If it is children's programming, it's a reasonable expectation that it be as wholesome as is practical. It should be free from the type of mixed messages that demean those who are disadvantaged. Parents should be able to count on that, just as they can expect that baby food won't contain any harmful contaminants.
Excellent point, Cog. There's a huge difference between trying to completely shelter a kid from words that you don't like and making sure that they aren't overexposed to that word. No one is saying to completely cut "offensive" words out of use-they're saying to not include them in children shows. And really, what place do those kinds of words even have in a show that's for children?
I would have to agree, but after watching the now corrupt simpsons- That is deemed large-ly a childrens show, it becomes astonding on how decitful and polluted it has become. The worst launguage i heard from children shows at my age was crud or dam, Now days children are expected to be more civilised for some unkown reason and are grown up enough to have offensive language in use around them. Welcome to the 21st Century. Its all down hill from here lol
If they're perfectly legitimate and used in the correct context with no reference to any other meanings they may have, then why question where their place is?
The Simpsons series is aimed primarily at an adult audience. It began as part of the Tracy Ullman Show, and went directly to its own prime time slot.
Yeah, I don't ever remember The Simpsons being a children's show. Its air time is proof enough, being on in the evening which is when more adult-aimed shows air, unless of course it is a strictly children's channel. Haha
The Simpsons is a bit like Southpark, animation made for teens and adults. As for the whole language in childrens cartoons, if it is there and parents are aware of it, then fine. But when we are not aware of offensive and bad language, then it clearly is not ok. We should be able to choose what language we do and don't want our children listening to, and when childrens cartoons do not inform us that the show contains such language, that right is taken away from us and I don't see that as being acceptable in any shape or form. Many of you may not think a word like 'spastic' should be censored, and it is your right to feel that way, as it is mine to feel the opposite, or to feel as though we should at least be informed that particular episode contains language that may offend. It isn't a case of who is right or wrong in this debate, it is a case of producers being negligent in my honest opinion. If a word is offensive in a certain country, it should not be allowed in childrens shows in that country. If there was a warning that there was potentially offensive language then I'd not be so upity about its usage in the cartoon, but there was no warning and for me, that just isn't good enough, and for many other parents as well. Why do you think they put shows like the Simpsons, Southpark, Family Guy on so late? Because they contain offensive language, etc.
Also, don't some of those shows (I'm pretty sure Southpark does) have warnings before they come on about adult content?
The South Park warning thing is a joke though, if you read it carefully....have to be quick though, it only shows for a second...
The warning hiddennovelist is referring to is a standard rating that appears on the screen for a standard duration. That is probably US-only.
True, you do not showcase the poo but either you have to introduce your kid to it, or wait till he comes running inside with it freckling your rug because it's stuck to the bottom of their shoe, to teach them not to run through it, and between you and me, I would rather not have the smell sifting its way into my nostrils while I'm cooking dinner. Also, on a very important note. unless its organic, baby foods do contain unlisted things, and even sometimes contaminants that had such a small percentage, by law they did not have to be listed or reported. Story: Friend of mine use to drink this juice/vita drink stuff. being a severe diabetic he had to watch his sugar intake like a hawk. Bottle read: "zero caffeine, carbs and Sugars." even though there were, but since they were below the official standard they were in every legal right to put that it had 0 on the bottle. He drank it as often as you would drink water. didn't end well. Furthermore, crops are popping up left and right with recalls due to contaminants that slipped through because the part of the giant batch of whatever passed under the bar but the entire thing wasn't the same. So unless the baby food companies handle every step of the process from germinating the seed to bottling the product (and even if they did) there will always be a risk that a lot of parents seemed to have forgotten or never learned. products labeled 100% organic, pure, free of WHATEVER are never true. we learned years ago back in elementary that nothing is every perfectly 100%, and sure there is an exception to every rule but I would bet my money on it being something greater than baby food. on the note of the TV programming: I do agree with you that there is some expectation from the kids shows to be kind of a SAFE zone for the parents. Also that questionable materials shouldn't just be introduced to your kid before you feel they are ready, or the parent themselves ready to discuss such matters with their kids. The reason for the intrusive programming is most likely due to the fact that most parents end up sitting with their kid when they watch cartoons, (I don't know how many times my son came in and wanted to watch "UP" in the room that I'm watching dirty jobs or something) and because of this we begin to see a shift in the jokes and references in the cartoon that can give the parents some kind of escape from the boredom of the cartoon. I mean, I know for a fact that in the beginning of "UP" my son doesn't understand why one minute they are showing this man and woman painting a babies room and in the next shot showing that same couple in the doctors office looking distraught, (this is just an example) and sometimes, it works. The material is referenced very subtly and vague that it wont even occur to the child that something new was introduced, but other times, cartoon developers have trouble grasping the art of "the light touch" and end up with a demographic of kids screaming some obscene things to their mother while I sit on the couch and try not to laugh. did you catch what I did at the end there? it makes me happy.
I think the Australian's in the forum might start wondering if 'Wow Wow Wubzy' might go the way of 'The Chasers War on Everything' and have a two week holiday to sit and think about what it's done.
Related newstory today in The Times: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6565478.ece An episode of Friends and the film The Pacifier have been retrospectively re-rated because of their use of the term 'spaz'.
