Book Banning and its Effects on Society

"Book Banning and its Effects on Society"

In a world of increased media outlets and information transference, the banning and censorship of literature has often been brought into question.  Some believe that banning certain books protects readers which the content is not suited for, and others believe that banning books is socially limiting and infringes of freedom of speech.  However, it is quite obvious that conceding to the public the freedom of choice when it comes to reading material has a positive effect on society.

The positive effect of freedom of choice is clearly seen in the value of thought diversity that literature presents to society.  Occurrences throughout history have shown that society thrives with the existence of multiple points-of-view rather than a singular, all-encompassing ideal.  Books promote free-thinking, stimulating creativity and innovation, two elements which not only give people joy and amusement, but are also a key factor in continued economic growth and health.  Diversity is a stimulant.  Invariability is stagnation.  For example, the world saw the effect of single-ideal thinking on Communist China amid their Cultural Revolution, during which a totalitarian government deeply rooted in fear, strict obedience, and extremism reigned.  It wasn't a coincidence that the authoritarian dictator ordered the burning of millions of books, the destruction of educational institutions, and the execution and banishment of thousands of scholars.  Books and those who read them posed an extreme danger to his rule because of what they provided: a different view that questioned and challenged his mantra.  Thus, books and readers had to be quelled, unfortunately, in the harshest manner.  As a Confucian scholar once said, "Where they burn books, they will soon burn men."

Along with discouraging freedom of thought, the banning of books is a direct attack on freedom of speech.  This makes the act especially heinous, particularly when it occurs in the United States of America, a nation founded by fighting for liberty.  To Americans, life without freedom of speech is unthinkable.  Directly written into the First Amendment, freedom of speech makes the banning of books, which clearly infringes on this basic human right, completely unconstitutional.  Banning books in all government-run institutions, including schools and libraries, is therefore constitutionally illegal, yet it still happens.  Rather than protecting readers, banning books limits social education.  In schools, this is atrocious.  Many books that should be a standard in high school curriculum, including titles such as The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Fahrenheit 451, are illegally banned simply because they offer controversy, a bit of mature content, and views some schools don't particularly agree with.  For instance, in and out of schools, Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is still one of the most banned books of all time, even though it is one of the strongest anti-slavery statements of the post-Civil War era, stresses conscientious thinking rather than religious ignorance and bigotry, and is a beautiful example of American storytelling, satire, and dialogue.  It is one of the most important books in American history, yet groups of people somehow manage to unconstitutionally ban it because the content is deemed sensitive.  That is a pathetic reason to avoid an issue.  Authors must be able to use freedom of speech to its fullest extent.  Issues like racism would be much more of an problem today if authors of the past had their voices silenced and their freedom of speech stolen.

In Huckleberry Finn, the issue of racism is deeply present, as it is with many books.  Rather than systematically boycotting the topic and ignoring the darker periods of history, society should embrace the issue, learn from the past, and discuss how it can make itself better.  Social issues present controversy.  Controversy is good because people love to talk about the drama of controversies.  If the public talks about an issue, it can be addressed, the world can become more socially liberal, and individual rights can be boosted.  Books promote public conversation about important topics.  Contrariwise, banning books discourages public conversation and leads to public ignorance.  It is astounding how society reacts to a provocative book.  The Jungle, written by Sinclair Lewis, changed labor laws, factory safety standards, and mass-production health regulations because it raised public awareness and sparked heated national debate.  Such cause and effect still occurs today.  The popular Harry Potter books, written by J. K. Rowling, are commonly banned because some extremists wrongly and ridiculously say they promote black magic.  However, the books have fantastic morals and motivate discussion on class elitism, bullying, the strength of women, government rule, how the media can be twisted, and much more.  As society becomes more disconnected from world events, it is increasingly critical that topics such as these are brought up and discussed.  If books are banned, paramount matters will fall into the shadow.  Public awareness is key to a healthy and incorrupt nation.  Reading educates, and an educated, communicative population leads to a strong, stable state, making books invaluable.

The priceless positive influence of books cannot be denied, and the perilous action of banning books must be avoided.  The freedom, creativity, and discussion brought about by books is wonderful and should never be restricted.  Society does itself a disservice if it allows the banning of books.  More often than not, the novels on the banned books list promote good morals and progressive thought.  Further, currently banned books are some of the most fascinating and thought-provoking materials a person will ever read, and they posses the power to alter society for the better and change an individual's life.