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Roasting Sacred Cows

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the can't-throw-a-stone-without-hitting-a-puritan dept.

Hans Gilde writes: "Pedophilia has been a big topic in the UK lately, there have been riots, beatings and vandalism resulting from [pedophile witchhunts]. In an attempt "to ask hard questions about the way society and the media deal with its most difficult problems" and point out "that famous people have a habit of denouncing things without knowing much about them", a comedian in the UK produced a TV show, described in an article in the NY Times, in which he actually got a member of Parliament to say the following, on the air, in all seriousness: "Using an area of the Internet the size of Ireland, pedophiles can make your keyboard release toxic vapors that can make you more suggestible."" This show is frankly hilarious, and the reaction to it is even better. You probably want to see the show, eh? It's available in .avi or Real and DivX.

3 of 430 comments (clear)

  1. Taboos by mwillems · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Pedophilia is today's taboo, and I think taboos are best investigated and questioned.

    Sure, it is a horrible subject: grown people should nothave sex with children. But pedophilia is by no means worse than murder. Yet murder is a legitimate subject for satire, comedy, thrillers, whodunnits: a whole industry has sprung up around it. Ask P.D. James, or read about Kinsey Millhone.

    Pedophilia on te other hand is a taboo; today's taboo. Taboo subjects are subjects "not legitimate for discussion". "Taboo" implies a certain amount of irrationality. This should worry free thinking people. Past taboos have included non-Catholic religion, madness, witchcraft, sexuality, nudity, homosexuality (male and female), the earth turning around the sun, women having the same number of teeth as men, and so on.

    When a subject is taboo, it is legitimate to investigate it. I would say, it is crucial. It is how progress in society is made.

    Yes, sometimes that means investigating distasteful subjects. But the alternative is worse: a society run on the basis of fear, superstition, and unstated interests. That's not where I want to live.

    Michael

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  2. The problem with politicians by lavaforge · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Beverley Hughes, the child protection minister, said though she had not seen the entire program, on account of being too disgusted, she had read about it and found it "unspeakably sick."

    She read about it. How's that for detailed and useful knowledge of a topic you will be deciding on?

  3. For the opposite perspective: by alewando · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Adequacy.org ran the article Open Letter to Channel 4: Brass Eye Was Unacceptable , denouncing Channel4 and BrassEye for these escapades.

    If you want a good summary of the opposition, then I'd suggest reading it. It's a good read in any event.