Censorship & Why it May Save A Generation

There was a time when children were expected to be seen and not heard. When adults were speaking, children were instructed to leave the room. Parents and children didn't share sources of entertainment. Some things were distinctly adult other things distinctly child. Not only were the roles clearly defined, but the expectations were clear. Parents were neither their childrens friends nor their equals. For a generation, this was very beneficial.

Fast forward to the current generation. As a collective group, many (including myself) argue they are over exposed, over sexualized yet under stimulated and desensitized. For this group, access to themes of violence and sex exist in their video games, in their music and on their minds. Do I fault them for being drawn to this? Not really. They are children and by definition unable to make decisions designed to positively impact their well being and future. Insert parents.

There is little separation between what serves as entertainment for many adults and their children these days. Movie and video game ratings are often disregarded. Parental advisor stickers often ignored. Music is one of the greatest examples of this, specifically Hip Hop and the lack of emergence of this generations self identifying genre. But Hip Hop has the inherit flaw of its honesty that makes it wildly inappropriate for children. Yet you can often find many children just barely able to speak but able to recite the latest Nicki Minaj or Lil Wayne. Those words with all their sexual content, glorification of violence and disrespectful lyrics are not appropriate in general. (I say this as a LOVER of Hip Hop BTW) Those words are especially inappropriate flying out of the mouth or into the brain of a 5 year old or even a 12 year old. And you often find parents and children singing along together. The difference is that the adult mind (for the most part) can distinguish fiction from reality. The growing mind of a child, not so much. As with violent video games and movies, sexually charged music videos and an overall media bliss to keep sex on everyone’s brain, children don't stand a chance to retain their innocence. That is, unless their parents are willing to step in and censor what they watch, hear, see and are entertained by. Similar to PR, parents have to manage the message.

It is up to parents to save their children from all that they can possibly be exposed to. It is the job of a parent to pick and chose what they will and will not allow around their children. That includes who they allow around them. It is unrealistic to believe that you will ever be able to monitor everything your children see and hear. It is in fact 100% realistic to believe that you and you alone as a parent can take charge of the management of the message given to your children. Censoring things they have access to that can mold their thoughts, feelings and actions can be an exhausting task. Yet it could be the very thing that saves them from being sucked into the abyss of the world as it is now. Censoring can be an exhausting task that can save your child’s innocence, a vital and necessary aspect of the defined and precious role of being a child.