I’m a liberal democrat horrified by the current Dr Seuss drama and normalization of censorship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Next it will be Babar. Then Curious George. Old TV shows and movies will continue to disappear. People will continue to be fired for saying the wrong thing on social media. Witch Hunts do not end on their own.

Please. Then why have any cultural norms at all? Things change. Grow up.

Of course they do. But what if some people don't agree with the changes? Your answer to tell them to shut up and go away. That's a HUGE change from just 10 years ago. People used to talk about these and nobody was told to shutup for differing opinions. I think that's an awful change and so I will not shut up.

So lets pretend that you fought hard for something meaningful to you. Like lobbying against slavery. You finally produce enough societal change and society in general no longer condones slavery. There are pockets of people who are upset by the change. They say their way of life is being cancelled and that they should be allowed to express their opposition to the societal changes. Fine. But do you really expect former slaves and those who find the practice reprehensible to sympathize with them? Do you expect those that "won" the societal battle to spend all their time nurturing the grievances of the few? Incidentally, this is what we tried to do post civil war, and it has been a disaster for the country.

The people that feel that something they cherish was taken away from them should be allowed to express their feelings - like the OP. What they are not entitled to, however, is coddling from others.

Acceptance that you’ve lost is not something that comes easily to people that lack self-esteem. I never really understood the impact that coddling frail egos has had on our society, until I had to live through the last little while. I understand I’m late to the party. But whoooboy it’s a doozy. (DP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a low-t beta on this thread posting from his mom’s basement who has listened to a couple Jordan Peterson podcasts and now feels he must do something to save Dr. Seuss from what he has determined to be “cancel culture” and “postmodern” thought. To him this issue is a personal attack on his own existence even though he owns none of the books. After all, who’d have children with him?

Oh brother. You pretty clever to figure out the Jordan Peterson connection, but I think Jordan Peterson gets too much wrong to be of any use. What he gets right, he gets garbled from other people. You heard bad things about him and he sounds crazy so he must be bad. But you can't actually tell me what's wrong with what I said either. So you came up with this fancy insult that says nothing.

Oh it says something alright. You’re just to dense to get it.

DP

Really. You think I sound like Jordan Peterson? And you literally can't think of ANY other source for my ideas? No other philosophical psychopaths I might have read and perhaps you did not?

And you gathered somehow that I think postmodernism is bad, like he does? Really? This is what getting all your information spoon fed on the internet does to people. Turn it off and read some old books or something before the publisher drops them for racism.

Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a national travesty. How ever will my Asian American children fare in this world without access to this precious literature. The lessons they can learn from slant eyed creatures and Chinamen eating with sticks will be no more, and this country will go to hell bc of it. I'm just so sad and don't know how I will move on from this loss.

The funny thing about this comment (from a performatively-woke white person???) is that it misses how much this obsession with minor symbolism, while ignoring major structural unfairness, irks many Asian-Americans.

To boot, these books haven't been selling very much, but keeping Asians out of elite universities doesn't get half the news time this does. Funny, that!

Also, bustard hunting has been a horrible problem in Asia, not everything about this is nasty, though some of it is obviously not well thought out.

[Anonymous]

thread: tl;dr

thread titles with "i'm a liberal democrat...": lol. no, you're not. stfu, vlad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Next it will be Babar. Then Curious George. Old TV shows and movies will continue to disappear. People will continue to be fired for saying the wrong thing on social media. Witch Hunts do not end on their own.

Please. Then why have any cultural norms at all? Things change. Grow up.

Of course they do. But what if some people don't agree with the changes? Your answer to tell them to shut up and go away. That's a HUGE change from just 10 years ago. People used to talk about these and nobody was told to shutup for differing opinions. I think that's an awful change and so I will not shut up.

So lets pretend that you fought hard for something meaningful to you. Like lobbying against slavery. You finally produce enough societal change and society in general no longer condones slavery. There are pockets of people who are upset by the change. They say their way of life is being cancelled and that they should be allowed to express their opposition to the societal changes. Fine. But do you really expect former slaves and those who find the practice reprehensible to sympathize with them? Do you expect those that "won" the societal battle to spend all their time nurturing the grievances of the few? Incidentally, this is what we tried to do post civil war, and it has been a disaster for the country.

The people that feel that something they cherish was taken away from them should be allowed to express their feelings - like the OP. What they are not entitled to, however, is coddling from others.

Well said. Republicans don't realize that they're the snowflakes who need to be mollycoddled when things don't go their way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

DP. Governmental is the wrong word. But they do have power, and they are not neutral. People are complaining about how they use their power but have no voice to influence them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a low-t beta on this thread posting from his mom’s basement who has listened to a couple Jordan Peterson podcasts and now feels he must do something to save Dr. Seuss from what he has determined to be “cancel culture” and “postmodern” thought. To him this issue is a personal attack on his own existence even though he owns none of the books. After all, who’d have children with him?

Oh brother. You pretty clever to figure out the Jordan Peterson connection, but I think Jordan Peterson gets too much wrong to be of any use. What he gets right, he gets garbled from other people. You heard bad things about him and he sounds crazy so he must be bad. But you can't actually tell me what's wrong with what I said either. So you came up with this fancy insult that says nothing.

Oh it says something alright. You’re just to dense to get it.

DP

Really. You think I sound like Jordan Peterson? And you literally can't think of ANY other source for my ideas? No other philosophical psychopaths I might have read and perhaps you did not?

And you gathered somehow that I think postmodernism is bad, like he does? Really? This is what getting all your information spoon fed on the internet does to people. Turn it off and read some old books or something before the publisher drops them for racism.

Wow.

Nope. Still don’t get it do you? It’s going to be okay. Society is moving on from your type, but no one is out to get you. The existential panic you’re having is wholly synthetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

No there are other alternatives, but there is no mechanism for creating them, unless the tech companies want to. I thik they need a collaborative process with the public that helps guide decisions. They do this some, but not enough, and they are selective about it. The new technology has opened new needs so we must innovate our social processes as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

It's pretty remarkable to watch Republicans do a 180 on this issue. In 2010 they argued that corporations have a right to unlimited political spending due to the First Amendment. In 2017, they argued that corporations needed a huge permanent tax cut. In 2020, they argued that corporations needed a government bailout because they create jobs and help everyone. Throughout the Trump presidency, they slashed corporate regulations. And *now* they suddenly notice that maybe these corporations have more power over ordinary people than they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

B.S. That list isn't MECE, Einstein.

The real option is to re-legilate how tech companies operate. At present they harness public investment for private gain, creating weird private profits and prerogatives. They are among our ages' greatest cancers, along with things like the fossil fuel industry, finance, weapons+defense, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

No there are other alternatives, but there is no mechanism for creating them, unless the tech companies want to. I thik they need a collaborative process with the public that helps guide decisions. They do this some, but not enough, and they are selective about it. The new technology has opened new needs so we must innovate our social processes as well.

Without 1 or 2 you can't bring them to the table. Good luck with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

It's pretty remarkable to watch Republicans do a 180 on this issue. In 2010 they argued that corporations have a right to unlimited political spending due to the First Amendment. In 2017, they argued that corporations needed a huge permanent tax cut. In 2020, they argued that corporations needed a government bailout because they create jobs and help everyone. Throughout the Trump presidency, they slashed corporate regulations. And *now* they suddenly notice that maybe these corporations have more power over ordinary people than they should.

Agree, but It's even weirder how tech companies and all their crap have a BFF in so many Democrats. Party of the little person? I wish!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/ebay-removes-discontinued-dr-seuss-books-1573824%3famp=1

eBay won’t let you sell or buy the handful of Seuss books because they’ve been deemed offensive.

This is the ripple effect. While the Seuss publishers can make a business decision not to publish, the reality is the accompanying rhetoric has an impact. The takeaway is racism, and it will likely impact the entire catalogue.

Let’s see how book sales of the cat in the hat do year over year moving forward. My guess is there will be a dramatic decrease because most people won’t want to inadvertently offend anyone.

Is Ebay a government entity?

If not, it isn't censorship, its capitalism.

Lots of naivete online about tech oligarchs: they're governmental, alright. Don't fool yourself about this stuff, the person you're cheating might just be yourself.

Lots of naivete about how we got to this point and what we can do about it. There are two choices:
1. Pass a law restricting the free speech of corporations. It would probably be unconstitutional due to Citizens United.
2. Organize boycotts. I'm perfectly willing to participate in these as appropriate. But I rarely buy books or use Ebay- we are a library family. So it doesn't make sense for me to boycott in this case. You are free to give it a go.

B.S. That list isn't MECE, Einstein.

The real option is to re-legilate how tech companies operate. At present they harness public investment for private gain, creating weird private profits and prerogatives. They are among our ages' greatest cancers, along with things like the fossil fuel industry, finance, weapons+defense, etc.

Republicans don't believe in controlling how companies operate.