This solution relies on the humanistic idea that people know what is best for them. Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. wrote in a famous 1919 decision that “the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market (Steinbauer 1991). This concept is the cornerstone of the whole democratic system.
Paramount to this system is access to a wide variety of choices. Market-censorship should be confined as much as possible to allow many different ideas into the market. Consumers can then decide for themselves what they will absorb and what they will reject.
If we cannot avoid all market censorship, or if we choose to accept it as an unfortunate by-product of an otherwise good capitalist system, then we should at least let the consumers decide from what has reached the market and refrain from the censorship of influential minorities.
Bibliography
Baker, Susan, and Tipper Gore. “Record Industry Misunderstands PMRC.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, February 11, 1989: p. 9.
Broch, Timothy C. “Erotic Materials.” Technical Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. Vol 1, Preliminary Studies, 1971.
Cole, Wendy. “No. 2, with a Bullet.” Time. December 2, 1991: p. 88
Dileo, Michael. “Unbelievable Hype.” Mother Jones. Vol. 14, February/March 1989: p. 10.
Douglas, William O. Dissent, Roth v. U.S., 1957.
Eisenstein, Elizabeth L. The Printing Press as an Agent of Change: Communications and Cultural Transformations in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge: University Press, 1979.
Epstein, Jonathon S., and David J. Pratto. “Heavy Metal Rock Music: Juvenile Delinquency and Satanic Identification.” Popular Music and Society Bowling Green University Popular Press, Winter 1990: p. 67-75.
Farrell, Perry. Ritual Lo De Habitual (Liner notes). New York: Warner Bros. Records, 1990.
Flanagan, Bill. “Radio moo-ves to Ban Anti-beef Lang are Un-American.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 102, July 28, 1990: p. 9.
Goldberg, Michael. “At a Loss for Words.” Rolling Stone. May 31, 1990: p. 19-22.
Goethe. Dialogues with Eckermann. 1832. As cited in Oboler.
Gorky, Maxim. “Soviet Literature.” Soviet Writers’ Congress 1934. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1977.
Gross, Robert L. “Heavy Metal Music.” Journal of Popular Culture Vol. 24, Summer 1990: p. 122-130.
Haring, Bruce. “Lyrics Concerns Escalate.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, November 11, 1989: p. 101.
______, _____. “Lyrics Concerns Brighten Sales at Indie Stores.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, April 21, 1990: p. 5.
Holland, Bill. “Congress Can Regulate Lyrics, ‘87 Study Says.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, June 10, 1989: p. 1-2.
_______, ____. “50,000 Sign on the Anti-Censorship Dotted Line.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, October 7, 1989.
Kennedy, David. “Frankenchrist versus the State.” Journal of Popular Culture. Vol. 24, Summer 1990: p. 131.
Jansen, Sue Curry. Censorship: The Knot That Binds Power and Knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1991.
Mann, Peggy. “How Shock Rock Harms Our Kids.” Reader’s Digest. July 1988: p. 101-105.
Marcuse, Herbert. The Aesthetic Dimension: Toward a Critique of Marxist Aesthetics. Boston: Beacon, 1978.
Marsh, Dave. “Don’t Knock the Rock.” Village Voice. May 29, 1990.
_____, ____. You’ve Got a Right to Rock: Don’t Let Them Take It Away. Los Angeles, California: Duke and Duchess Ventures, Inc., 1991.
Michelson, Peter. The Aesthetics of Pornography. New York: Herder and Herder, 1971.
Miller, Henry. Remember to Remember. Norfolk, Connecticut: New Directions, 1947.
Norwood, Jennifer. “Rap, Rock Lyrics Give Rise to Concern.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, September 23, 1989: p. 9.
Oboler, Eli M. The Fear of the Word: Censorship and Sex. Metuchen , New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1974.
Pareles, Jon. “Outlaw Rock: More Skirmishes on the Censorship Front.” New York Times. December 10, 1989: Arts and Leisure p. 30.
Riesman, David. “Listening to Popular Music.” American Quarterly Vol. 2, 1950: p. 359-371.
Rodnitzky, Jerome L. Popular Music as a Radical Influence, 1945-1970. Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1972.
Rosen, Craig “Use of Its Advisory Sticker as Mktg. Ploy Worries RIAA.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, November 24, 1990: p. 6.
Shaw, George Bernard. “On Censorship.” Essays: Classic & Contemporary. New York: J. B. Lippincott Co. 1967.
Steinbauer, Mary Youatt. “The 10 Amendments: Their History, Their Meaning.” Life. Fall Special 1991: p. 11.
Terry, Ken. “Retailers Press Labels to Adopt Uniform Stickering.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, October 14, 1989: p. 4.
Verna, Paul. “N.W.A. Disk Is a No-Go at Wax-Works Web.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, September 15, 1990: p. 5.
Volz, Edward J. “You Can’t Play That: A Selective Chronology of Banned Music: 1850-1991.” School Library Journal Vol. 37, July 1991: p. 16.
Zappa, Frank. “On Junk Food for the Soul.” New Perspectives Quarterly Vol. 4, Winter 1988: p. 26-30.
*.FOOTER*
14d7
Baker, Susan, and Tipper Gore. “Record Industry Misunderstands PMRC.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, February 11, 1989: p. 9.
Broch, Timothy C. “Erotic Materials.” Technical Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. Vol 1, Preliminary Studies, 1971.
Cole, Wendy. “No. 2, with a Bullet.” Time. December 2, 1991: p. 88
Dileo, Michael. “Unbelievable Hype.” Mother Jones. Vol. 14, February/March 1989: p. 10.
Douglas, William O. Dissent, Roth v. U.S., 1957.
Eisenstein, Elizabeth L. The Printing Press as an Agent of Change: Communications and Cultural Transformations in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge: University Press, 1979.
Epstein, Jonathon S., and David J. Pratto. “Heavy Metal Rock Music: Juvenile Delinquency and Satanic Identification.” Popular Music and Society Bowling Green University Popular Press, Winter 1990: p. 67-75.
Farrell, Perry. Ritual Lo De Habitual (Liner notes). New York: Warner Bros. Records, 1990.
Flanagan, Bill. “Radio moo-ves to Ban Anti-beef Lang are Un-American.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 102, July 28, 1990: p. 9.
Goldberg, Michael. “At a Loss for Words.” Rolling Stone. May 31, 1990: p. 19-22.
Goethe. Dialogues with Eckermann. 1832. As cited in Oboler.
Gorky, Maxim. “Soviet Literature.” Soviet Writers’ Congress 1934. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1977.
Gross, Robert L. “Heavy Metal Music.” Journal of Popular Culture Vol. 24, Summer 1990: p. 122-130.
Haring, Bruce. “Lyrics Concerns Escalate.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, November 11, 1989: p. 101.
______, _____. “Lyrics Concerns Brighten Sales at Indie Stores.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, April 21, 1990: p. 5.
Holland, Bill. “Congress Can Regulate Lyrics, ‘87 Study Says.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, June 10, 1989: p. 1-2.
_______, ____. “50,000 Sign on the Anti-Censorship Dotted Line.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, October 7, 1989.
Kennedy, David. “Frankenchrist versus the State.” Journal of Popular Culture. Vol. 24, Summer 1990: p. 131.
Jansen, Sue Curry. Censorship: The Knot That Binds Power and Knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1991.
Mann, Peggy. “How Shock Rock Harms Our Kids.” Reader’s Digest. July 1988: p. 101-105.
Marcuse, Herbert. The Aesthetic Dimension: Toward a Critique of Marxist Aesthetics. Boston: Beacon, 1978.
Marsh, Dave. “Don’t Knock the Rock.” Village Voice. May 29, 1990.
_____, ____. You’ve Got a Right to Rock: Don’t Let Them Take It Away. Los Angeles, California: Duke and Duchess Ventures, Inc., 1991.
Michelson, Peter. The Aesthetics of Pornography. New York: Herder and Herder, 1971.
Miller, Henry. Remember to Remember. Norfolk, Connecticut: New Directions, 1947.
Norwood, Jennifer. “Rap, Rock Lyrics Give Rise to Concern.” Billboard Magazine Vol. 101, September 23, 1989: p. 9.
Oboler, Eli M. The Fear of the Word: Censorship and Sex. Metuchen , New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1974.
Pareles, Jon. “Outlaw Rock: More Skirmishes on the Censorship Front.” New York Times. December 10, 1989: Arts and Leisure p. 30.
Riesman, David. “Listening to Popular Music.” American Quarterly Vol. 2, 1950: p. 359-371.
Rodnitzky, Jerome L. Popular Music as a Radical Influence, 1945-1970. Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1972.
Rosen, Craig “Use of Its Advisory Sticker as Mktg. Ploy Worries RIAA.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, November 24, 1990: p. 6.
Shaw, George Bernard. “On Censorship.” Essays: Classic & Contemporary. New York: J. B. Lippincott Co. 1967.
Steinbauer, Mary Youatt. “The 10 Amendments: Their History, Their Meaning.” Life. Fall Special 1991: p. 11.
Terry, Ken. “Retailers Press Labels to Adopt Uniform Stickering.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, October 14, 1989: p. 4.
Verna, Paul. “N.W.A. Disk Is a No-Go at Wax-Works Web.” Billboard Magazine. Vol. 101, September 15, 1990: p. 5.
Volz, Edward J. “You Can’t Play That: A Selective Chronology of Banned Music: 1850-1991.” School Library Journal Vol. 37, July 1991: p. 16.
Zappa, Frank. “On Junk Food for the Soul.” New Perspectives Quarterly Vol. 4, Winter 1988: p. 26-30.