The Written Word
The most powerful invention created by humanity right after fire, agriculture and the thrown rock (though not necessarily in that order).
The written word allows us to share information across time and space. To store ideas frozen for generations for new thinkers to review, revise, and even renew. Writing connects us with our past and with the future. From the Rosetta Stone to the Gutenberg Bible, writing consistently proved its value to Humanity again and again, allowing ideas, even forbidden ones, social and cultural taboos, their chance at immortality.
If they can get by the censors. For as long as we’ve been writing, there has been someone to say: Oh my god! You can’t write that! What if <insert sheltered group here> were to see this?
Censoring knowledge, hiding the written word is not new. Books can go from being literature to being banned in less than a generation. The Steinbeck classic, The Grapes of Wrath incited rage and banning soon after its release. Today, it is taught as a classic work of early American literature. Want to see a southern sixth grade teacher foam at the mouth? Mention teaching Huckleberry Finn and watch the foam fly. America’s on again, off again love of what is arguably an American classic, Huckleberry Finn, one of Mark Twain’s most famous works, falls into and out of grace like clockwork. The list of authors who have been banned might astound you. I happened to stumble upon this excellent infographic and wanted to share it with anyone who can appreciate just how good you have to be, to be considered BAD for post-literate America.
Post-literacy is the concept of a society where almost everyone is taught to read and no one feels compelled to actually engage in reading. An unfortunate part of the recent anti-intellectualism sweeping the nation. If even one book on this list makes you curious, READ IT. I have read most of them simply because I had a more diverse education than is taught in school today. But all of these books are still available and if someone deemed it worthy of banning, you should read it just because they don’t want you to.
And because TV is lowering your IQ just by being on when you’re in the same room with it.
Banned Book image by http://www.printerinks.com/
“Book censorship in the United States.” Wikipedia.org. N.p. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org>
Poster design is ©Paul Sizer/Sizer Design + Illustration
A Matter of Scale 
Reblogged this on C. L. Tangenberg and commented:
Here’s to free speech and press in a year that, despite Internet and social networking milestones and information proliferation, has continued the world’s sad legacy of suppression and censorship.
Here, here! It is a sad thing. I am ever hopeful, people may awaken to the idea we CAN do better but only if we promote free thinking. Diverse perspectives change the world for the better.