Best Word Book Ever Revised Edition Comparisons
In 1991 Richard Scary's Best Book Ever was revised *heavily* to be more politically correct. Female teachers made male, male construction workers made female, and fathers introduced into settings left right and centre. None of the characters are allowed to be labeled as "handsome" or "beautiful" anymore, I suppose that labelling people with "compliments" is offensive or something.
Now you're probably thinking, what's the big deal? But think about this; how would people feel if say, the ending to 1984 was changed and Winston changed the world! Or maybe Big Brother *REALLY* was right all along? What I'm getting to is, when a book is good, leave it alone. Don't change it. Especially when it's the BEST word book EVER.
Classified under: Richard Scary,books,censorship
posted by Mike at
1:11 PM
7 Comments:
You are aware that Scary made the changes himself, right? If that's the case, it's not censorship, it's self censorship, or quite possibly a different world view that he had 30 years ago.
By
Rob, at November 27, 2005 3:00 PM
Yes I realize that, but I also firmly believe the idea was suggested to him when it came time to republish it, rather than taking it on himself to pitch the changes.
By
Mike, at November 27, 2005 5:12 PM
I think there's a lot to be said for love. Love of thy neighbour, loving thine enemies and especially loving thineself when no one's looking - unless you know, you're on a bus and that little cockteasing cunt is just begging for my mancock.
But that's not my point right now -
The Bible says in Gideyup XXIII:LCIV subsection c, paragraph 7 "Smote thee thine enemas for thou art densest the mensest, assclowneth..." and in Apotostoliptic III:IV claims, "This bag is not a toy, keepeth awayeh from toddlereth..." or better, in MarkyMark XXV, "How's my driving?"
So you see, according to our Savior, all we truly need is peace, love and women trained to overcum their gag reflex sucking up the gushing overflow off my nutsack while their bitchy, transit riding "I'm so perfect with my 16 year old perky tits and tight, glistening ass cheeks hiding under my private school skirt" gets skewered on my gigantic man missile.
For more information, please drop by your local church group to ask about "The Alpha Program".
Please. Help. Me.
By
Anonymous, at November 27, 2005 7:55 PM
Am I a total douchebag if I say that I think most of the changes are fine? Oh sure, I have some quibbles with choice of graphics or whatever, but I mostly think the changes make it up-to-date. Then again, it isn't a book I ever read as a child so I have no emotional attachment to it.
By
Davíd, at November 27, 2005 9:17 PM
some changes don't bother me, but some seem ridiculously PC. No offense, I know that women can drive steamrollers, but adding that yellow ribbon makes that jumpsuit look more like a dress to me. anyway, it just doesn't look right for some reason. And other stuff like changing some of the gender roles in other cases don't really bother me, but the thing that gets me is that they didn't bother me in the old edition either, so it seems like there really was no NEED to change anything.
Fine, change stewardess to flight attendent, but I don't see what the problem is with saying the pilot is handsome or the "flight attendant" is beautiful.
the changes aren't offences but what they were changing aren't either is my point. It drives me nuts that for SOME reason "secretary" is a bad word now too. Now it's an Administrative Assistant. If men can get used to being nurses then they should be able to get used to being called secretaries. It's not like the word means anything femanine anyway, it's a preconceived notion.
These changes just remind me of that kind of inane over-sensitive word changing that seems all the rage for no reason other than to cover their ass.
By
Mike, at November 27, 2005 9:56 PM
What I'd *really* like to know is if there's a frontlash associated with every backlash because in the old days we just had whiplash, where nowadays you got backlash and backslash, which is totally different.
For example you *could say "oh that's the inevitable backslash against Political Correctness", but that would be funny because what they really meant was "I can color."
Makes you think though, makes you think...
Please. Help. Me.
By
Anonymous, at November 28, 2005 12:54 AM
I actually getting rid of the handsome and beautiful labels as I found them really silly and irrelevant to the scene presented. I'll agree that some things are at the PC extreme, but they don't take away from the message of the book. Also, adding females in different roles is good - adding a yellow ribbon to make a character female is silly.
As for administrative assistant vs. secretary, it's not just a gender thing. Women also prefer being called administrative assistants. The connotation with secretary is that it is a trifling job while administrative assistant implies more responsibility. It's the same thing with steward(ess) to flight attendent. Ok, I'll grant there's inherent sexism in the old term too - but the point is that woman as much as men want the new term.
By
Davíd, at November 28, 2005 10:50 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home