Monday, April 12, 2010

Iconoclasm in America

Iconoclasm is truly a shame to all–both artist and viewer. During certain eras throughout history, different religions, such as Christianity, have banned the images of Christ, or other so called sacred images or ideas. I believe there is no harm in depicting Jesus Christ as we imagined or envisioned him to look like, or any other religious leader or god for that matter. When things of this nature are considered offensive, it makes me wonder what is offensive about men or women that were remembered in there time for doing nice, kind things? Why is it not offensive to depict someone of the opposite nature, that was remembered for not so good things? Humanity and physiology and the study of people and why they do things will always puzzle me!


Today, the common conception by the average individual is that American culture in particular is un-censored. Well, comparing it to a country such as China, where not even Google is openly used and un-censored, America does seem quite un-censored–or as it were, non iconoclasmistic. Did I just make up a word? We in fact do censor quite a bit in America. For one, there are new rules added yearly in most elementary and middle schools, even high school, concerning dress code. The expression one has in what they wear is repressed more and more each day in public and private schools. Though we have the freedom of speech written into our amendments, it is still not the truest meaning of the word freedom.

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