LETHAL BOOKS?

 

Censorship and banning is a well-discussed topic, but what is the research behind it?  Parents, schools, or other individuals that seek to ban or censor a book, base it off of what?  Is there research to support the banning or is it personal opinion?  How does banning affect the reader?

 

A reader’s predisposition and risk factors.  We all have personal issues and struggles, however, some more than others have overwhelming challenges that lead to a pre-disposition to be triggered to act or react by what we read.  For instance, if I were to read a book with heavy drug use content, I would not be inclined or tempted to take drugs because I have no personal history with this.  Yet, if I were to read a book about an eating disorder, I would be triggered to act upon my pre-existing disordered eating behaviors.  Does that mean the book would be to blamed if I relapsed? No.  Getting a bit more personal, if I read a book about suicide, would I be more inclined to commit suicide?  Probably not, even though I have a very intimate and personal history with suicide given my attempt and my father committed suicide. 

 

How a tough topic is approached is important.  Those inclined to suicidal thoughts may be at a higher risk of committing suicide when they read or hear about a suicide in a romanticized way.  However, not allowing any books with suicide content is only hurting the matter.  As a reader and as a survivor I say bring the subject to light and place focus on a problem that many stay silent on (Colt, G., 1991).

 

The media is no stranger for being the target of blame for people committing suicide because they listened to certain music, watched a show or movie, or read a book, which ultimately prompted them to act upon their suicidal ideation.  In a case against an Ozzy Osbourne song that a father blamed for his son’s decision to commit suicide, the judge protected Ozzy by stating “Trash can be given first Amendment protection, too.”  Artists no matter the art, should not be blamed for how people react or respond to their works.  The boy in this case had a long history of issues including dropping out of school, breaking laws, and mental illness.  Perhaps Ozzy’s music provided him the solace he couldn’t get anywhere else, much like a reader takes solace in a book (Colt, G., 1991).

 

Censoring books and not talking about suicide does not make it disappear nor is it of particular help for this already hush-hush topic.  Books are an alternative way of approaching tough topics and a way to open up conversation on uncomfortable subjects that affect most of us, in one way or another.  Jay Asher, the author of the banned book 13 Reasons why, states, “We need to talk about it. The other option is not talking about it, and all that does is it makes people who are dealing with it feel isolated, which is dangerous,” he said.  Asher said sometimes people reach for books, instead of the people around them, for help (Wright, B., 2014).