Books: Why not just burn them?

[Rockmeister]

art has several parts. It's technical skill, it's concept, it's beauty, and it's historical significance.
We learn from Art. You cannot change it without lessening the learning. If modern society is more concerned about personal offence than it is about seeing the truth of historical work, then it's vanishing up it's own arse.

 

[Tony L]

The original versions are not being erased. This just looks like a business decision to repackage and remarket an existing product. This has happened all through history. Coca-Cola used to have cocaine in it! Liquid Gove!

 

[Joe Hutch]

Shakespeare’s been monkeyed about with many times; the ending of King Lear was changed in the 18th century to make it less bleak and the ‘rude bits’ of Shakespeare’s plays were edited out in the following century. Live performances of his plays are always an edited version of the written text, otherwise they go on for far too long.

Even the bits of Shakespeare that might seem questionable from a modern perspective (Shylock being a stereotypical Jewish villain for example) are actually quite nuanced; the Christians that persecute him are worse than he is.

Shakespeare is unusual, and perhaps unique as an author in not allowing his audience/readers to even guess what his own opinion of his characters is (this was one of Tolstoy’s objections to his plays - good people were often punished, while evil sometimes triumphed).

Shakespeare will survive any amount of tinkering and modernising. Fretting about minor changes to Roald Dahl’s books is a waste of energy.

 

[Rockmeister]

The original versions are not being erased. This just looks like a business decision to repackage and remarket an existing product. This has happened all through history. Coca-Cola used to have cocaine in it! Liquid Gove!

I know things change, but Art is not Coca Cola
I think that changes are for profit as mentioned, some disguised as a nod to recent cultural trends, and some to blatantly profit from being correct.
In general I love education and truth, and i don't mind it hurting me sometimes. pain is ok. Another vanishing learning experience
God Im old
hahaha
ah well.

 

[MikeMA]

Ah, cause and effect. The little sods with the knives were probably brought up on a diet of Roald Dahl........

Not sure about this. It presupposes the little sods can read or were read to.

 

[droodzilla]

Lots of slippery slopes on this thread. The modern world must be a terrifying place for some people.

 

[KrisW]

Gilbert and Sullivan lyrical changes, Shakespeare updated for modern audiences and rewording the Taming of The Shrew, Steve Wilson remasters of some back catalogue for audienes circling the drain, George Lucas’ constant Star Wars tinkering. It’s not new and its not part of a woke agenda.

I'm fine with change and modernisation as long as there's no attempt to erase the older versions from history. How can we know what we don't want to return to if we can't see what things used to be like..?

Oh, and welcome back, by the way.

 

[Rockmeister]

Only those whose reaction any discussion is to detect a drama.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Lots of slippery slopes on this thread. The modern world must be a terrifying place for some people.

Yes, it is.

 

[Hook]

I'm fine with change and modernisation as long as there's no attempt to erase the older versions from history. How can we know what we don't want to return to if we can't see what things used to be like..?

Oh, and welcome back, by the way.

Agreed on both points. Also believe that revised versions of old books should be clearly labeled.

Consumers should be free to choose between original and sanitized. My only problem is with those who think they can dictate that choice to others.

 

[mikeyb]

Tom and Jerry anyone ?

Song of the South ?

Yosemite Sam, or was it Elmer Fudd I can’t remember, maybe it was both?

plus many others

 

[Tony L]

I think that changes are for profit as mentioned, some disguised as a nod to recent cultural trends, and some to blatantly profit from being correct.
In general I love education and truth, and i don't mind it hurting me sometimes. pain is ok.

I’d agree with you 100% if this was state censorship and the original was being erased. It just isn’t, this is just an artistic or commercial decision. There will be millions of original copies out there, and it will almost certainly be reprinted in an ‘original historic edition’ again at some point in the future. I view this as a remaster or remix. Just a new format that people can buy or ignore to taste. The comment upthread likening it to Star Wars or Star Trek is absolutely how I see it. My favoured issues with both are the grainy originals with their dated effects. I don’t like the remasters and re-edits any more than I do say someone painting a TD-124 bright red. The one exception I can bring to mind is Blade Runner; the ‘directors cut’ is exponentially better than the original release version with its naff film noir narration etc. There’s nothing stopping anyone watching any version though. I just can’t see this Dahl thing as anything to get wound up about. Just another version to assess or reject on its merits.

What is happening in US red states right now is however scary as hell. That is proper state censorship and Nazi/Taliban-style book burning to whitewash slavery and negate the whole LGBTQ+ rights movement. Absolutely terrifying.

 

[claire.foxx]

I'm fine with change and modernisation as long as there's no attempt to erase the older versions from history. How can we know what we don't want to return to if we can't see what things used to be like..?

Because part of our prevailing culture fetishises “original editions”. Its incredibly hard to erase a thing once it’s proliferated — even when DRM’ed.

Oh, and welcome back, by the way.

Ta, it wont be permanent — a reprise for old times’ sake.

 

[Colin L]

Because part of our prevailing culture fetishises “original editions”. Its incredibly hard to erase a thing once it’s proliferated — even when DRM’ed.

Ta, it wont be permanent — a reprise for old times’ sake.

Tease.

This place is much better with you.

 

[cubastreet]

I look forward to reading the revised edition of the old testament.

 

[Space is the Place]

In other news: Fox News wages war on “woke Lego” (Huffington Post).

PS Just wait until they see Lego set #40516! Lego have always been really cool as a brand IMHO, and that is one of my favourite sets of recent years.

Is it cool though, looking at the row of people everyone's got a very healthy head of hair, many of them bouffants, there's no bald brother or sister in the mix (although one could be wearing a wig i suppose).

 

[Tony L]

Is it cool though, looking at the row of people everyone's got a very healthy head of hair, many of them bouffants, there's no bald brother or sister in the mix (although one could be wearing a wig i suppose).

In Lego design language ‘bald’ is simply ‘no hair’, so just pull the hair off. It detaches. Given the Mini-Figure construction you are obviously left with a stud on the top of the head, they are just born that way.

 

[Space is the Place]

In Lego design language ‘bald’ is simply ‘no hair’, so just pull the hair off. It detaches. Given the Mini-Figure construction you are obviously left with a stud on the top of the head, they are just born that way.

Really... a convenient answer...

 

[Ponty]

Sir Geoffrey Cox just been reading Roald Dahl on LBC. Absolutely tremendous!

 

[Seanm]

Guess in the end it does all just boil down to infantilism.