Quote:
Originally posted by Bring_Back_Shantz+Jun 8 2005, 07:23 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Bring_Back_Shantz @ Jun 8 2005, 07:23 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Agamemnon@Jun 8 2005, 01:20 PM
Why was Mein Kampf one of the most harmful books of the 20th century?
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Are you freakin Serious?????????? [/b][/quote]
Well one has to ponder whether books can be evil or harmful by themself. If I read a blantantly racist viewpoint does that change me into a racist? Of course not. One can read a book and disagree with none, some or all of it.
If we are taught to believe everything we read then there might be a problem. But any critical thinker should evaluate ideas presented to him/her and choose to accept or reject them on their merit. Lies, untruths, bias are presented in books across the entire spectrum of topics.
Now the grey area for me is if you have kids who have yet to completely form their critical evaluation skills reading things with viewpoints that expouse hate, racism, etc. If you have authority figures recommending these types of things. But then still the book itself is not harmful or evil, the recommendation and affirmation of the ideas in it are harmful.
Interesting issue for sure. It's a very conservative view in general to see books as evil and as needing to be banned.