Mastodawn

Charlie Stross Mar 22, 2024

#writersCoffeeClub 3/22: Are there any books which should be banned, or is book banning always wrong?

I draw a line between fiction and non-fiction (or fic presented as non-fic) intended to persuade or make an ideological argument. Clearly-identified fiction shouldn't be banned. Presenting-as-non-fic like "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is flat-out toxic to a society, as is non-fic crank science and "scientific racism", eg. "The Bell Curve".

The Bible? Toxic AF, presents as non-fic: ban!

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Jaime Robertson

@cstross I’m generally not in favor of banning books, but maybe limiting access to toxic ones, or printing them with copious notes on what makes them toxic.
I’m the librarian at my synagogue, I’ve kept a few antisemitic books, including the ‘Protocols’, as research materials/warnings. They had been in the library before I was there, so feel it’s not my place to get rid of them. I haven’t included them in the online catalog I’ve made, but they’re available if someone wants to see them.