From the Mouths of Babes

She's hot, I'll give her that. The problem is, she hasn't got a fucking clue. It's OK, though, because she's hot. She'll be fine. For a couple of years, anyhow.

No experience in my life has been as continually frustrating as my media class. It seems every day there is some bright-eyed, narrow-minded, idealistic 19-year old spouting off some nonsense that causes fuses in my head to pop. I swear to god that I actually smelled ozone this afternoon.

The discussion today was about the different schools of media control, libertarian and authoritarian. If you aren't familiar with these terms in this context, here's the down-and-dirty. Libertarian media control is basically a free market of information where, ideally, the good and worthwhile ideas are accepted and thrive, while the worthless ideas and noise essentially wither on the vine. Think of everything great the internet could be, rather than what it actually is. Authoritarians are all about controlling the information, either to protect the audience, or exert control over the audience. Censorship is quite appealing for the authoritarians.

So, while we are discussing this, Barbie pipes up with "I like the authoritarian side, because I like censorship." It is at this point that cognitive function ceases for me. I never thought I'd hear that last triumvirate of words spoken sincerely. It was like I suddenly had a headache that was so exquisite and perfect that it was both blinding and deafening at the same time. It passed in an instant, and I was left speaking a single word.

"Why?"

"Well, things like violence and pornography are wrong. Those should be censored."

I could have torn her pretty little head off with the vitriolic tirade that sprang to mind. However, it was clear that what amounts to her mind was already made up, and that every other student in the room was staring at her like she was wearing her ass on her head.

I would have liked to see that. She seems to have a nice ass.