big brother is watching you

[yTib]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64702224

[Pickles]

First reaction is that books shouldn't be changed and if a word or phrase has a different connotation or reaction now to how it did then then we recognise that and talk about it. But having seen what the actual changes are, I think they have been done quite subtly and smartly. "Enormous" is a much funnier, colourful word than "fat" is. So my response is somewhere in the middle. It'll give the Times, the Telegraph and GB News something to talk about for the next month though.

[wilks_bfc]

“References to colours have also been changed - the BFG's coat is no longer black; while Mary in The BFG now goes "still as a statue" instead of "white as a sheet“

Are we not allowed black coats anymore?
What about the black boots I’ve just bought? Do I have to return those?

[Guitargeorge]

Louisa M Alcott should have thought about her books too. Little People With Cervixes would be much more acceptable
Charles Richardens could have used Physically Challenged Nell
Herman Melville’s book should have been banned from the off. I overheard two people talking in Burnley about that book today. One said “I don’t like sex in books.” And the other replied “It’s not about sex, it’s about whales.” So the first guy says “Well I don’t like Welshman either.”

[Sproggy]

Only one response to that Wilks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w5WOb8jPLQ

[Funkydrummer]

Assume Bi ble can remain ?

[claret2018]

Of course, who can forget that part of 1984 when Big Brother changed a few words in children’s books.

[Devils_Advocate]

Its worth noting when Roald Dahl was alive he made changes to the wording of his books to bring them up to date and make them more commercially appealing and Dahl and the publishing company was also very happy for things to be changed when turning his books into films again if it made commercial sense.

The publishing company who owns the rights are just continuing to do the same thing for commercial reasons as they don't want to lose any of their potential market by upsetting people who may not want their kids to read certain things.

Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything and ultimately this is just the capitalist machine doing what it does to maximise profit and if that means making some changes that seem ridiculous to a lot of people then so be it.

I'd prefer Sunak spent more time focusing on running the country and spoke out more about the horrible stuff his own politicians say and do rather than getting involved in something as petty as this

[bobinho]

First reaction is that books shouldn't be changed and if a word or phrase has a different connotation or reaction now to how it did then then we recognise that and talk about it. But having seen what the actual changes are, I think they have been done quite subtly and smartly. "Enormous" is a much funnier, colourful word than "fat" is. So my response is somewhere in the middle. It'll give the Times, the Telegraph and GB News something to talk about for the next month though.

As opposed to the guardian, who will have a much more rounded and grounded view of the whole thing I suppose….

[Lancasterclaret]

This thread will last about 24 hours, or even less if the "you can't say you are English these days" lot discover it

[Devils_Advocate]

This thread will last about 24 hours, or even less if the "you can't say you are English these days" lot discover it

This thread is set up perfectly for Rowls to get involved in the early hours after having a few to many shandy's

[Volvoclaret]

You can't say your a Lancastrian nowadays.

[Guitargeorge]

I was pulled up for signing in as English in the 80’s at a Government establishment.

[Barry_Chuckle]

You can't say your a Lancastrian nowadays.

Some of us wouldn't want to.....

[Bosscat]

This thread is set up perfectly for Rowls to get involved in the early hours after having a few to many shandy's

[Boss Hogg]

Imagine having words like Fat and Crazy in this day and age. All historic books should be re-edited to look for any more potentially upsetting words or terms. I think history needs re-writing to fit modern agendas. I think the pyramids were built with slave labour so they should be pulled down and rebuilt by vegans using solar powered equipment.

[RVclaret]

Imagine having words like Fat and Crazy in this day and age. All historic books should be re-edited to look for any more potentially upsetting words or terms. I think history needs re-writing to fit modern agendas. I think the pyramids were built with slave labour so they should be pulled down and rebuilt by vegans using solar powered equipment.

[martin_p]

First reaction is that books shouldn't be changed and if a word or phrase has a different connotation or reaction now to how it did then then we recognise that and talk about it. But having seen what the actual changes are, I think they have been done quite subtly and smartly. "Enormous" is a much funnier, colourful word than "fat" is. So my response is somewhere in the middle. It'll give the Times, the Telegraph and GB News something to talk about for the next month though.

But Peter Crouch is enormous, so the word isn’t specific enough. Most would see me as a sandal wearing leftie on here but I must admit I get somewhat bemused when perfectly good descriptive words used in an appropriate context are seen as potentially offensive.

[andyh]

You can’t say you support Burnley these days… i know some are offended by our sheer existence.

[daveisaclaret]

Is this not, in the style of the Mr Potato Head and Dr Seuss situations in the USA, a shameless but fairly transparent attempt to trick a load of gullible people into buying Roald Dahl books in the belief that it is helping to win a culture war?

[Devils_Advocate]

I think history needs re-writing to fit modern agendas

Don't want to upset you but It already has been rewritten in order to whitewash lot of what the old British Empire got up to back in the good old days. Thats modern agendas for you though.

[fatboy47]

I'd prefer Sunak spent more time focusing on running the country and spoke out more about the horrible stuff his own politicians say and do rather than getting involved in something as petty as this

This.

An absolute non-issue that may firm up the bull terrier/Union Jack boxers vote......beats looking at the slobbering greed of his sponsors.

[Stayingup]

DA is right maximisation of profits.

Shakespeare next? The bible and heaven knows how many other books. But Roald Dhal's were children books but so were many others.

Thing is in a recent survey in USA showed that children are now unhappier than at any time previouly in time. Too much bullying on the internet.

Do children still read books?

[fatboy47]

I was pulled up for signing in as English in the 80’s at a Government establishment.

I was waterboarded at Wormwood Scrubs for asking for a black coffee at Paddington.

[Devils_Advocate]

DA is right maximisation of profits.

It must be a full moon if we are in agreement on something

[Stayingup]

Its worth noting when Roald Dahl was alive he made changes to the wording of his books to bring them up to date and make them more commercially appealing and Dahl and the publishing company was also very happy for things to be changed when turning his books into films again if it made commercial sense.

The publishing company who owns the rights are just continuing to do the same thing for commercial reasons as they don't want to lose any of their potential market by upsetting people who may not want their kids to read certain things.

Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything and ultimately this is just the capitalist machine doing what it does to maximise profit and if that means making some changes that seem ridiculous to a lot of people then so be it.

I'd prefer Sunak spent more time focusing on running the country and spoke out more about the horrible stuff his own politicians say and do rather than getting involved in something as petty as this

Your right about the maximisation of profits. But in the very austere days of Communism in China Mao and his CCP severely restricted the number of books that the populace was aloud to read. Interestingly when my boss at the time and I had Chinese delegations they all requested a visit to Haworth!!! Not for the Yorkshire puddings!!! So what is right. Its right to leave the past as it is.

[aggi]

Bear in mind that the Roald Dahl Story Company was taken over by Netflix a year or two ago for about $500m. They're going to be exploiting that investment as much as they can.

[Taffy on the wing]

Madness!

[Volvoclaret]

Madness!

You can't say that, the term is mentally ill

[agreenwood]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64702224

Presumably someone paid a fortune for the rights to his books, so they can do whatever the they like with them.

That’s how selling stuff works in the capitalist, small Govt society most of the people who tend to moan about this kind of thing like.

[Beagle]

Unless Orwell’s works have also undergone some sly revision in the years since I last read them, I can’t really see the relevance of 1984 to the attached news story?

[Volvoclaret]

Today, Blackburn Council has banned George Orwells Animal Farm due to complaints from residents that talking horses could grass them up.

[claret2018]

Unless Orwell’s works have also undergone some sly revision in the years since I last read them, I can’t really see the relevance of 1984 to the attached news story?

People like to say things are like 1984 when they clearly haven’t read it, or if they have they missed the point spectacularly.

[distortiondave]

Most people I know are fat, ugly, insane, white people.

[Lancasterclaret]

Never read 1984

I've read "Animal Farm" though

[roperclaret]

You can't say that, the term is mentally ill

You can’t say that, it’s psychologically challenged

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Methinks Shakespeare is in need of much ado about much wording

[Rowls]

This thread is set up perfectly for Rowls to get involved in the early hours after having a few to many shandy's

You mean this kind of thing?



Sorry to disappoint, but well under less than 1% of my posts have ever been made after "a few to many shandy's"[sic]. I've done that maybe a handful of times over 13+ years. I very rarely drink at home and if I do, it signifies I've got something other than this site to keep me occupied.

[Volvoclaret]

You can’t say that, it’s psychologically challenged

I thought that was purely a reference to Yorkshire folk.

[Lancasterclaret]

You can’t say that, it’s psychologically challenged

You can't say that, its bats**t mental

[claptrappers_union]

This.

An absolute non-issue that may firm up the bull terrier/Union Jack boxers vote......beats looking at the slobbering greed of his sponsors.

I'm afraid I have to disagree. It's happening, making me wonder where we go from here. However, I do take your point a little bit becuase I think there is more to it than this. I think it's about making money.

The readers should be allowed to critique to make the books even more interesting from an educational point of view; children will rightfully develop cynicism, sceptical thinking, empathy, and compassion. Literature is supposed to challenge you and make you feel uncomfortable at times.

If an author's work is no longer suitable for 'modern audiences,' then it's time to let some new blood naturally replace it. I feel uncomfortable seeing publishers airbrushing old books to keep them relevant... and keep out the work suitable for today's market.

What they are not saying, however, is that this is ultimately a business decision, not an act of social responsibility, but more of a publicity stunt to get air time from the likes of Piers Morgan as they want to keep selling books. In the process, they have to adapt it, for no real reason what so ever, but to allow the work to get stripped away, one bit at a time.

Meanwhile, children are losing out, albeit it is something very minor at this point, but this will continue. It reminds me a bit of Demolition Man when Wesley Snipes causes havoc in the future, and nobody knows how to deal with him because they don't know how to react to him being offensive or fighting back physically. Will our future generation be soft because the word 'plump' is an offensive descriptive term to describe the greedy child? It's mad.

A good example of this is the new Disney's Pinocchio. The new CGI version has taken all the questionable morals from the protagonist, removed all the scary bits, and removed everything Pinnochio learns along the way in a creative decision to suit the 'modern audiences' - the version Disney released 82 years it's still lightyears better. Pointless money grab that ultimately flopped.

Children can take it, don't worry. Let them work things out for themselves. We don't need to censor... but the publishers know this.

[roperclaret]

You can't say that, its bats**t crazy

Fixed it for you

[basil6345789]

It should be..."will we play born out of wedlock Rovers, no never no more"

[Rowls]

edit - deleted

[Bosscat]

I was waterboarded at Wormwood Scrubs for asking for a black coffee at Paddington.

You're going to have to change your name fb47 to "enormousboy47" sorry if you don't I will have to complain to the MODS on here to ban you untill you do

[Bosscat]

You mean this kind of thing?



Sorry to disappoint, but well under less than 1% of my posts have ever been made after "a few to many shandy's"[hic]. I've done that maybe a handful of times over 13+ years. I very rarely drink at home and if I do, it signifies I've got something other than this site to keep me occupied.

Have corrected it for you Rowls

[Rowls]

Lol.

They're welcome to make the insinuation. I fancy it's down to a lack of imagination.

[Lancasterclaret]

You're going to have to change your name fb47 to "enormousboy47" sorry if you don't I will have to complain to the MODS on here to ban you untill you do

Thats his tinder name

[Bosscat]

Going to have to change the "who ate all the pies" chant

Who ate all the pies
Who ate a the pies
You enormous person born outside marriage
You enormous person born outside marriage
You ate all the pies

[fatboy47]

Never read 1984

I've read "Animal Farm" though

Lucky you. It's a right miserable monotonous read that just grinds on and on making the same grim points for about 180 pages.

Try "Coming up for Air". Orwell's best offering by an absolute country mile and if anything more insightful and prophetic than 1984.