Is censorship counter-productive?

I grew up with the idea that all censorship is bad, that it causes more trouble than it solves. But I'm really not so sure. There are times when i think censorship is appropriate. There are some simple little things, like putting magazines on a magazine rack, if they have naked women on the front they go behind a shield.

If you look at Yahoo Answers, you can see how a little bit of censorship might not be a bad idea. In an anonymous forum where people can say anything, some people will not use it responsibly. IMHO. in a moderated forum you can filter these posts out. That's censorship.

I think censorship should be much lighter on political speech. A democracy should be a 'free market of political ideas'. Communism and fascism are real-world things and discussion about them should be allowed.

Above a certain level (a LOW level) I agree with you, censorship is counterproductive.

Edited for clarity: Ultimately, yes. A highly civilized culture can learn more from the darkness and evil in the world and be educated on how to deal with them when the situation arises. Censorship creates a sheltered environment where we become dulled and undeveloped. Censorship also creates huge barriers for free expression and cultural exchange.

Once I got a piece of neo-Nazi propaganda in the mail because I'm a gun owner - and everybody figures that a gun owner is a Nazi through and through.

But I just remember how impressed I was that even total horsesh*t like Nazi propaganda is there for us to read - agree with it not. It speaks of an amazing tolerant and free society.

AND the best reason NOT to censor stuff is because when I read that neo-Nazi tract, I could tell how crazy these creatures are. Damned out of their own mouths. They're so completely full of hate and lies, it's sort of amazing.

So probably should never censor anything - except maybe child porn where little kids are victimized. I know they DO censor neo-Nazi stuff in Germany - and so the rank and file German is never confronted by Germany's Nazi past unless he goes looking for it.

Censorship--a group of people deciding they are not smart enough or don't have enough self control to determine what they will watch, read, or listen to--delegating their authority to make that decision to someone else.

no. some things are beyond the pale. maybe you enjoy shocking people with televised or printed or online grandmother-rape-porn, but somethings need to be banned, regardless of what so-called "free speech" fruitcakes say.

no