Italy
is amongst the lowest ranked of EU member states in media freedom indices.
However it was whilst being in China last week, blocked from accessing the
likes of Facebook, Twitter and various blogs, that I was acutely aware of being
censored. That, and the fact I was with
a new client on a global programme.
Censorship, the control of information and ideas
circulated within a society, formally existed in ancient Rome. There the office of censor conducted the census of the Roman citizens and regulated the morals of those counted
and classified. And continuing throughout
history, censorship has been used as a powerful tool to limit freedom of speech
and expression. Governments, media,
religious institutions, corporates – and ourselves suppress and alter what is
said and written, covertly or overtly.
As
human beings we are social by nature and inevitably through our communication
and interaction we impact on each other.
Censorship is justified in terms of serving the common good, keeping us
safe, maintaining harmony and society stability, and upholding ideology. We justify it in business
to conform to the expectations of the market and maintain competitive advantage.
As leaders, we withhold information under the premise of ‘privilege’ or ‘confidentiality’. And we self-censor for reasons of self
preservation. To make sure we are not
thrown out of the relationship, the programme, the group, the contract, the company,
the clan.
And
it is perhaps this self censorship, our own silence borne of ignorance or fear,
is what we should be most concerned with. After all it is something we have control
over. The cumulative effect of our
individual willingness to be sleep walking unquestioning citizens remaining unaware of ourselves and what is happening in society, ensures we blindly accept these justifications for censorship and limit true open
democratic discourse, stymie intellectual
thought and close off to really connecting and having meaningful conversations
and relationships.
Only
we can release ourselves from our own ignorance. From Socrates to Snowden, there
are examples of individuals challenging self censorship for the greater contribution to society. We must, as Socrates said, ‘know
thyself’ and explore what censorship means to us, why, when and how
we self censor and the impact it has. We
need to understand our patterns, question our assumptions, work at our boundaries
and make courageous choices. Studies
have suggested that those who are relatively more willing to self-censor tend
to be relatively lower in self esteem and argumentativeness and are more self
conscious. And yet, we don’t have to
share everything. Wisdom is to know what
is appropriate. As Sally reminded Harry, “you’re going to have to try and find
a way of not expressing every feeling that you have, every moment that you have
them”. Perhaps we can turn to rightful
speech to guide us. Is it true? Is it
helpful?
Through
enhancing our awareness and developing our emotional intelligence we can begin
to challenge our self censorship, to understand when it serves us and others,
and when it doesn’t.
Feel
free to share.
Feel
free not to share.
Sources:
Reference
to Italy: http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html
http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2013/08/italys-free-expression-hamstrung-by-lack-of-media-plurality/
On
censorship: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censorship
http://www.indexoncensorship.org/;
www.freedomhouse.org;
http://gilc.org/speech/osistudy/censorship/
Reference
to studies on self censorship: Hayes, A. F., Glynn, C. J., Shanahan, J., &
Uldall. (2003, May). Individual differences in willingness to
self-censor. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Association for Public Opinion Research, Nashville, TN. AND Hayes, A. F.,
Glynn, C. J., & Shanahan, J. (2005a). Willingness to self-censor: A
construct and measurement tool for public opinion research. International
Journal of Public Opinion Research, 17, 299-323. http://www.afhayes.com/willingness-to-self-censor.html
Line
from movie “When Harry Met Sally” (1989)
Image:
from google images (used by various sites including http://www.nocensura.com).
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