What Should Be the Degree of Tolerance? How Much Speech Can Be Considered Free Speech?
Amid the recent outrage over the latest India’s Got Latent episode, where "derogatory" remarks were made, FIRs have been lodged against Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, and other panel members.
Now, the masses are divided over whether this legal action is justified. One part of society believes that shows normalizing abuse, slang, and overtly derogatory comments should be banned. They argue that such content negatively influences the youth and society and that those responsible should face strict legal consequences. However, in a country with over a billion people, how will it be decided what qualifies as dark comedy and what disrupts the socio-cultural ecosystem enough to warrant a ban?
Understanding Dark Comedy
For a better understanding, let’s first decode what comedy is—or more specifically, dark comedy. According to Vocabulary.com, dark comedy is characterized by grim or satirical humor, often involving gloomy or disturbing elements. For example, any joke about the 9/11 attack can be considered dark comedy, as it revolves around a tragic terrorist attack. The internet is flooded with such jokes, yet they don’t seem to harm society.
Why is that? Is it because they’ve become repetitive, or because they are beyond our personal scope of concern as Indians? Nothing could be more sadistic than laughing at death, right? Yet, the same people who were outraged by Ranveer’s joke were unbothered when another panelist mocked a South Indian accent in the same episode or when Rakhi Sawant made a controversial remark in a previous episode. Why? Is it because the majority of viewers are North Indians and find the latter more acceptable? Or because Rakhi is expected to make such statements while Ranveer is not? If that’s the case, then the issue isn’t with the joke itself but with the expectations we impose on influencers.
Comedy is subjective. If you don’t like something but others have no problem with it, simply don’t watch it.
The Concern Over Young Viewers
Some argue that a majority of the viewership of these shows falls in the 12–25 age range and that such content might negatively impact teenagers' evolving minds. First, this is not a radio or television broadcast that can be heard or seen unintentionally. Second, much darker content is already available on the internet, and teenagers are exposed to nudity, racism, and sexism daily. Parents and guardians should take responsibility for monitoring what their children consume to ensure it is safe and appropriate.
The Slippery Slope of Censorship
George Orwell, a renowned British writer and philosopher, wrote in 1984:
"Orthodoxy means not thinking—not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness."
When discussing such controversial topics, we must ask ourselves: Is this truly my opinion, or am I merely following the masses unconsciously? If every unpopular opinion is censored by law, we must prepare for a future where independent thought is suppressed, paving the way for a totalitarian society.
The internet is an open space, and it should remain a platform for free speech and healthy discussion. If you disagree with an idea, you are free to criticize it. That’s how societies evolve—through discussions, debates, thesis, and antithesis. Any society that embraces blanket censorship is doomed to fail.
"Live and let live." This principle, taught by our ancestors, has been an integral part of Indian culture. India has always been a land of open thought and radical ideas, and it would be wise to understand and uphold the true meaning behind this philosophy.
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