Ronald Dahl Censored


If we start altering classic books to be more politically correct, we need to start with the Bible, which has just as much politically incorrect phrases as any other. I’m all for free speech etc, but if the books insult you… don’t read them? That would be a start. A lot of people might not agree with this, but I believe it starts with the education of the children, teaching them what’s right and wrong to say to someone.
 
BFG’s coat no longer described as black :lol: f**k me, even if 2023 I doubt anyone is offended by describing a black item of clothing as black

Good marketing strategy though
its more racist changing it, suggesting somthing is wrong with black surley.
If we start altering classic books to be more politically correct, we need to start with the Bible, which has just as much politically incorrect phrases as any other. I’m all for free speech etc, but if the books insult you… don’t read them? That would be a start. A lot of people might not agree with this, but I believe it starts with the education of the children, teaching them what’s right and wrong to say to someone.
and the Koran.
 
but if the books insult you… don’t read them? That would be a start. A lot of people might not agree with this, but I believe it starts with the education of the children, teaching them what’s right and wrong to say to someone.
Agree with all of this. Think it can be used as a talking point.

But, realistically how many kids choose to read? How many kids choose to read and go on to choose the books they want to read?

I think there’s a bit of an issue of looking at books which are largely meant for kids with the outlook of an adult too.
 
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These changes are not about wokeness, they’re about selling books, the publishers either have to stick by the original content and risk being ‘cancelled’ or update and sell more books. That was what I meant by tricky.
Same with Agatha Christies '10 little Ns.'
changed to '10 little Indians' and now ''Then there was none'
Mind saw it in Madrid a couple of years ago with it's original title in Spanish.
 
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory was released in 64 and had its first update in 74 to amend the oompah loompah's from being pigmys from Africa to little people from Loompah Land

So unless you were reading the version that had African pigmys in then you were already reading an edited version, a woke version? You love woke now?!
 
Tricky one, some of his books were brilliant, but it does turn out that he was a bit of a nazi.

A particular favourite of mine and the kids (when they were small)
Dahl fought the real Nazis during WW2 when he was in the RAF iirc.

I guess that the meaning of the word ‘Nazi’ has changed over the years. It’s a mild insult nowadays.
 
For years they were edited and updated. Maybe you were never reading the original

Maybe so. But why?

Edit a writing if something falls out of common use. But "white as a sheet" is still in common use? It's not even complicated or controversial.

Have people really contacted the estate of RD and said its in some way offensive or hard to understand? If so then fine.

I'm not against editing where ita justified.

Just as I'm not upset at them renaming the dog in the Dambusters. That's perfectly justified as times have changed. The meaning of the word in common use has changed. I get that and see why they have done it. I'm OK with that

Words change their meaning. But "white as a sheet"? "Ugly"? "Fat?"

People are fat. Not everyone is beautiful, some people are ugly. They're perfectly acceptable words that people understand. Editting them out achieves nothing
 
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Maybe so. But why?

Edit a writing if something falls out of common use. But "white as a sheet" is still in common use? It's not even complicated or controversial.

Have people really contacted the estate of RD and said its in some way offensive or hard to understand? If so then fine.

I'm not against editing where ita justified.

Just as I'm not upset at them renaming the dog in the Dambusters. That's perfectly justified as times have changed. The meaning of the word in common use has changed. I get that and see why they have done it. I'm OK with that

Words change their meaning. But "white as a sheet"? "Ugly"? "Fat?"

People are fat. Not everyone is beautiful, some people are ugly. They're perfectly acceptable words that people understand. Editting them out achieves nothing
I wonder if any of Tolkien’s work is going to be attacked … I’m off out to protect his towers.
 
There are approximately 250 million roald Dahl books that have been sold.

I wouldn’t be turning up at the antiques roadshow anytime soon…
I hope someone does. The best items are the ones where someone finds something and thinks they are on a nice earner, then stand trying to feign being pleasantly surprised when the valuation is only a couple of hundred quid.
 
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