Films being refused classification isn’t anything new in Singapore. Over the years, tons of films have been given that dubious honor. What follows after is predictable…there’s a small outcry from outspoken people. It’s the same thing all over again with Ken Kwek’s (the guy on the cover image of this post) #LookAtMe.
The news that the film would be denied a classification brought out all the naysayers and judgmental people out of the woodwork. This time around, the reason that a film’s been denied classification is due to its content, which might inflame religious sentiments because of how a religion is depicted.
You can’t speak anything without people jumping down your throat saying that the Singapore Government’s overstepped its bounds.
Censorship of any form is bad, the public should be given the option to form its own opinion.
It’s all the same old cock and bull story we’ve heard before honestly, rehashed once more.
I do agree with one of those commenting that the outright ban is wrong though.
There’s actually a very good point to this comment.
With the prevalence of online streaming and VPNs, you can probably watch the movie with very little effort online.
Banning doesn’t have the same effect now as it did 20 or even 10 years ago. Engaging with the public on why the film is bad is perhaps the better alternative in this case and going forward.
Of course, on the flip side, defenders of the government popped up to side with what they view as the right action take.
Right in the sense of public perception and right in the sense of morality.
Depending on your stance you may agree with one side or the other.
After all, both sides do have their salient points.
I’m not talking about the movie, #LookAtMe can be banned for all I care as I’m not interested in the least, I’m talking about the more general aspects of censorship.
Unfortunately, the government banning the film does have the unfortunate effect of making it more desirable to most people. It’s called the Streisand effect.
Singaporeans aren’t immune to that and responses on the Internet can easily testify to that.
In fact, the overwhelming responses are to this. In banning the film, the government has inadvertently promoted the film, intriguing people who would’ve just passed it over to give it a shot.
Never mind that it is potentially trash. Now, it’s interesting trash.
LGBTQ+ supporters of course view it as the government’s intolerance, despite the authority’s recent stance on repealing Section 377a and making overtures to the community.
Again, there are those on the opposite site as well.
These are the people who lay the blame for the outcry squarely on the government’s decision to repeal Section 377a, which they feel gave legitimacy to the LGBTQ+ community.
Then there are the meddlers, like this one.
Not even Singaporean, but somehow what we do here affects her. Whatever happened to keeping mouths shut to business that isn’t any of your own?
Thankfully, there are some Singaporeans that see the light hearted nature in this whole #LookAtMe affair.
With all the negativity and the hostility, perhaps this is the best way to interpret things.