DQ reader Tim Scott sent me an absolutely fantastic link to an article over at Geek Philosphy titled "Think of the Children." The impetus for the post was a hysterical article over at the Kansas City Star with all of the usual apocalyptic warnings about what our children are watching and doing.
What makes this piece so wonderful, though, is that author MaryAnn Johanson found some utterly hilarious quotes from past social critics. Here's an excerpt:
If it be true, that the present age is more corrupt than the preceding, the great multiplication of Novels has probably contributed to its degeneracy...
That coarse taste, which was introduced in the reign of Charles the Second, was greedily adopted by the juvenile reader. At an inflammatory age, the fuel of licentious ideas will always find a ready reception. The sentimental manner seems of late to have supplanted it. But it is matter of doubt, whether even this manner is not equally dangerous. It has given an amiable name to vice, and has obliquely excused the extravagance of the passions, by representing them as the effect of lovely sensibility.
That's from On Novel Reading by Vicessimus Knox, and it was published in 1778.
Like I said, it's a great read, and here's the link:
http://www.geekphilosophy.com/2006/04/think_of_the_ch.html#more.