The Censorship Pattern – How Belief Systems Limit Us

In recent years, I have simultaneously gained an appreciation and loathing for modern day politics. I started to notice patterns in different types of belief systems. This pattern I noticed is that whatever belief system you abide by – there is always some form of “censorship” involved.

I coined this -“The Censorship Pattern.”

This isn’t limited to the world of politics and media. There are forms of “verbal” and “thought” censorship we use within relationships, religion, politics, and in the workplace (professionalism). Let’s define censorship according to Google: “To examine in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable. Also : to suppress or delete as objectionable. Censor out indecent passages.”

What do I mean by “verbal” or “thought” censorship”?

Ask yourself this:

1. Have you ever suppressed saying certain things in the workplace for the sake of “professionalism”?

2. Have you ever held back from questioning authority because that might cause a threat to your security?

3. Have you ever avoided saying what you really think for sake of keeping the peace in a relationship?

4. Have you been surrounded by people who have different beliefs than you, and you held back on telling them what you believe just to fit in? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions – you have actually “censored” yourself in one form or another.
   

Here is the thing though. Sometimes, it’s a good thing to censor yourself.

Sometimes, you should hold back. However, sometimes – there is a time and place. A time to speak, and a time to be quiet. It is also fun to ponder exactly WHY we censor the things we do.

Here is how censorship is paralleled” in different areas of life and belief systems:

Relationships

In relationships, it is ideal to be-friend people who have similar belief systems as you do. It seems to be more peaceful to discuss things in your own echo chamber. But something that makes life even more interesting is to have conversations with people who think and believe differently from you. Unfortunately, for many people, belief systems are closely tied to our emotions. This is where the use of censoring yourself has to come in for survival. In a perfect world, we could communicate with others by saying whatever is on our mind without the risk of offending anyone. One thing I have learned from presenting my beliefs to others who believe differently from me is I either get more firm and confirmation in my own beliefs OR I learn something new. This is a good incentive to gain the courage to speak up. Keep in mind – coming to a place in a relationship where both people can feel as though they can share anything that comes to mind. This comes as a result of trust – trust is built slowly over time (which is much more fruitful). There is nothing more fulfilling than having a friend or spouse in which you can share anything with.

Religion

A few pastors have told me that there is a difference between believing in God from your heart of hearts versus living in religious rules that you won’t always live up to. I really had to think about this for a long time. My interpretation of this is that human beings live messy lives and we can’t possibly always live up to religious rules to perfection (because we almost always fail). But we also need to have the courage to admit we have these limitations and know God loves us when we bring to Him our faults, mistakes and worries. How do religious rules relate to how we censor ourselves? Religious rules have a lot of beliefs tied in to what we should think about vs. not think about. What we should believe vs. not believe. And what we are allowed to say vs. not allowed to say (censorship). Do I think there is some merit in this way of doing things? Yes. I do believe people need a set of rules in their life to follow – guidelines if you will. Do I think it works in every day life, every conversation and every situation? It doesn’t appear to. At some point, a lot of things that should’ve been spoken about get swept under the rug when they should’ve been aired out. All of the thoughts and things that pop into your head and out of your mouth aren’t always going to align with religious rules. Religious rules come with a lot of guilt and shame for not being perfect. In my experience, this is what scares most people away from following a religion. Do you censor yourself in order to follow EXACTLY as your religious belief system demands?

Politics

This one is a little more obvious to some people in relationship to censorship. The word censorship itself is used the most in this area. This one comes down to what side of the political spectrum we agree with – and what belief systems come with the corresponding side. If you are more left leaning – you are probably more apt to believe in social justice, increased government involvement, and universal healthcare. If you are more right leaning – you are probably more apt to believe in pro life, lowering taxes, and private property. However, what do you do if you are left leaning in your political ideology and you have an experience where social equality doesn’t work in every situation? Do you suppress your genuine thoughts or humble yourself? What do you do if you are right leaning in your political ideology and in a time of need you require government assistance? Do you suppress your genuine thoughts or humble yourself? It turns out life isn’t that simple when it comes every day decision making that are "supposed to" line up with our political beliefs. Do you censor yourself in order to follow EXACTLY as your political belief system demands?

Workplace

This is a pattern I have noticed particularly working in office environments. It’s called acting professional regardless of the fact that everybody poops. There is something to be said about dressing properly, speaking well, and acting non-emotional in a work setting. It serves us well in some ways. Depending on your job, there may be a higher need to exercise acting and speaking professionally. Key word though – acting. Why did we create this act in order to suppress what we actually think? It’s really something to think about. I remember my first job working in an office and the first thing I remember was trying to figure out how I was going to talk professionally on the phone. I had extreme nervousness about it – like I was going to mess up my “script.” However, there are people who enjoy this act – this robotic act. And they become exceptional at it. Do you censor yourself in order to follow EXACTLY as your professional belief system demands?

Conclusion

My hope is that if you have read this whole thing you may ponder on some of these areas in your own life – and maybe laugh about it. Patterns are in our lives for a reason – and it’s important to notice them and wonder why they are showing up consistently.