comstockery

Thân thiện

A librarian removes a book from the shelf due to comstockery.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Censorship based on perceived obscenity or immorality: "Comstockery" refers to the practice of suppressing or censoring literature, art, or other forms of expression deemed to be obscene or morally objectionable, often in a rigid, puritanical, or overzealous manner.

Usage

• Noun:
  • The author's novel was banned due to pure comstockery, as officials deemed its themes immoral.
  • Critics accused the film board's decision of being a modern form of comstockery, stifling artistic freedom.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used critically to describe actions perceived as excessively prudish or censorious.
  • The campaign to remove classic books from the school library was dismissed as mere comstockery.

Variants and Related Words

• Comstockian (adj): Characteristic of or resembling comstockery; overly strict in matters of morality and censorship.
  • The Comstockian laws of the era targeted even medical literature.

Synonyms

• Censorship: The suppression or prohibition of speech or writing.
• Puritanism: Strictness in moral or religious matters.
• Prudery: Excessive modesty or propriety in behavior or speech.

Word Origin and Notes

• Etymology: The term derives from Anthony Comstock (1844–1915), an American postal inspector and secretary of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, who was notoriously zealous in enforcing anti-obscenity laws.
• Connotation: The word carries a strong negative connotation, implying that the censorship is unreasonable, outdated, or hypocritical.

Học thuật

Noun

1. censorship because of perceived obscenity or immorality

Từ đồng nghĩa

• comstockery