I sure wouldn't want to find pubic hair on the shelves at Wal-Mart, nor do I need or desire any to be pictured there. Usually I'm going there to buy food items or pet supplies (oops, time for the summer flea and tick treatment, thanks for reminding me) But hey, those are my preferences. Yours may be different. Unlike a certain politician who shared my family name I don't seek to have you blacklisted, jailed or deported for your opinion. Though perhaps because of that association I've given a bit of thought to the topic of censorship.
Never fails to amaze me when people start crying censorship because the world around them hasn't been formed exactly the way they want to see it. Editorial discretion and imposed censorship are two entirely different things. Those who fault Maxim for "censoring" are trying to impose a censorship of their own - by arguing that which they chose to print should not be printed, but rather a different image should be substituted.
Same holds for Wal-Mart. They chose not to carry a particular product. They exercised their freedom of expression in product selection. Again, editorial discretion. "But that's different, they're trying to control someone else's product" No, it's not different. Wal-Mart's choice is still independent of Maxim's choice, Wal-Mart does not have the authority or ability to prevent sales of Maxim from other vendors. Can they hurt Maxim's sales? Yes. But same goes for any product they don't stock. That's the free market at work. If customers don't agree they too can choose to shop elsewhere. There's no controlling authority at work here.
Unlike say if someone got upset about Wal-Mart pulling Maxim and tried to force them to restock it. Then you're undercutting their discretion and imposing your own views on them - which is a form of censorship. Harder to see in that way, but just as real.
So, if you don't like it, don't shop there. Exercise your freedom of monetary selection. Anyway, with free subscriptions in Hot Deals who around here is paying retail price for magazines?
