Benjamin Franklin once said, "If all printers were determined to print nothing until they were sure it would offend no one, very few would be printed." Censorship is the practice of officially examining books, films, etc. and to delete the unacceptable parts. So someone decides what's offensive and what's not. However, what is offensive? Offensive towards whom? When are the lines drawn on what is considered “dirty”? The history of music censorship dates back to Plato's vision of an ideal society in the Republic. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato presents a logical argument for the arts, specifically pertaining to painting and poetry, and concludes that art should be censored. Plato's reasoning for censoring the arts begins with the explanation that art is imitation and therefore twice as far from the truth. Since art is twice as far from the truth, it appeals to the irrational part of our brain. Therefore, art can corrupt a character by influencing undesirable emotions and should in fact be censored. For example, Plato said, “Brave men are willing to die in battle, but poets tell fearful stories about the afterlife and make us fear death” (Republic 386b-d). Plato also discusses other ways in which a state should censor its population. He wrote: “The soul of a moral citizen will be composed and dignified, but many musical modes stimulate us within and make us strident and restless” (398e-400d.). Explains how some musical notes work; melodies, rhythms and lyrics are disturbing and dark. He believes that the only music that should be listened to out loud is happy and uplifting music. Texts must be changed to conform to this ideal. For example, he believes that we should repress speeches such as "the abhorred Styx" and "the people of the hellish abyss", repla...... middle of paper ......tist or excitement properties of songs. Humorous and violent songs also increased aggressive thoughts. The study also concluded that violent songs have implications for real-world violence. “Aggressive thoughts can influence the perception of ongoing social interactions, coloring them with an aggressive hue. Such aggression-based interpretations can, in turn, instigate a more aggressive response – verbal or physical – than would have been emitted in one state, thus causing an aggressive spiral of antisocial exchanges,” said lead researcher Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D. of Iowa State University. The study investigated the causes of aggression rather than aggressive behavior itself. More research is needed, scientists say, to identify the short- and long-term effects of violent song lyrics. The world may never know if censorship is necessary.