Censorship removes nuance by making certain topics taboo, severely limiting their discussion and creating a rift of understanding in which people can no longer properly engage with said topic. When books are banned, according to the California Learning Research Network, students are less able to engage with information objectively and become reluctant to analyze complex issues.
A common argument, especially in fiction or other similar media, is that a topic shouldn’t be shown because it isn’t portrayed correctly, but what is considered “correct” is an arbitrary standard that varies from person to person. Media that depicts dark subject matter is often misconstrued to be in support of the taboo topic it includes, but there is a difference between including a topic and supporting it. Horror games cover deeply unsettling topics, but they are not suggesting that the violence or gruesome acts within be repeated.
Furthermore, each person interprets the same situation differently depending on their prior life experiences and culture. What is considered acceptable greatly varies, especially across time periods. Mental health has always been a stigmatized topic, and while conversations and understanding of it has increased, there is still great misunderstanding of conditions such as borderline personality disorder (BPD), schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder (DID). In the past, by poorly treating the mentally ill and avoiding discussion of it, sufferers were isolated and received little to no support. According to the World Health Organization, It is through greater discussion and social contact with those afflicted that mental health can be more understood and treated with the gravitas it requires.
Mental health isn’t a topic to be avoided simply because it may be disturbing or uncomfortable. Unsettling topics should be explored, which is one of the purposes of fiction. Fiction provokes thought within people as they work to unravel the emotions of themselves and the characters and grapple with complex themes. Censorship limits the scope of these possibilities and therefore limits the ability to think. Thinking, in this context, is about analyzing multiple perspectives to gain a deeper understanding of the world. If certain problems go ignored, then their existence is being denied and they are allowed to fester. Rather than censoring topics, they should be sensitively and seriously discussed in a manner that recognizes their nuance.