> Now the reader is being denied the chance to see how the author wrote and talked straight from their writings
I don't agree. These version are obviously new and not the original. Changes are often made to books in newer versions. Most people who are used to reading books will know that.
> It's immoral to sanitise the past for children and lead them to believe that we've always had today's moralities figured out, to children unaware of the edits, they're being deprived of the fact that society evolves and fights and works these things out.
Or the children will like the new versions better because they are not being mocked by them. No one is taking from them the option to go back and read the original books if they, or their parents, are curious.
> If they're unaware that society can update it's morals (because some nitwit decided to slyly change language in a book in a way that's not transparent), maybe they'll think they don't have the power to change anything themselves.
This seems very contrived to me. You are expecting children to read these books, ask why the moral is different, then have their parents tell them that the world changes, or derive that themselves? I think there are so many other, and more obvious, ways that children will naturally learn that lesson.
> I don't agree. These version are obviously new and not the original. Changes are often made to books in never versions. Most people who are used to reading books will know that.
Sure, even Roald Dahl rewrote his stories to remove insensitive language. The key is he was the one that did it. It matters. Massively. And what makes these versions “obviously” new to a reader? How will they know it’s missing entire sentences?
> This seems very contrived to me. You are expecting children to read these books, ask why the moral is different, then have their parents tell them that the world changes, or derive that themselves?
Yes. Many books I read as a child in school had the language “of the day” in it and the teachers were clear to point out and discuss why we don’t see that language anymore. I came away more educated as to the injustices of the time the book was authored. If I had got an edited version without any indication that it was an edit, then I’m being deprived of that knowledge.
I don't agree. These version are obviously new and not the original. Changes are often made to books in newer versions. Most people who are used to reading books will know that.
> It's immoral to sanitise the past for children and lead them to believe that we've always had today's moralities figured out, to children unaware of the edits, they're being deprived of the fact that society evolves and fights and works these things out.
Or the children will like the new versions better because they are not being mocked by them. No one is taking from them the option to go back and read the original books if they, or their parents, are curious.
> If they're unaware that society can update it's morals (because some nitwit decided to slyly change language in a book in a way that's not transparent), maybe they'll think they don't have the power to change anything themselves.
This seems very contrived to me. You are expecting children to read these books, ask why the moral is different, then have their parents tell them that the world changes, or derive that themselves? I think there are so many other, and more obvious, ways that children will naturally learn that lesson.