CDs have explicit labels. Movies have the MPAA rating system. Books have...well...nothing. Anyone know the reasoning behind this?

because books don't have famous authors who walk around in moon boots, black and white make up, black hair, with a bloody tounge hanging out of their mouth....

and Tipper Gore hasn't thought of it yet...her and Al are raking in the bucks from inventing the internet, but are hoarding it for global warming

It's been done.

Because anyone dumb enough to need a warning label aimed at them probably wouldn't be the kind of person to read a book.

meh. I got nuttin'.

Warning: This thread contains an adult subject matter dealing with the stupidity of censorship. Continued reading of this thread my cause one to think that we don't know what is best for you. That is wrong.

Printed books have been around for hundreds of years, and so have a more rudimentary warning system- the bonfire.

Give it some time. I'm sure it won't be long before some asshole congressman decides he needs to do something about dirty books.

People are constantly trying to do something about dirty books. Usually it takes the form of banning them from libraries, but it has been even more drastic in the past.

Hell, it wasn't until 1959 that you could legally buy Lady Chatterley's Lover in the U.S.

Kids don't read.

....and it's been UN-done, too, if I'm not mistaken. I believe Marvel said "Fuck the comics code!" a few years back, and everyone else basically followed suit, until the CCA was no more. But I could be wrong....anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller?

.....

Nope, you're right. Wertham's rolling in his grave.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060987464/

Because stupid people who need labels don't read anyway.

I've heard it argued that the sort of people who read books have a level of intellectual sophistication that makes warning labels unnecessary.

Put another way:
People like us are safe from the effects of mature subject matter. But we need to protect the people who aren't as good as us.

Because books are much more flammable

Per Wikipedia: A new generation of publishers emerged in the 1980s and '90s, distributing solely to specialty shops and not wanting CCA membership or approval. DC Comics, Marvel and other CCA sponsors began to publish comics for adult audiences, without the CCA seal. For example, in the 1990s Milestone Media's Milestone imprint (published through DC Comics) submitted its books to the CCA, but published them regardless of the CCA's ruling, placing the seal only on issues that passed. In 2001, Marvel Comics withdrew from the CCA in favor of its own ratings system. As of 2005, DC Comics and Archie Comics are the only major publishers still submitting their books for CCA approval, and in the case of DC, only books from their Johnny DC and DC Universe superhero lines are submitted.