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"But implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance."

January 1, 1970

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Added on April 10, 2026

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Discourse Society Sexuality and society

Original Language: English

Sources

William J. Brennan, Jr., Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 484 (1957); often misquoted as "utterly without redeeming social value". The decision also cited the test used in American courts in judging obscenity: "whether to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest", 354 U.S. 489. This was noted to be "the first definition of obscenity offered by the court. It was modified in several subsequent dec

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Obscenity

William J. Brennan, Jr., Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 484 (1957); often misquoted as "utterly without redeeming social value". The decision also cited the test used in American courts in judging obscenity: "whether to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest", 354 U.S. 489. This was noted to be "the first definition of obscenity offered by the court. It was modified in several subsequent dec