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You hear it on TV, in the movies, music, at the office, in the stores, on school yards, in churches, etc. What has happened to our society that curse words are so acceptable these days?
I was raised in a generation that as a kid, if you ever spoke profanity your parents would "wash your mouth with soap". If you spoke a foul word at school, you'd be sitting in the principals office. If you cursed at anyone while playing sports, you'd be sitting on the bench.
I am just appalled at the drop of curse words being accepted today. Especially with children. Sure they pick up those bad words from many places and repeat them without knowing the true meaning. But I may behind times, as many of the kids today use language that only was spoken by adults in my younger years.
It amazing me that today we try to stay in a policitlly correct world so as to not offend anyone due to race or religion. But if you say profanity offends you, you're outta luck. What gives...?
Do you find this language accpetable..? I do not, especially in public. I have no problem with these words being spoken in private with friends in a joking manner. But for people, adults and kids, to speak them in a derogatory manner to others is just not right.
You are getting old BoydS, (smile) me too. I just see change as the inevitable force we have to adapt ourselves to. I don't care what others say as much as I care about what they do. To look back at the past and cherry pick our better attributes would be a genuine mistake in my view. In our hypocritical past were were forced to adhere to some notion of moral rightiousness while stepping on the throat of America's black citizen's, disregarding the Native population, Women having second class status outside the home, etc, I won't be looking to go back any time soon.......
Not a big fan of profanity for a couple of reasons.
One, I wasn't raised that way...much like the orignal poster it was looked down upon as trashy, uneducated, etc., and in some cases and ways, immoral.
Secondly, another big reason I try to refrain (generally do in everyday conversation) is that I know it IS offensive to more people than many realize. I told a car-salesman who was trying to sell me on a new car who was dropping f-bombs everywhere "You know, I've never known anyone who was offended by someone NOT cussing, but you do offend many when you do." We didn't buy the car. I feel that it is in general just bad manners, particularly in public. And, in many cases I believe it is a fair indicator of how much concern a person has for those around them--not much. And that can say a lot about a person.
Lastly, one thing I really bemoan about the growing acceptance is this: Words have power. Words have meaning. It used to be that profanity was reserved for serious, surprising, exceptional circumstances and they flat got someone's attention. They were intended to shock. As these words become more and more accepted, they lose their power, they lose their force and they lose their power to impart some meaning.
It just seems to be one more sign of the increasing crassness that our society is embracing. Is it the worse thing happening in our society? No. But it is base.
As we say in the South, it's just common.
...but to try and equate not cussing or a societal expectation that one wouldn't to "stepping on the throat of America's black citizens, disregarding the Native population..." etc., is ridiculous.
As far as "cherry-picking" societal attributes, especially ones that better a people--nothing wrong with that. All societies have done that, and those that rail against are doing so themselves.
If any Canadians are reading this thread, they are probably pretty amused by the way Americans carry on about this. Canada falls somewhere between the US and an Irish movie for curse words, and Newfoundland pretty much at the Irish end.
When I arrived in Newfoundland, I was dumfounded by the young women in the office who could throw the f-bomb around with the rest of the guys, without anybody even noticing. That was 30 years ago. I was in broadcasting there, and we all knew about the words we could not say on the air, but it had nothing to do with comportment, but only because there was a federal regulatory agency that could sanction the station for such things. Nevertheless, if some caller dropped the f-bomb into a call-in talk show, people just chuckled and got on with their lives. It seemed very refreshing to live in a society where people didn't get all bent out of shape over people expressing themselves colorfully.
I don't have a problem with movies with profanity. If you don't like profanity, read the rating and don't go. No one wants to hear you complain about it if either don't bother reading the rating or go despite the fact that there will be profanity. People walking around dropping the f bomb constantly irk me when I'm by myself or with a group of adults, but it's really not a big deal. However, it absolutely INFURIATES me when I am with my children (that I am trying my best to not use that type of language around and teach them the proper way to speak) and there are people using profanity. You really can't have enough respect to not use that type of language in front of kids???????? I'm not a violent person but those people make me want to kick them in the privates.
I don't think it's anything new. The words in current use vary according to the times, but profanity has been used for a long, long time. Think back just as far as the Old West - no, not how they talked in the old western movies meant to be aired to a certain then-modern audience, but how they really spoke.
Maybe now there is less separation between situations when it's ok to use it and not ok... maybe. I'm not totally convinced of that.
I'm not one to use much, or any, in public or around anyone I don't know very, very well. But it's not really offensive to me if others do. And I don't hear tons of it around me in real life. I would guess my ears are a lot more sheltered now than they would be if I lived in 1850 in a mining camp.
I think that most matters of "In the good old days....", including this one, refer to an extremely short, specific period of time in America, and a specific socio-economic class. In other words, not really representative of the vast majority of time/history and actual people.
Increased profanity goes together with everything casual and with the degradation of the spoken language. The English language is being massacred and raped every day and everywhere. That is a fact.
In regard to age - the only thing that can be said in this respect, is that older people probably notice it more then the younger generation. Some even applaud this trend, but it remains a cultural truth which cannot be denied.
Korean youth curse the most on this planet. They do it in public areas, buses, libraries, pretty much anywhere inhabited by humans.
Also derogatory remarks are made when they think people around them can't understand them. It's filthy human behavior and needs to be stopped.
Increased profanity goes together with everything casual and with the degradation of the spoken language. The English language is being massacred and raped every day and everywhere. That is a fact.
In regard to age - the only thing that can be said in this respect, is that older people probably notice it more then the younger generation. Some even applaud this trend, but it remains a cultural truth which cannot be denied.
I agree. I'm old enough to remember that when someone said "damn" on TV it was a monumental event. It was a shock. And I was a kid who swore a lot. It just was never seen on TV.
Using unlimited profanity does not make a person seem more mature; it is the reverse, it makes one look more infantile and teenage and boorish and lowbrow.
It is one thing to be in the company of intimate friends in a private place and use profanity; it is quite another to utter profane words on national TV. It doesn't do one positive thing for your image, even though you were under the assumption that it would.
I tend to lose respect for people who cuss a lot. If I meet you and within the next few minutes you sprinkle your conversation with cuss words, I know that in the future I won't be spending time with you. Or if you're trying to make a point with me, I won't be listening further to what you say.
I'm no goody-two-shoes - I do use profanity, but I use it only in private places with close friends or certain relatives. Not at work and not in a public place.
I use swear words when people lie to me. I hate liars more than anything else on the planet. I mean lies like when someone says they will do something and they don't. There is a time and place for swearing. Not in public (only rarely) or infront of the family. There's nothing like the emphasis and power behind calling a lying person a "stinking mu - fu -er douchbag" or something. Always makes me feel better.
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