Musings

[lady_songsmith]

Reading one of my blogs today, and was tempted to comment on a post about CBS airing 9/11 unedited/unbleeped and the kerfluffle that it's causing with "decency" groups and FCC regulations. But halfway though typing it out, I realized I was going to derail the thread. So I'm moving it here. :-)


So here's my question - what makes profanities and obscenities profane/obscene? And how can we classify some words as mild and some as hardcore? I mean, 'damn' and 'hell' show up all the time in prime-time TV... but frankly those are the only common ones I can come up with an objection to, and then only if you're a) Christian, b) very serious about it, and c) not distinguishing between someone who's really calling down God's wrath and someone who's just blowing off steam by using a common word.

Which is exactly the point -- they're just words we use when we're pissed, shocked, scared, etc. We use 'em all the time, in all sorts of circumstances... why are they 'offensive'? And how did they get to be offensive in the first place? Why is shit any worse than poo? Fuck worse than screw worse than have sex?

I wonder what would happen if, instead of telling little kids who ask "Oh, that's a bad word; you shouldn't say it", we told them "that's a word people use when they are very, very upset"? Or even add something like "some people don't like it; they think it's rude to say"... But how can a word be 'bad' by definition? It's just a word.

Stopping now, before I get to Sassure and Core. I'm sure Suite 9 3/4 will be grateful for that. :-)

Comments

[gramarye1971]

I suppose the inappropriateness or appropriateness of a word always comes down to the situation in which it's being used. But then again, why does a 'bad word' have so much more weight than a word with no actual connotation to it whatsoever? Is it just because it's universally accepted as an expression of contempt? If the sentiment behind it is the same, why shouldn't it be just as bad for me to shout 'Spatula!' at someone who's just cut me off when I'm changing lanes?

I've noticed that cursing seems to be a substitute for actually expressing what your problem is. If you call someone a name, you're not really saying why you're angry at them -- you're expressing your displeasure, but not in any really constructive way.

I'm not sure. It's something to think about.

[carly-sullivan.livejournal.com]

And the culture shifts. Once upon a time, "damn" and "hell" were forbidden on the airwaves. Now "ass" appears to be acceptable. Early in his career, when he was at NBC, Jack Cafferty was cut off the air, and allowed to return only on condition that he apologize, because he said to meterologist Frank Field that the weather sucked. Most young people have no idea that "sucked" had any profane edge.

Actually, I'm saddened by the growing acceptance of what was once vulgar language, not because I find it offensive, but because the common usage strips the word of its power. If every other word is fuck or shit, what do you say when you want to shock someone?