OPINION & EDITORIAL
Are we too vulgar?
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Also by Joanna Salmen:
- Identity theft in a largely plastic world (December 1, 2004)
- Hit me, baby, one more time (November 17, 2004)
- Are we too vulgar? (November 8, 2004)
- Make them pay (October 27, 2004)
- Oh Alvarez, you're so fine (October 20, 2004)
Related Stories:
- Dick Cheney: Dead or Alive? (October 10, 2001)
- Cheney deserves action figure (August 6, 2007)
- Cell phone etiquette checkup (April 26, 2005)
- Democrats exploit death (October 31, 2002)
- TV's "Kramer" ignites unexpected racial dialogue (December 5, 2006)
by Joanna Salmen
Monday, November 8, 2004
F*ck you. F*ck-this and f*ck-that. This is all one hears while walking to class, watching television, reading and talking to friends.
So it was not surprising when Vice President Dick Cheney recently dropped an f-bomb when speaking to a U.S. Senator. The word is no longer a word used by the trash of America in the privacy of one's home, it is literally used by everyone, everywhere.
The f-word has taken on meanings beyond its original crude context. It can be a verb, a noun and an adjective all at once. Maybe this is why so many people use it in virtually every sentence uttered. Nevertheless, should we be using the word as much as we do?
While the evolution of language is inevitable, the overuse of the word has completely diminished its meaning. One is so desperate to say something nasty that profanity has become more frequent and more horrific than ever before. Vulgarity is used so loosely that often insults fly without intention.
Because the meaning of the f-word, once the gold medal of all swear words, is so mainstream, people have resorted to referencing more disgusting and crude words and phrases to exemplify their opinions and feelings.
It is no longer a big deal to swear in front of authority, and it is more or less expected and accepted. While once an issue of respect, people are now virtually allowed to say any word to anyone, no matter who is around.
The way people converse today, with these words and phrases floating around so nonchalantly, it is hard for one to imagine someone wondering why there is so much hate in the world. Today people compliment each other with phrases that in the past would have gotten them thrown in jail.
The New York Times published the word for the first time in 1998 when quoting Monica Lewinsky. This should be enough information for people to stop saying the f-word: you might sound like Monica Lewinsky.
Shows such as "Sex and the City" made it cool to talk about things and say words that would make a grandmother's head spin. Casual conversation is now peppered with words that used to not be allowed in the dictionary.
Christian groups accuse potty-mouths of being irresponsible and corrupting society, while the potty-mouths themselves cover their faces with a copy of the Constitution to avoid a bar of soap in the mouth.
People call upon the Federal Communications Commission to clean the naughty words and phrases from the media. The job is surely tough as television personalities and writers become bolder and more daring.
The FCC frequently comes under fire for not drawing a clear line between what is acceptable and what is not, sometimes punishing people and sometimes ruling profanity acceptable.
However, it is not the FCC's responsibility to clean the mouths of America. It is not a question of a person's freedom of speech; it is a matter of tact.
Besides the word being classless, it is unnecessary in almost every context. There are thousands of synonyms for the word; people now use it just because they can and never stop to think if they should.
No one wants to live in a world where it is not all right to voice an opinion but no one wants to be called a motherf*cking female dog either.
There is no problem with the f-word when used in the right context; in fact, it is a lot of people's favorite word, but by saying it about ten times less in every sentence one speaks, it might create a more respectful and classy atmosphere and give the meaning and punch back to the word that once was the mother of all cuss words.
So stop f*cking saying the f-word.
Joanna Salmen (jsalmen@badgerherald.com) is a junior majoring in journalism and Spanish.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 3:44am):
Thanks, Joanna, for making a point of this. Most of us really need to clean up our language. We were brought up to not to swear, we made it into college, so we should employ a vernacular that best reflects our intellectual stature. God help us if we enter the real world with the vocabulary of a drunken sailor!
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 9:35am):
"Shut up you f*cking Jew!"
"Eric, did you just say the F word?"
"What, Jew?"
"No, you can't say f*ck in school you f*cking fat as*!"
"Kyle!"
"Well, why the f*ck not?"
"Eric!"
"Dude, you just said f*ck again!"
"Stanley!"
"F*ck!"
"Kenny!"
"What's the f*cking big deal. It doesn't hurt anybody. F*ck f*ckity f*ck f*ck f*ck."
"How would you like to go to the school counselor?"
"How would you like to suck my balls?"
"What did you say?!?!?!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, what I meant to say was, 'HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUCK MY BALLS, MR. GARRISON?'"
And that is all I have to say on this topic.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 1:30pm):
"Shut up you f*cking Jew!"
Ah, I see we have more than just a vulgarity problem here. I suppose if another minority were targeted, that post would not have been allowed, but slamming Jews is perfectly OK with the Badger Herald staff.
F*ck you too!!
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 1:44pm):
I'm pretty sure that was a series of quotes from South Park.
Not ment to be slamming anyone.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 1:48pm):
Yes, I was quoting South Park. And I'm Jewish myself, Sherlock. For god's sake, do yourself a favor and rent the best musical comedy of the past 30 years.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 2:35pm):
You're not half-Jewish! If you were, you would've written G-d instead of god. Next time, try harder.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 2:41pm):
Born and raised Jewish, but non-practicing. So I'll write the word God as many times as I want. God do I feel like I'm 3 years old being in an argument like this.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 2:42pm):
So he is less of a Jew than you because he didn't omit the "o"?
WTF, get a life.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 3:30pm):
Why did you choose to use the f-bomb by VP Cheney which was done in private conversation and not use Sen. Kerry's choice to use the f-bomb in ESPN Magazine and Rolling Stone interviews where he knew the age demographic would be young Americans. The distinction of private and public vularity shows the class these two men show. If you are going to use examples to make a strong point, I think the choice of VP Cheney is very bias and indicative of your poor journalism.
Anonymous (November 8, 2004 @ 3:51pm):
ps. Joanna, I just wrote about Kerry and ESPN. I read the comments of others and see you have a lot of liberal-lefty Democrats on your campus. I live unfortunately in Los Angeles and see that the comment by the President of Harvard is correct. Our Universities are the hotbed of todays anti-semitism. I am sorry you have to deal with such misdirected hatred. Hang in there!
Anonymous (November 9, 2004 @ 1:04pm):
My name is "Anonymous:", and I'd like to apologize for all my posts on this topic. Evidently I am a confused self-loathing half-jew from L.A. who doesn't watch South Park... but can quote it.
Anonymous (June 10, 2006 @ 11:14pm):
Dear Ms Salmen,
I came across your article by accident and applaud your call for more precise expression without falling back on old, worn-out profanity.
I did read this sentence,
"Besides the word being classless, it is unnecessary in almost every context."
Does that mean the use of English's most notorious word, having percolated to the highest echelon of society, no longer indicates the social class of its speaker?
I am assuming that this word and its companions originated from the very lowest orders, though I sometimes wonder how we know that.
Don Coupe
coupe@bigfoot.com
