Hollenbeck: Why the foul language?
Please don’t presume I think I’m virtuous, much less live a perfect life. Like most everyone, I have made many mistakes in my old age and at times exhibited a tendency for spite or anger, and have verbally expressed those feelings in a not-so-virtuous manner, however, I have become appalled at the use of foul language today. In fact, more than appalled, I am getting sick of it, and don’t think I am alone in my feelings. It seems that many people, young and old, male or female, cannot seem to communicate without the constant use of foul language. But, why?
I was raised in a home and at a time when obscene language was basically unheard of. Children were often threatened that if they used foul language, they would get their mouths washed out with soap, get a whipping or grounded. Bad language simply was not tolerated. In fact, it has only been in the past few years that this vulgarity has gradually become the norm.
According to the dictionary, the word “profanity” is offensive language due to being vulgar or obscene. It is often referred to as expletives, swearing, cursing or the use of four-letter words and foul language. Profanity is often used to offend or insult, but can also be used to express strong feelings of all kinds and as a general intensifier. No where can you find where the use of obscene language makes anyone appear to be intelligent, helps get a point across, or is for any purpose appropriate. Researchers have suggested that people who swear in situations where it is not expected are perceived as less intelligent or trustworthy. I am not a researcher, but that is exactly how I perceive the use of filthy words to represent the user…less intelligent or trustworthy. Not just strangers, but some of my friends, have become constant users of profanity, sometimes using the same foul word several times in one sentence. I wonder if it has become such a habit that they do not realize how often they spew it or wonder if they have some insecurity that makes them feel that this language makes them more recognized. One thing for sure, as I said above, I am getting sick of it.
In the event you look on the internet’s social media sites, you will see post after post laced with foul language and you can view live recordings of various politicians or people-of-importance giving speeches that are laced with foul words and obscenities directed to offend or insult someone with an opposing view. I cannot help but wonder, “What are we teaching our children?” If anything, good came from the horrible tragedy of 9/11, it was to jolt folks back into a sense of kindness and love for one another, but slowly we have seemed to have grown away from that reality.
Scripts of modern movies and television programs are filled with vulgar and obscene language, even those that appear to have a good plot or story. The program “Yellowstone” was a good example of that. I saw a post on Facebook where people were commenting on the bad language used in what could have been a good show and one woman commented, “That’s the way it is on ranches today.” No, it is not! We live in the heart of ranch country and I have been around real cowboys and ranchers all my life; we do not shoot a neighbor when we disagree with them and I have rarely ever heard much in the way of vulgar language, except in the case of a finger getting smashed by a squeeze chute or an incident with a disagreeable critter. It’s nearly impossible to clean up everyone’s language, but I try to avoid visiting with folks (even old friends) that have formed a bad-language habit and I am currently unfriending and blocking these abusers on the internet. It does nobody any good; so, why the foul language?
