Swearing

Before I start to offend everyone, I would like to make what should be an obvious point. Our languages, the words we use to communicate our thoughts with others, have evolved over time. The end result: verbal communication requiring a sender and a receiver that is engulfed in interpretation. After all, a word without interpretation is nothing more than a sound. So why would we choose to interpret certain words as obscene?

As youngsters, we are trained into thinking that "swear" words are filthy and that we should be offended when they are used. This is the problem. But whose problem is it, really? A "swearer" most likely doesn't consider his or her language offensive, but the one interpreting it might.

An example would be most helpful. Let's say Frank gets offended because he overheard me say the word, "dang". Is it my responsibility to be sensitive to Frank's feelings and refrain from using that word? Hell no! That's Frank's problem, not mine. If Frank chooses to be offended by a word which I don't consider offensive, then fuck him. Let him be offended. You can't always please everyone.

How about another example? I can say the word "poop" pretty safely without offending most people. But, if I were to say "shit", a word with the exact same meaning, I could actually repulse people simply because these people choose to be offended by the dirty variation of "poop". Why? Why do some people allow themselves to be disturbed by a harmless sound? It's absurd!

More and more people seem to be realizing this and not letting petty things, such as so called vulgarity, offend them. After all, the word "shit" doesn't really offend people. People offend themselves by how they choose to interpret the word.

The trends seem to indicate(source: my personal observation) that in time, the few swear words that still have some obscene power will find their way into our cable televisions and into our lives; which is a good thing as I see it, because the more the "swear" words are used, the less shock value and offensiveness they will have.

I leave you with one final thought. If everyone swore, the world would be a better place. Think about it, no one would be offended or embarrassed because of vulgarity. Everyone would swear, but no one would think anything of it. It would upset no one, it would anger no one. Granted, a change like this isn't going to happen overnight, but it is happening, slowly but surely. Does this reflect a change in values? Perhaps. Does it reflect the downfall of our society? Not in the least. Obscenity is in the eye of the beholder.

B A Rump

p.s. Fuck you Frank