Mainstream
Cursing
“Swear
words and cursing are the strongest verbal expressions that we have.”
Barbara
Motz
San Diego
State University research psychologist, Jean M. Twenge found that cursing and the
use of swear words has increased exponentially since the 1950’s. Swear words
are short and unambiguous, and typically leave no misunderstanding as to how one
feels about a person or situation. The study conducted by Dr. Twenge found that
the excessive cursing is not necessarily due to decline in morals or manners,
but rather to the growth of individualism and the freedom of expression.
In
1972, comedian George Carlin performed a stand-up routine in which he named the
seven obscenities forbidden on screen. I won’t repeat them here because you
wouldn’t find them all that unusual or offensive. And that is because there has
been a notable decline in social taboos, and our culture has shifted more
towards free self-expression. Particularly the millennials are what Twenge
calls a “come as you are” generation—there are no guardrails on speech or much
else.
I’m
interested in this subject because I find myself using swear words more than I
used to, mostly as adjectives rather than expletives. This is offensive even to
me, and I’m sure it is to others, so I want to stop or at least understand it. In
her article for Atlas Obscura, “Why Americans Are Cursing More than Ever,” (August
2017), Natasha Frost, posits that if we continue to employ obscene words as
nouns, verbs, and adjectives, they may lose their power to express outrage. Then
we would have to go in search of new words with which to curse. Somehow, “Tuna
Sandwich!” or “Old Boot!” just don’t offer the release capacity of a good loud,
#*!&+! But, it’s food for thought.
I have
an “alternate fact” theory about increased cursing in America: we are sick and
tired, and, if I’m honest, enraged with how slow and uncertain everything is
now—the forever pandemic with its compliment of moronic leadership, the everlasting
political fighting and gridlock, the constant annoyance with technology that is
inexplicable and only works half the time, even though we are totally dependent
on it, and with just about every other aspect of life where one interfaces with
the world at large. “We’re mad as hell, and we won’t take it anymore!” Some days
it feels like someone is rubbing our nervous systems with sandpaper and then
throwing alcohol at the wounds.
As life
speeds up, as traffic increases, and as more people feel they have no control
over their lives, cursing will naturally increase. We aren’t done yet with the
rupture of taboos, and the explosion of self-expression. I predict we’ll be
looking for those new swear words sooner, rather than later. Bless all our
hearts!
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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