Adding to an already long list of things that older Americans don't like about our generation, it turns out that we use too much foul language. Many of us, God forbid, even use the F-word regularly.
A recent Associated Press article reports the shocking finding that most Americans encounter profanity in everyday life. More horrifying, Americans' use of profanity seems to be increasing.
Seventy-four percent of those polled answered that they come across profanity either frequently or occasionally in public. Two thirds, the poll reports, believe that people swear more often than they did 20 years ago.
This polling data, coupled with reliable reports of yet another gay Teletubby, lend support to many religious thinkers' modest claim that we are, believe it or not, witnessing the End Times.
That being said, I'd like to be the very first to welcome you to the Apocalypse, while the Antichrist takes over the planet.
Younger Americans, as expected, are leading the charge of social decay. We encounter profanity more often, yet we are less bothered by the use of it than other generations. Clearly, we are all going to hell.
Sixty-two percent of those in the 18-34 age bracket answered that they swear in a conversation at least a couple of times a week. Thirty-eight percent apparently lied.
Other differences also exist. Men supposedly swear more than women. Only 23 percent of women acknowledged using the F-word a few times a week. Clearly, these women all do hard drugs, have many illegitimate children, and resort to prostitution to fund their lifestyle of reckless swearing and fornication.
My point here is not to lament our descent toward Gomorrah or to damn people to hell. We have too many people doing that already. Instead, I challenge those who are so concerned with the lack of morality in society to care about those things that actually have some importance--dignity, autonomy, individual rights.
After all, the only thing more stupid than the notion that some words are objectively "bad" is dignifying such ignorant views with studies like the one mentioned above. It's one thing for people to dislike so-called profanity; it's another thing altogether for an organization like the AP to show even the slightest amount of concern.
First, no words are independently profane. The basis of profanity is how and in what context words are used--not which words are used. The sooner American society moves beyond what we were told as 5-year-olds, the better.
Also, I don't quite understand the hierarchy of foul language. I'd like to know who decided which words are evil and why some evil words are worse than others.
The supposed fact that more young Americans use profanity provides hope for the future. Maybe our generation recognizes that many of these arbitrary standards that exist, like not saying certain words, are not worth following. In that sense, not only is swearing acceptable, it is a positive step for American society--another step toward requiring us to justify our moral judgments, not simply assert them.
Essentially, we need a new rule in American society. Before we allow anything to be branded as unethical, the group bringing forth the charge of immorality must explain why this is the case, as a good-faith exploration of our public code of morality would yield disturbing results.
In a culture where we censor foul language (but just enough so that we can still make out what is being said) at nearly every turn, we ought to rethink many of our judgments. The problem is not that we judge too often, but rather that we judge wrongly.
There are simply more important things in the world than bad language--like Janet Jackson's breast.
Macy Hanson is a philosophy and political science junior. Reach him at macy.hanson@asu.edu.
