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This week, a certain University of Maine English professor demanded that I tell him if there are any words left that offend my generation. Despite the efforts of censors and other watchdogs, many popular artists and filmmakers use colorful language to appeal to a younger audience. From “Scarface” to “The Departed,” it’s quite easy to forget that until recent years, the word “damn” carried quite a bit of weight.
Like the many words that it describes, “curse” is an interesting and versatile word. In one case, it means “to utter words that bring misfortune to others.” When used differently, it means “to utter profanity.”
Curse words are socially constructed and reveal quite a bit about a culture. From a sensitive taboo, you can learn what people find incredibly shameful. It seems that biological, sexual, blasphemous and scatological matters are now being treated in a blasé manner, revealing that we’re in a special position, having been raised by the late baby boomers and the early generation X-ers. How can a generation raised with books like Taro Gomi’s “Everybody Poops” be expected to treat a particular biological function as though it should be shrouded in mystery and shame?
Furthermore, why should we? Everybody does poop. Most people like to make love, screw and, occasionally, f—. We all have various body parts, and sometimes we get angry. None of these life facts are misfortunes, so it’s good that the evil is slowly dripping away from the words.
That’s not to say that there is nothing that will shock me. Let’s explore why people utter, mutter and exclaim profanity in the first place. It’s most hurtful when a person is displeased, and the sincerity of that emotion, expressed with any words at all, can cause alarm and pain. Perhaps stripping some arbitrary words of their inherent power is a good thing for the English language, as it puts one in the position of expressing themselves more creatively in order to get his or her point across.
I will point out that there are still words that hurt, mainly those of intolerance, because of the history of violence, oppression and pain behind the words. It’s also true that words of racial or sexual intolerance are, in utterance, more like curses; they do evoke the pain and violence behind them, as they are meant to cause harm. I’d say that it speaks volumes for my generation that hate speech is the taboo that shames us more than any other issue.
So be careful of the words you use, and the words that you seek to hear in songs, movies and on the television. More importantly, be aware of the emotions, intentions and cultural history behind the words. Because when we embrace a culture of war, rape and exploitation, a little f-bomb sprinkled here or there is the least of our concerns.
Adrianne Hess doesn’t care if you jokingly call her a —-, but never, ever call her a meanie.
Bangor Daily News