Our political leaders are here to, well, lead. And in ways you might never expect. A few days ago Vice President Joe Biden dropped the F-Bomb. In regards to the passing the health care bill, Biden said that this was a “big F-ing deal”. No matter what side of the political spectrum you are on, the healthcare bill is a big deal, either good or bad. Biden was just illuminating this for the public.
Naturally, this comment brought on a slew of controversy in the media. Yes folks, our Vice President swore. Big time. But who are we kidding? First, I would imagine nuns swear at some point. Second, he wasn’t saying anything derogatory. Third, isn’t transparency what we all want—we want to know what the leaders of our society are really thinking? Well, now we do. And finally, are there even words that are still considered taboo at this point? I feel like many of them have lost their “shushing” effect.
Personally, I have felt the taboo levels of swearing decrease significantly throughout the past few years. Only a short while ago, I wouldn’t say “damn”, even if it was referring to the water barrier kind... just because it was so hush hush, for me at least. Not that I have a "potty" mouth now, but I will swear in casual conversation because it doesn’t actually mean anything that bad anymore. There are still certain words that I avoid, but for the most part not too many people are phased when they hear the F-word amongst their peers.
Biden was not using the F-Bomb in its literal meaning. The word is literally defined as having sexual intercourse. I am pretty confident that he was not saying that the healthcare bill was a big “having sex” deal. It is merely an exaggerated exclamation. I doubt that the word seriously offended anyone, though some may claim otherwise to make a statement. We are a decade into the 21st century people, lets start acting like it.
This is what the evolution of our language has become. Although it may have been a slip up on Biden’s part, the public got a slice of his true excitement and thoughts, and isn’t that what we have been begging for in recent years, instead of the monotonous rehearsed speeches that ring with insincerity?
The media has taken the first steps in undermining the poor connotations of swear words. In the 50s, it would have been considered abhorrent to use foul language in entertainment. Now it’s commonplace. For those of you who are concerned about our younger audiences being exposed to foul language: all kids over the age 13 have access to swear words in films, and even television. If there is a kid under 13 watching press conferences and comprehending the speeches, then they are probably more mature than many adults and do not need to be worried about.
Politicians are people too. It’s pretty refreshing to see that once in awhile. Give it a few months and the next Sanford might be publicly labeled by his colleagues as a whore instead of just insinuated as such.
I agree that swear words are not, and should not be such a concern for society. Nevertheless, there is something somewhat ironic about your insistance on only saying the "F-Bomb" or the "F-Word." Spell it out for us. If it shouldn't be taboo anymore, say so. Fuck.
ReplyDeleteI read an interesting study that looked at the pain relieving capabilities of cursing. According to the study, in situations of unexpected pain, such as hitting your knee on a table or jamming your hand in the door, saying (yelling) the word "fuck" actually helped reduce the perception of pain. The result was that swearing not only allowed the subjects to withstand the discomfort longer, but also reduced their perception of pain intensity. They likened it to a reflex reaction. Even more curious was the finding that if people overuse the word too much, say in everyday casual speech, the ability of the word (not just "fuck" but any swear word of choice) to help reduce pain when you need is lessens. Just food for thought!
ReplyDeleteKThomspon, thank you for addressing that point. For certain "mack" purposes I deemed it better to use the word substitute. And Tiffany, that is really interesting, I would like to read that. Where did you see that study?
ReplyDeleteCurse words are a pretty uneducated way to express one's self. The other day I overheard this guy complaining to his friends. "Fuck that fucking shit!" he exclaimed. Really? Fuck that fucking shit? Is there really no better way to communicate what you are trying to say?
ReplyDeleteSwear words are often associated with intense emotions. This guy was clearly angry. Biden is clearly excited. Using swear words allows a certain emotional release. This is no big deal, and can even be therapeutic (as shown in Tiffany’s post). The problem, however, comes when these words are used too causally. This is problematic not because of the potential of corrupting the youth (whatever that means), but because using swear words excessively bastardizes the English language. English is extraordinarily complex and is believed to have more words than any other language. Limiting one's vocabulary to the same 5 "bad" words is really an insult to English. It is also harms the speaker. Numerous intellectuals have proposed the notion that language precedes thought. We can think and structure the world in a certain way because we have been provided with language that allows us to do this. Therefore, a limited vocabulary results in a limited ability to think complexly. So while I agree that the media/public gets way too wrapped up with the use of swear words, I do think these words should be excluded from casual conversation.
Hey, the article was in a TIME magazine sometime ago...if you wanna check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910691,00.html
I agree with you whole heartedly. Biden deserves absolutely no criticism whatsoever; not only is the word itself no longer taboo, but he was unaware of the fact that the microphone was picking up what he was saying.
ReplyDeleteSaying the F-word in today's society is not a big deal at all, particularly given the context in which Biden said it. It was in a conversation between two adults, in a non-derogatory fashion, simply putting emphasis on the magnitude of the bill which just passed. It was said a way no different from any PG-13 or R rated movie. Had Biden known that he would have been heard saying it, I'm certain he would have refrained.
The media's criticism of Biden is coming primarily from the right-wing pundits simply looking for another way to attack the left.
It's nothing out of the ordinary, it's just politics.
Biden's comment of "this is a big fucking deal" is nothing compared to what numerous Republicans have said about other races. It doesn't even compare to Don Imus' "nappy headed hoe" comment. I don't understand all the hoopl with what Biden said. I really enjoyed his comment. It really made me like the man more. I like it when politicians seem human, instead of the fake perfection that they try to perceive.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this is due to my personal upbringing, values, or the evolution of English and the way Americans speak it...but nonetheless, I personally don't think swearing is that big of a deal. In formal writing, such as in papers, blog posts, emails to co-workers, or something of that nature, swearing is a big deal, and without hearing it spoken aloud, it can be mistaken for being serious rather than a casual curse.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I think that people that don't swear are a little odd. Being exposed to so many expletives from others in casual conversation and hearing them repeatedly in movies, on TV, etc., it takes an effort to avoid swearing. Maybe that individual is religious and doesn't want to curse, or perhaps they are just trying to explore some level of control...but in either case, I find that not very compatible with my beliefs and the way I conduct myself, so that individual is likely someone I will not want to spend too much time with.