@*$#?!

Originally posted 10-30-2013

Warning: explicit language questioned (and used a little)

I’m wondering who determines what is offensive and what is not so offensive. It’s clear that everyone is on the same page with the “four letter” words that are bad. Or are we?

Once upon a time, on a cable network not so long ago, censorship was clearly and simply defined. You couldn’t say curse words, although derogatory terms for one’s race or sexual orientation were allowed. Then censorship grew and expanded. Or rather, it shifted. Suddenly, it was okay to say damn, shit, ass, and sometimes even bitch. Derogatory terms were limited based on circumstance. This meant n***** could only be said by a black person or a white guy connected to a black guy and mistakenly attempting to relate; fag could only be said to a homosexual by his/her friend during a disagreement.

As always, f*** is still not allowed. Why did we shift?

We still refer to shit, damn, etc as “bad words” but seem to no longer uphold that as seriously as we once did. We tell our children not to say them but those words are everywhere. In fact, these words are now so commonplace that we have become desensitized to their meanings.

Please, do not mistake me. I am simply making observations, not arguing that this is wrong. Here’s what’s wrong:

Curse words and derogatory slurs are so common that we no longer, for the most part, take any offense. All, save one: f*** is still considered the worst of the bad words.

How do we determine acceptable terms versus offensive?

To me, the basis should be on the word itself. Look at the definitions:

Shit: the act of defecation; used as an intensive
Damn: to punish; used to express intensity; degree of consideration
Ass: a type of mammal; an obstinate person

Granted these do have the vulgar definitions as well. Here’s the catch, each of these words, when just said alone is, by definition, not offensive. It is how they are expressed in a sentence that will define them as such.

There are derogatory words, that when said alone the word is still clearly derogatory. Whore, n*****, fag, and c*** are examples. There really is no definition of any of these words that is not offensive. Well, except for fag; in Britain it is a cigarette.

All things considered from my explanations above, my question is: how can all of that be less offensive than f***? Honestly, f*** is most commonly used as an adjective (that was f*ing awesome), as an exclamation (oh f***!) or to reference a private act between a couple ;). Yes, it is also used to condemn someone but really the most common uses are not offensive by definition or use.

So what’s the deal here? Why is f*** the worst of the worst? I would really think c*** or fag would be worse. In fact, I strongly deter my friends from saying either of those two. At the same time, I am sneered and complained about for saying f***. Media censors it but allows bitch and n*****. In fact, one movie that used ‘f’  in place of f*** was still censored. We revere this word as so bad that we don’t even want to hear the first letter.

Censorship is to buffer from the negative words and activities in media. Why is this not based on intent and application? Why is a sex scene, intimate and caring, skipped over while the rape scene is not? Is it just because we don’t see the rape, even though we hear it during the scene? And in the scene after that, the character may say n***** but the responding f*** you is censored.

Is censorship bought like votes in politics?

And people wonder what’s wrong with our society. Hmmm….