Goddam Profanities

By Jonathan Lam on 02/06/16

Tagged: the-homework-life the-homework-life-thought

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"Holy s***!" "F this and F that!"

It kills me. Cussing. Swearing. Cursing. Why do people do it? I understand when it happens every once in a while, when you drop a hammer on your foot or forget to do a homework assignment, but when has that kind of language become an everyday thing? It has almost become a different part of speech, an adjective designed only to add emphasis, usually to show anger or disgust. Then again, why do people start using it all the time?

It's an ongoing problem I have with the people around me, but it has escalated significantly with Catcher in the Rye. Holden is one of those kids— although he doesn't drop the "f-bomb" and uses derogatory slurs such as "sonuvab****", it doesn't excuse him from being just like the kids today. It also shows that it is not a new trend, as I once thought it was (Catcher in the Rye was written in the '40s). But that doesn't change anything.

Why do we as humans like to be angry? Why don't we just learn to use proper grammar and avoid the dangerous emotions that emerge when foul language is used? It only causes conflict, especially when the receiver of the dialogue doesn't respond well to that kind of language. Similar to smiling (but in the opposite manner), it's very possible that cursing may lead to an angrier personality, and not the other way around. Playing with fiery language may make you a fiery person.

Following this logic, it makes sense to say that not all people who can swear fluently are those who used to do so out of anger: once you start experimenting with that language, especially through the influence of your peers, you might start using that language. The more you use that language, the angrier you become. The angrier you become, the more of that language you use. And maybe it'll even become "fun" to use the word. It's all one nasty vicious cycle, a "slippery slope" to avoid.

This goes along with some other overused phrases of speech as well. Overusing "filler words" such as "like"— There were like, five thousand runners with like, four thousand women. It was like, amazing!— is a tough habit to erase (I can personally attest to that) and it comes from something as simple as talking to my friends in middle school who had also fallen under its spell.

Well, there's one positive aspect of cussing: the comical effect I receive. When somebody is called out by a teacher or parent for foul language, I laugh internally. It isn't a problem I have to face, and it's wonderful to see discipline in such a nonsensical field as cursing. Call me the sadist of a teacher's pet, but it's nothing compared to Holden, who "swear[s] to God [he]'s a madman" (Salinger 134).