Bad Language
I am finding that the Television and movies are using Four letter words more and More. As an Oldie I do not like it and do not watch any show that says Course Language. I have made complaints to the Minister and Television Stations to no avail. I cannot watch much on television except hildrens shows. Even some PG shows have four letter words. I am at my wits end what to do.
Does anyone else have this problem?
Good for you sidney, at least you're doing something about it. You're making an effort and I applaud you.
Oh for heaven sake fancy that Fred Nile telling you to donate $400 !
Hello Barak
I am not silly and i know people swear in wars but I have watched many war movies and Documentories over the years that have no Four letter words in them. Using Foul language does not make the content better . It may make it more realistic for those that like hearing it but it restricts me from watching. I do not get a say. It is all American. They obviously like it and force us to change to their uncouth ways. i thought we australians were better than that.
God Bless Australia.
sidney, it's not that swearing "MAY make it more realistic". It's the only way it CAN be made realistic at all. You are asking for portrayals of war to be made unrealistic. I don't want that. I want people to see how badly people behave in wartime so they might decide that war is a bad idea.
Barak
I say again It is not needed. I always found war movies with no Four letter words Realistic. I also find war documentaries with no four letter words realistic. I am a realist not uncouth. i dont like filth.
Some realy great in depth comments on this subject with no four letter words. I am impressed. I have achieved what I set out to do. prove that normal people can communicate without bad language. I do hope the media and Television get the message.
I wish Barak would clean up his act and not advocate four letter words.
Instead of just attacking, how about discussing?
I have given my reasons. What are yours?
(Apart from liking any excuse to attack me.)
Seriously Barak, that was meant as a joke. Meant to put a little smiley thing at the end. Wanna hug?????? just joking, hahahahah
I quite often find your responses puzzling. I have this silly characteristic of being an up-front, honest person, and without thinking, expect others to be the same. What I write is what I mean.
Doesn't seem to work with you.
I know what you mean Barak but you do live and learn on here. Perhaps the best stabilising influence for me when I began commenting on forums was when my children said "the most horrible people comment on forums so don't take any of them too seriously mum". Nevertheless I came to really like some of the people on here who seemed genuine and honest but they contribute little these days unfortunately.
Shetso has produced the most interesting comments on this thread so far (as usual on all threads she has spoken on). If it wasn't for Shetso, myself and Barak the thread would be stultifyingly, unanimous against swearing. Conservative, old fashioned values would be dominating the topic. Hard to believe that people like Banjo who loves to flaunt his (questionable ???) academic credentials as a lecturer could be so straight laced and old fashioned. Brings me to question the truth of all he says he is (but not for the first time). Hard to believe that people get upset about swearing to the extent that they introduce a topic (in fact 2 topics) about it and/or comment on that/those topic/s yet they do not appear to feel any righteous caring about ethical notions on other (particularly political) topics. "Swearing is bad" so let's all hate swearers? Gee whiz, swearing is minor chicken feed compared to all the bad stuff that is going on in the world eg. corruption, greed, cruelty, status driven bullshit! But hey, yeah, let's all be good little (old) boys and girls and dis swearing as the really BAD way to behave in life. That might make some of us believe that we are GOOD and other people are BAD in life. One way to make one feel better than other folks... is it not? But what is the point of feeling piously, righteously better than others????
I'm finding the inability of the anti-swearers to actually discuss the issue the most frustrating thing here. No matter what others say, the anti-swearers just say "Swearing is bad." There is no rational thinking. No commenting on the arguments of others. Just "Swearing is bad."
This is actually a very weird thread.
I agree Barak. There is no taking up of arguments put forward, just "I don't like swearing because it is bad and uncouth and it shouldn't be happening in my face". I think it is a statement of control based on judgement of how one perceives life "should" be rather than on how life really is. People do swear and should not be judged as unintelligent and uncouth because they do. Perhaps those who do not handle swearing and are saying it shouldn't exist are trying to control life rather than accept that modes of expression that include swearing do exist? One only has the right to stop themselves from swearing if they feel strongly about it. They do not have the right to stop others from swearing.
Nor do they have the right to demand that nobody hears swearing in TV shows and movies.
:) Robi ... funnily the one word in the English language word that really riles me the most is the ubiquitous "should" ... as in he should, she should, they should, you should, people should, everyone should, etc. etc.
I often feel like saying, "Should off!!!!"
RnR, the terms "should" and "should not", to my way of thinking have far more power to inflict pain and torment on humans than any swear word. They are driver words particularly in relation toward driving people to constrict/confine themselves in some way in order to be seen acceptable to others. They forge the way toward confluence at the expense of individualness. Hence, without any thought as to why people swear, or any discussion of such, we have this (and the other thread) basing itself on the notion that people "should not" swear. The subject has been introduced with a controlling premise, has been taken up in the same vain by others and it seems that apart from a few dissenting commenters, the thread is disinclined to move beyond the power of the "should"/"should not". It's all about judgement really....the "better than" (non swearers) and the "lesser than" (swearers) ... Black and white thinking!
On the linguistic, 'should' control, offensiveness tangent ... it's amazing how a blank coffee mug + a non-swearing word + a hand gesture can manage to be so offensive, e.g. a quick graphic I just cobbled up.
Think it's all in the way we present things. Context in other words.
:( Apologies ... what an awful mug.
Nothing wrong with the mug....it's the hand gesture that's obscene...
Taboo language is defined by culture and is created in the brain through a complex interaction of our speech, emotion, and motivation centers. There are a variety of uses for it, and from a legal standpoint the context of use is everything when determining what is or is not appropriate. While we may not have all of the answers about the science behind swearing just yet, swear words have been a unique feature of language for across cultures and time, showing no signs of leaving anytime soon.
From The Science of Swearing, Harvard Science Review, January 23, 2014
https://harvardsciencereview.com/2014/01/23/the-science-of-swearing/
Robbi
That is a strange comment.
Do we not have the right to control other peoples behaviour like alcohol abuse. Drug abuse, Violence, sexual abuse, Road rage, Peodophelia and a lot of other unaceptable things in society.
All of those are far more damaging than swearing.
When has anyone ever been harmed by hearing a swear word?
Sidney
We have laws to control criminal behaviours like violence, sexual abuse, paedophilia, road rage and the like because our liberty is based on the principle of not harming others. Swearing is not a criminal act, it is simply behaviour you don't like and you do not have the right or power to control such behaviours. We are all responsible only for controlling our own non-lawbreaking behaviours if they are problematic for us. You can't change other people Sidney, nor can you insist that your standards "should" be everyone's standards.
I think this Poem sort of says it all especially the last verse
If—
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
PlanB
That is very deep and meaningful.
I guess what you are saying is keep your head above the crowd and keep your own standards and values high.????
Yes sidney, as we can not alter what others do -- just keep to your own morals and try and walk with all and also try and learn from other no matter who
A wise man learns from fools, a fool learns from no one. ; ))
A few years ago we had "The Summary Offenses Act" anyone caught using offensive behaviour was fined or Gaoled or Jailed (However you spell it.) It controlled offensive behaviour and protected the offended. It doesnt happen anymore. I wonder why. Was it too hard. (If you can,t beat them. Join them.)
Are you seriously suggesting thst those who swear should be sent to prison?
Robi
Youth are right .there is more important things going on in the world than swearing. As a caring person i would like to right all the wrongs. I am not strong enough on my own. So I am asking for help.
I started with swearing. I probably will move on later to the next offensive thing.
I ask the question. What is wrong with living in a decent Society with good morals and Values?
Swearing is very offensive and in Singapore one can face jail or pay a hefty fine or receive a caning.
Writing bad language on public sites will surely land a person in jail.
Why should others have to put up with the immoral and poor values of others.
I might add Singapore is not the only country that has such laws.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning all swearing in films, television broadcasts, theatres and the media.
Offenders will face fines - as much as 50,000 roubles (£829; $1,400) for organisations, or up to 2,500 roubles (£41; $70) for individuals.
Where disputes arise a panel of experts will decide exactly what counts as a swear word.
Books containing swear words will have to carry warnings on the cover.
Russia's Vesti news website says that, according to sociologists' research, swearing is common in two-thirds of Russian companies.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27286742
I know.
We could have leaders and laws like Russia.
I agree.....
PlanB
Fred nile did not ask for a donation but he suggested I might install a plan for $400 to access the religeous Channel.
IOM sidney religion has more to answer to than most
You might find some info on such channels here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Christian_Channel
sidney70,
Thought I could not be more amazed that someone could regard shows like Four Corners and Insight as inappropriate in relation to offensive language as cited by you earlier in this discussion, but I continue to be surprised by your attitude re: this topic, particularly in relation to lumping and equating things like 'paedophilia' and other serious offences in the same basket as 'swearing' as mentioned in one of your comments further up the page....Almost inferring that the evils of the world are triggered by 'swearing' hinting that 'good' and 'bad' people are defined by whether or not they swear....
And have to say seeing real evidence of a 'wonky moral compass' in some of your commentary sidney70, either that or you're one of the lucky ones scratching around for things to worry and whinge about....
Think I better stop here because I can feel a bout of my episodic 'lalochezia' coming on ....God knows there's a few on here that would and could trigger 'lalochezia' en masse at the drop of a hat and big time!!!
But as was explained by Thea's knowledgeable comment further back in the discussion re: 'sad and feeble minds' many are possibly not uneducated or uncouth or deliberately offensive or immoral or have poor values - just 'sad and feeble' and in the grip of 'Lalochezia' and should not be harshly judged by others.....
Shetso1
Methinks that you are not on the same wave length as me.
I have written to the censoship board with my complaint,to no avail. I have contacted the minister for communications with my complaint, to n avail. he refered me back to the TV stations (who I might add make their own rules with the Govt,s ok) I have made a complaint to the TV stations ,to no avail ( They referred me back to the Censorship board) and around and around I went. I even contacted my Local Membr Mr Fitzgibbon,who said he did not agree with my complaint. He did however forward my complaint to the Minister for Communications and Censorship. I even contacted Fred Nile ,who told me to subscribe for $400 to a religious station. I even filled in a form to put my say in when they were looking at the censorship rules with no reply.
So you see I have tried everything I know. thats why I opened this Forum to see if there was anyone else out there that was having the same problems.
Bless you people out there.