why is profanity so bad? the only reason we have the label "profanity" is because people choose to use them negatively. the f word really means sex, or something related. it was never meant to be taken on a negative light. the derogative f word (the one insulting sexual orientation) really wasnt supposed to be considered an insult. it was just meant to classify someone as gay, the same affect as the word "homosexual". now it is considered a bad word. personally, i dont see anything wrong with profanity. do you?

Well, as far as our society has come today, profanity is still bad, no matter if it's just a word or not. Society has hyped it up to be bad. Censoring things, doesn't help, either...it just makes kids either curious or want to abuse those words. *Wonders if she just made sense*

what is profanity?

yeah u shud tell us wat that means before we answer it lols... there are some ppls who doesnt know that word^^

ok. lol. srry.
profanity, in general terms, is a offensive term. like a curse word. f00k spelled correctly is profanity.
censorship is like...silencing or prohibiting word or opinoins. well, at least in the context.
ehhh, now i dont feel like i made much sense.

cuz s0me ppl take it offensive

It's sad that full blown violence can take place on T.V. while profanity is still an iffy subject.

Same with nudity....nothing wrong with nudity. Sex is a mature subject...but nudity? Not every naked person is having sex.

Yes that's true, but society has hyped it up to be where every naked person is having some sort of sex. Atleast on TV.

About profanity,
It may be a word, but the meanings behind them are offensive to people.
Even if the meanings aren't meant to be offensive.

So if profanity is something offensive, then if I say "I hate Jews", which is offesnives to Jewish people, is that profanity?

We should be able to have a chose when we sign up for cable for like Nudity on regular TV or not... that would be awesome...

I would like to have a nudist colony!

im making up my own cuss word its "smorgbutt" yes... now this will be the worst profanity around... muhuhahaha! start using it people! it can mean "the f word" or "the d word" or the b word" or "the other b word"

I'm going to use that! xD
*cough*Sorryi'mspamming*cough*

haha!! yes my plan my plan!! by they way i like your avatar "kill me" its neat did you make it?

The censorship of profanity and nudity are for the same reason. And it all goes back to up bringing. As kids we naturally copy what we see and hear. Thats how we learn everything basically. We either copy or through trial and error. So if a younger child who doesnt really have a grasp on right and wrong sees someone with no clothes on they will copy them out of, I hate to say instinct but its the best word I can think of. Same goes for profanity, which is more towards degrading words than towards offensive, for me at least. Once kids get older they rebel and thats when the cenorship works against parents. It is a double edged sword.

Profanity is like everything else in the world. It all depends on your personality. Profanity doesnt bother me but at the sametime I try not to use it. Someone once told me that if you have to rely on those types of words it shows your lack of a vocabulary as well as other things.


I think my post is too big lol <remembers the thread about large posts and no one really reading them>

well i read it, you have a point BUT. parents need to teach their kids about human nature etc. this could even come to the argument about parents not raising their kids as well as they should, maybe (gasp) they should be mindful of what they watch and stop shoving in front of the tv everytime they get to be a handful...?

But the thing is - parents don't seem to care about their children anymore, which is why everything's being hyped up from something that is not such a big deal.

Well, when i swear, which is sort of common, people dont take offense to it. derogative comments, i believe, are different from profanity. derogative words (like the anti-gay f-word) are not ok to say. harmless words (like the actual f-word) should be allowed. and nudity should fine as well. im not just saying that cuz im a guy either.

fun fact!

Fortification
Under
Concent of the
King

that's where it originated! a [f word] was certificate of permission from the king for people of nobelty to have sex. now go tell everyone!

it really is a tough subject to discuss because their is no right thing to do. it's probably best kids don't know what sex really is until they're 12ish, but dirty words should be known by little kids so they know not to say them. but all kids are different so they might abuse them. who cares? i'm not a parent and i don't plan on being one.

how come movies don't show the negative effects of drugs? graphicly? like in a movie you'll only hear about somone getting killed by driving drunk. they should show the windows shattering, the heads beign crushed, the torsos flying, etc. etc. etc. that'll really scare m straight.

Okay.... I'm hearing alot of stuff, and it all sounds understandable.

but this is what I think.

Some kids use the words because they aren't supposed to.
Some kids use the words because they are expected to.

Don't give them a reason to use profane language.
As for censorship, if you take the bad knowledge away make sure you make everything clear.

There is a lot of discussion as to what is right or wrong to say on television.
It all boils down to curtesy, and people kissing asses.
Don't teach your kids reasons to use profanity.
Don't not teach your kids the meaning of profanity.

if kids knew it wasn't a big deal, they wouldn't use them much. its a media hyped up issue which is stupid. and sex... whats wrong with showing what is just basic human nature? like sneezing, coughing, crapping, any of that stuff its the same.

nothing is innately profane. each culture decides it. i am against nearly all forms of censorship.

Exactly - the media shapes our lives, even though we don't know it. They're the ones with the news, showing us their TV shows, their movies, etc. They're the ones that are telling us what's right from wrong, and parents agree, so they just enforce it.
[Kathleen]

i agree. i think that most forms of profanity are okay because they are just terms to express feelings and emotions. but i think some is disrespectful. like if a guy calls a girl their b!tch (i call some guys my sex b!tches but that's just a joke) then that is disrespectful and i personaly don't like it.

It may be disrespectful, but there are other names people use to make fun of others...they aren't considered profanity.

man.. people are wayy differnt than ppl bak in the days.... we'd be whipped for even glancing at a guy/lady.. or be made to eat soap for saying "stupid" wut happend????? =/

OMG ppl can say what they wnat they want...i kno what happened ppl got smart and stopped listening to the psychos that call them selves Pastors, or Fathers...ya kno all those guys we hear about on the News raping or molesting lil boys....yeah i want my kids to listen to them....its only bad because the bible says it is...or we are using the"lords" name in vain.....Well last time i checked this was a democracy not a monarchy there is no such thing as a freakin lord...or a god...people can say what ever they want.....its part of our constitutional rights...and the only time that it can be takin away is if i am put in prison or if i am revoking the rights of someone...which i wouldnt do its messed up......we only have censorship because we are all afraid someone will be offended...well so what if they are....if they care some much then they will say something about it...thats what the constitutions gives us the right to do...say what we want and defend what we said.....but NOOOOO someone wants to whine and cry about it....jeez people GROW UP....if you want to whine and cry bout something someone said get back in your daipers and take a nap cuz i dont want to hear it

Censorship is illegal.

Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech...

It's okay to have and publish movie/game ratings, but it is illegal to actually force people to watch or not to watch them.

I personally don't see anything that is wrong with profanity. I use it to express myself and am quite comfortable with it! And censorship.... there's a good and bad to it, like you said. If used to censor speech... children are curious to know what's behind the censor, etc etc. If not, it's ...reeeeallly bad . Mind boggling, eh.?

the censorship in america sucks

oh really was the f word that describes a homosexual really not meant to be an insult? then y do ppl make it so it is? they use it as an insult....

But BECAUSE people use them negatively, we need to censor them

WHY do we need to censor things? I say negative things all the time.

Communication is a lot like Twix: Two is better than one. I always strongly encourage two-sided debate.

Because some people might dislike seeing or hearing those things..


Haha what the heck? Two isnt always better than one.. and what do you mean by two-sided debate?

If it offends you, don't watch it. That simple.

If it doesn't offend you, you should be allowed to watch it. Which is why censorship is flawed because it assumes everyone will be offended.

What about hearing? You can't exactly avoid that.. you can shut your eyes but not your ears..

You can leave the room, or express a different opinion.

i dont mind profanity it just that the govt and ppl that have nothing better to do hype it up. like the housewives who write letters to the govt. or those who protest about every little thing are just trying to cover up their own perverseness by shifting it over to otherppl. but some censorship is needed b/c sum ppl play into those roles an take it a step further in the end making everyone who seems a little edgy look like they have no boundries or heart,

Erm.. I have no clue what the heck you just said...

I think its stupid for sensors....unless its a kid that iz like 13 and under otherwise, o-well get over it

To be politically correct

What the f**k is so wrong with the words f**k, damn, shit, piss, hell, a-hole, bitch, bastard, c**t, cock, and anything else that seems to be a taboo word without reason?

Rhetorical question.

f**k the FCC.

I have a serious bone to pick with the FCC.

Why is it ok to see a bullet enter and exit someone's skull, but television studios are advised against allowing actors to french kiss?

Have you ever watched The Shield on FX? Murder, drug abuse, rape and play by play analyses on how to commit crimes...

...but Black Eyed Peas had to change "Don't FUNK with my heart" to "Don't MESS with my heart."

If Black Eyed Peas is required to make a radio edit on a harmless song; we're in trouble.

The conservative "right" (wrong) of this country will argue that music, primarily hiphop, is to blame for the ornery decorum of the American youth, but nothing is said about the apparent violence in nearly ever major broadcasting station during the primetime block.

Parents do so much to try and shelter their children from music and videogames that they neglect to a) teach their children right from wrong so they further understand entertainment and the reality/fiction barrier and b) ignore the other factors that are equally influential in a young person's mind.

So the FCC is regulating every major aspect of the media. Hell, they've even began to put restrictions on news stories. I went to Mexico this summer and caught some of the footage of the Iraq War on television and nothing was censored, if that, very little.

Please refer to South Park 'Having Fun with Weapons' episode.

comradered, i don't agree with your "leave the room" argument, since that's not always possible. don't get me wrong, i'm all for free speech, this is just a bad argument.

example off the top of my head: woman in back of car is uncomfortable listening to offensive music, shouldnt have to embarass herself by saying it offends her. she can't leave the car, and doesn't really want to tell her friends it upsets her. what can she do, other than putting her fingers in her ears and shouting loudly?

i don't think a critical analysis of this analogy is really necessary, im just pointing out that sometimes people who don't want to be exposed to offensive material, will be. i don't think that those who are not offended should be stopped from seeing/hearing this material, and im sure a healthy balance could be reached (maybe a set of television channels that have material increasingly likely to be censored)