Vulgarities vs Moral Values

This blog has been very stagnant for the past few months, many thanks to the much dreaded mid-year tests (both students and teachers are banned from using the word exams, even though it’s the same thing.) in school. On the behalf of all the editors—the Rudder, el Diablo, SPECTRA, l’observateur, and myself, The U.N. Peacekeeper, I would like to apologise for the lack of action (read: total inaction) on our part. I am sure that my post today will serve as a shining example and role-model for the other editors to follow, and to inspire, motivate and spur them on to write more. 

Today, I’ll not be talking about food, contrary to what I promised. I have run out of new ideas quicker than I expected. So, this time, I shall be speaking about vulgarities. Not speaking vulgarities (God and everyone else knows I do that often—too often for my own good—in school). In our highly conservative and Asiatic society, swearing of any form, in any language is frowned upon. Schools “take a serious view on the use of vulgarities” and “will not hesitate to take harsh actions against the offender if caught”. I should be very well acquainted with the last line of the school rules. But let’s go one step back, to address the issue: Are we overeating over the use of vulgarities? Are vulgarities really totally unacceptable?

Perhaps, for many of the older folk from the previous generation, vulgarities are really offensive, but for the younger generation, it is not so. Before you switch off the computer, do hear me out. Walk into any school in Singapore and you will be treated to a cacophony of expletives  in all languages and dialects. Students do this not because of defiance, or the “cool” factor; nor is it because they are all rotten apples with totally unsound moral values. We do it simply out of necessity. Do not forget why vulgarities were invented in the first place. It was to vent anger and frustration, or as an expression of surprise. For the students, they are no worse than “Geez” or “Oh man” or “Christ”. To us, they are just like any other words that convey that message.

Some adults will argue that most vulgarities have sexual references to them. Most swear words in English are derived from body parts. Same goes for most of the other languages. This is very offending to some, especially the females. I cannot understand why, as the context that we use it in is such that the original meaning is erased, and all that remains is the exclamation. These words have evolved from their meaning in the original context. Even so, I do not see why anything of sexual reference is offending in the first place. But that’ll be for discussion next week. Please, if you can shed light on this matter, do enlighten me by dropping a comment; I’ll be happy to hear what you have to say.

Others will slam us as having no morals or values, or lack dignity and respect when the youth (it’s always the young generation that is at fault, isn’t it?) swear. They claim that the language we use reflects on our character and morals. It does, in a certain sense, but forget not that words are created by man. Vulgarities by itself do not have an “un-holy” effect; it is humans who label them that way. It is how our society perceives them that make them so dreaded. If one argues that all the people that swear regularly are spineless creatures that do not have good characters, then the converse must hold true. All those that do not swear must be God-fearing, hardworking people with a strong sense of justice and civic responsibility. This is a flawed argument. Not all people who swear are people who do no good; neither are all people who do not swear all good boys and girls. This is a jump in logic, a “hasty generalisation”. Unfortunately, this is a stigma society forcefully labels on people who are more foul-mouthed than others.

Let me give you an example. I read this in the Reader’s Digest a few years back. In the U.S, there is a woman by the name of Monica Caison, who runs a volunteer organisation that helps the relatives of missing persons find their loved ones. She never gives up on any of her subjects, long after the law enforcement has given up. She describes herself as “chain-smoking and salty-tongued”. Not exactly the type that goes for service every Sunday, right? If you were to solely look at the fact that she swears, and then judge that she is someone without a good character, you are wrong. I’ll give an opposite example. The executives of AIG or Citigroup shamelessly took hundreds of thousands of  dollars of American taxpayer money even after they were bailed out of bankruptcy, in the name of bonuses. These are the true spineless scum that our world can totally live without, but I am sure these guys have never uttered a single profanity. They are too smart and too “high” class for that. But yet, if you were to follow the [false] train of thought, these people are those with good moral characters.  

To sum up all I’ve been saying in the past 880 words, please,

1. Do NOT think that vulgarities are anything more than just words to express one’s anger.
2. Do NOT associate vulgarities with character.
3. Do NOT feel that vulgarities are unclean words; they are just interpretations by Man.
4. Do feel free to drop me any comments or queries.

Happy holidays!

The U.N. Peacekeeper

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~ by The U.N. Peacekeeper on May 30, 2010.