I’ve
never been a fan of bad language in movies. There are times I can get past it, for the most part, but I never fully justify it: a movie like “The Town” bombards you
with constant f-words but is also set in a very rough environment with
some very messed-up people. And while that’s still not an excuse, it
makes it a little more understandable. In that situation I will usually
say something like, “It’s a very good story, but the language is
terrible," meaning that I think the story could have been told just as effectively
without it.
A
few months ago I started working at an office where it’s common
to hear s- and f-words every day. I had never before been exposed to bad
language on a daily basis - if someone I know (or myself) uses it, it’s during times of pretty extreme anger or frustration. But at
this job the words slip out from my coworker’s mouths like any other
adjective or exclamation, punctuating times of anger, frustration,
excitement or casual commentary.
Some
people are able to tune it out or become desensitized, but it weighs
heavily on me. I cringe internally every time. “Jesus Christ” used as a curse word is the worst - it makes
me feel sick.
A
few weeks ago Matt and I turned on a movie he’d wanted me to see for a
long time. It was about the underworld of high-stakes poker, so
obviously none of the characters were shining examples of humanity, and
the cussin’ was strong and constant. We got about halfway through before
I got up, shut myself in the bathroom and cried. I just couldn’t take
it. It was almost like a panic attack - every f-word and JC doubly heavy
since I’d spent all day hearing the same thing.
I’m
not expecting to live in bubble or “require” people to never curse
around me, but it makes me thankful to live most of my life around
people who don’t swear just because they can. It wasn’t ingrained into
my vocabulary as a kid. I’ve never felt pressure to use bad language to
“fit in” or “be cool.” And if there are kids around and someone’s
swearing, I’m not afraid to say, “Hey, stop it. There are kids here.”
That may seem old-fashioned, but I still believe it matters.
