Mike's Theory of Profanity and Cursing

I have mentioned profanity in some of my blogs concerning the movies I see. This week trying to watch "Funny People" and watching "The Hurt Locker" made me think about my past and current.

First, fellow travelers, let's get on the same page. Dear Webster says:

Cursing: to use profanely insolent language against; Blaspheme, to execrate(?) in fervent and often profane terms.

Profane: not concerned with religion or religious purposes, secular.

Profanity: the quality or state of being profane

or Hollywood's term for profanity in movies, pervasive language:

Pervade: to become diffused throughout every part of

Pervasive: tend to prevade.

Now class let us begin:

When I was a kid and learned about 4 letter words, I knew 1. don't do it and 2 don't do it.

I later learned that if you through in a couple around some of the boys, they would think you were cool. These 3 rules carried me through school. I did not curse as a rule, but occasionally felt it necessary to throw one in for emphasis. After all every one knew I went to church and some guys were concerned that without any vice, I may get them in trouble with their parents. I knew the drill! A lot of my friends drunk beer and cussed. I remained popular with them by basically taking care of their sick selves(designated driver) and cussing once a night "to fit in".

I out grew that in College and then came Vietnam and a 6 year stint in the National Guard. I learned that in the Army, cursing was a sign of manhood! If you did not curse, you were looked at like (not exaggeration) you were gay! (don't ask don't tell) I mean, I already had a strike against me because I did not smoke! In the 70's if you did not smoke, you sometimes did not get to take a break from work, while the Drill Sergeants and smokers did? I learned to turn on the language and turn it off in the civilian world.

In the work world I came to believe that people around me who cursed where 1: mental midgets; 2. trying to portray studly, manly men; 3. people who don't don't care about me.

In conversations, phone calls, and meetings, if you try to impress me with curses, the discussion is over. I have hung up on bosses and clients. I have been toe to toe with a Church client who in the "Church" used the F-bomb and GD this and that! (Remember Jason!)

All this leads me back to the movies. Movies like "Funny People" where the F-word is Noun, verb and adjective in the same sentence, I just leave. It was my fault for going and it is my privilege to leave. I don't find funny things that revolt me. just like I will not watch rape and child abuse for enjoyment. The movie portrays mental midgets and profane people that I would not hang with for five minutes.

The comes "The Hurt Locker". Yes the F-word was used (much, much less). But it portrayed such a serious, tense time that each word showed the raw emotion of military men (who were trained to curse) and they cursed far less than the so called comedians. Do I agree with their language? No but I understand the context.

Its like when I helped my Dad (who never cursed) as a kid and he hit his thumb with a hammer and said, "Shit!" I learned NOT to laugh! and that it was a circumstance that(dare I say it?) no other word comes to mind! I learned that much later as I demonstrated to my own family.

Some people still don't care what they say. I care what they say!