I liked the fact in older films and tv they couldn't show sex and could have cursing. It made it much more interesting. They had to try to convey these feelings in a much more subtle way. For example in Casablanca they never show Ilsa and Rick get it on. Of course you know that they had a romp the night she came to his office. Also like Jaws where the shark was broken for most of the movie which made the movie so much better b/c of the fear of the unkown.
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Swearing in TV
- Thread starter AntonyF
- Start date
PillowRock
Regular
Yes, but that is not limited to writing or scripted drama. It just as true in life. When someone who does not normally swear does, it gets the attention of people who know them.
I know plenty of people who never, or virtually never, swear. However, I also know a fair number of people for whom those are just words like any other. That being the case, I think that it is fair for a writer to depict characters who have that attitude and speak that way. I can understand that some people just don't like to ever hear it, and I can respect that. It doesn't particularly bother me, though. (I do agree, however, that comics who just use the words for shock value laughs without any other thought or ideas to their work are not funny. Not all comics who swear lack any other thought. It is possible for a comic to swear and to be funny.)
Also, there are times when *not* having anyone swear is jarringly "not real". How many times have you watched crime or police drama where you have street gang members either shot or stabbed and screaming all kinds of odd things, ..... but strangely no swear words. Same thing when similar characters are getting arrested and spewing all kinds of verbal venom at the police and / or the people who called in the complaint, ...... but again no swearing. Now, I can go with some of those characters being people who don't swear. However, we are talking about an environment where curse words being "just another word" is a very prevalent attitude. Therefore, *all* of them becoming more circumspect in their language when they are extremely angry or hurt seems ...... shall we say "unlikely".
hypatia
Regular
When used like that, I'd agree with you.
But when used like "I had a *bleep* girlfriend that *bleep* *bleeping* and her *bleep* *bleep*...
I used old movie references (and I know, tame ones by today's standards) because that tends to be the kind of movie I prefer these days.
I think any over-use of any dramatic device is probably a sign of a bad script. Including this.
Sinclair
Moderator
I don't have any problem with cursing on television at all, except that they should do it more often. It just seems more real to me as I swear a lot, as does just about everyone else I know. I knew and used all of those words at a young age and I'm sure a fair amount of today's kids know it too. I hate it when those words get censored or bleeped out because it doesn't do any good. We all know what they're saying. Today's kids are going to hear those words anyway so why not start them off young?
hypatia
Regular
Well, there is something to be said for knowing when and where to use what kind of language, I think. I'd hate to be interviewing a potential mathematics instructor and hear something like "I think that's damned important".
I work in a town very close to the border of Mexico to the USA. It is very conservative in many ways. In the 14 years I have been teaching here everything from arithmetic through to Calculus III and such I have never EVER been cursed at by a student.
This community frowns very much on bad language. I have been yelled at. I have been insulted. I have been laughed at. But I have never, in 14 years here, been cursed at.
How would someone who curses automatically for their entire lives survive here? I still say know when to use that kind of language and when not to. But if it's a habit, it might become a detrimental one for you.
I work in a town very close to the border of Mexico to the USA. It is very conservative in many ways. In the 14 years I have been teaching here everything from arithmetic through to Calculus III and such I have never EVER been cursed at by a student.
This community frowns very much on bad language. I have been yelled at. I have been insulted. I have been laughed at. But I have never, in 14 years here, been cursed at.
How would someone who curses automatically for their entire lives survive here? I still say know when to use that kind of language and when not to. But if it's a habit, it might become a detrimental one for you.
D
dren1138
Guest
Here, Here Hypatia! I agree. Swearing is used way too much. Saying it is a sign of real life is true, but shouldn't we be trying to change that. Swearing just shows you can't think of anything better to say. It is a reaction and we should try to better our use of language. I think swearing can be used to convey humor and other emotions, but I also think we should limit how often we use it. Kids don't need to hear more swearing. Most don't even know how to express themselves without swearing anymore. I can see the future of Wedding Proposals, "Will you fucking Marry Me?"-"Shit yes you Mother Fucker!". What is scary is I bet that has already happened. I don't think shows should be censored, but most of these shows just use swearing for shock value. They want kids to think they are cool.
By the way, look at some of the quality shows your talking about. Tom Green and Jackass, two shows that scream our evolution has reverted back to stupid chimps. I don't care if you like them. They are the death of real humor. The F/X shows I don't know about, but any show about plastic surgery should be banned unless it is showing how stupid it is. I am not against plastic surgery if you really need it for medical reasons or to cover a scar or something. Cutting yourself to fit some false mold of what is considered beautiful means you need a Psychiatrist not a Plastic Surgeon.
How much swearing was in B5? Would it have been funny or a better show if the characters constantly spouted expletives?
Now, I'm going to get off my High Horse and make some pancakes!
By the way, look at some of the quality shows your talking about. Tom Green and Jackass, two shows that scream our evolution has reverted back to stupid chimps. I don't care if you like them. They are the death of real humor. The F/X shows I don't know about, but any show about plastic surgery should be banned unless it is showing how stupid it is. I am not against plastic surgery if you really need it for medical reasons or to cover a scar or something. Cutting yourself to fit some false mold of what is considered beautiful means you need a Psychiatrist not a Plastic Surgeon.
How much swearing was in B5? Would it have been funny or a better show if the characters constantly spouted expletives?
Now, I'm going to get off my High Horse and make some pancakes!
GKE, I've noticed that too. For some reason that word is much more offensive than any other. I reserve for truly special occasions.
That's the problem with swearing all the time, and in every sentence. What do have left in reserve when you really need it?
I hear kids using f**k every other word, and wonder what they use when they're mad. At work the other day two of the guys were talking just outside my office. They were talking about a work issure, but after the 3rd 'f**k' I got up and walked out, telling them if I could hear that language, then any customer on the telephone to another member of staff at the time could probably hear it too.
I'm sure they thought I was being a complete prude, but I really believe that there's a time and place for swearing, and work isn't it!
hypatia
Regular
Somehow I'm not all that surprised to hear that, old Mighty.
I admit, I actually had to train myself not to curse so much right at the end of college. I was in a school that's about 30 minutes drive from the VLA (the array of radio telescopes you see in movies like "Contact"). It was all science and mathematics. And it was like a 5 men to 1 woman ratio.
Not that I'm blaming the men.
But I did learn to curse to fit in very quickly. My main point is I also learned when to and when not to do it. Well, I learned but in learning I also made some mistakes.
That's how I learned. 
Jade Jaguar
Regular
I agree that strong language is best saved for when it is really needed, and that gratuitous f words in films are just stupid, pointless, and boring. I do occassionally let go with shee-it (shit), or cheezus (Jesus Ren and Stimpy style), or damn. For me, these are expressions of moderate dismay or consternation.
When I was 19, I read the book The Naked Lunch, by William Burroughs. Some consider it the foulest book ever written, which I doubt. It is a work of demented genius, containing an awful lot of foul lauguage. For a while after I read it, I adopted it's way of talking, until my friends told me they were sick of it, and I let my infatuation with it pass. By the way, I do like the movie, Naked Lunch, and while it has some of the feel of the book, it can't really compare at all. No movie could.
When I was 19, I read the book The Naked Lunch, by William Burroughs. Some consider it the foulest book ever written, which I doubt. It is a work of demented genius, containing an awful lot of foul lauguage. For a while after I read it, I adopted it's way of talking, until my friends told me they were sick of it, and I let my infatuation with it pass. By the way, I do like the movie, Naked Lunch, and while it has some of the feel of the book, it can't really compare at all. No movie could.
D
dren1138
Guest
End of the World, I thought I was talking about trying to make the world a better place, BUT THE END IS NEAR!!!!
GKarsEye
Regular
Hee.
You know, the whole swearing on TV thing still isn't changing for me. And I just watch Dead Like Me... and I think "Yeah, you're on a cool network, you can say fuck... big wow." I think that's my issue more than anything. Swearing doesn't bother me, or I wouldn't allow it on the board for example. It's just the complete... unnecessary nature of it on shows like Dead Like Me.
I think the episode I just watched, where this old lady goes "I'd fuck him", was probably the first time the word worked... because it was needed, and so added to the moment. Rather than just willy nilly and for the sake of it.
You know, the whole swearing on TV thing still isn't changing for me. And I just watch Dead Like Me... and I think "Yeah, you're on a cool network, you can say fuck... big wow." I think that's my issue more than anything. Swearing doesn't bother me, or I wouldn't allow it on the board for example. It's just the complete... unnecessary nature of it on shows like Dead Like Me.
I think the episode I just watched, where this old lady goes "I'd fuck him", was probably the first time the word worked... because it was needed, and so added to the moment. Rather than just willy nilly and for the sake of it.
