At least around the kids.
Glen Matlock, the fifth Sex Pistol (he wrote the big songs, but was replaced by Sid Vicious) and now a father of two, is (*^&*in' pissed-- er, rather upset--about all these people swearing in the media, where the kids can hear.
The revelation comes in an interview on Channel 4 for a show called, "X Rated: The TV Shows They Tried To Ban," that replays the Sex Pistols' own legendary 1976 on-air swear-fest, just for old-time's sake, you understand.
Last summer, This American Life did the first skeptical report I've ever heard of this "we must protect the children" justification for regulating language. In addition to debunking the flimsy reasoning and research, they actually interviewed a group of children who, of course, already had experience and opinions on every possible banned word. Definitely worth a listen.
Ex-Sex Pistol wants no future for swearing [guardian, via boingboing]
TAL's "Propriety," episode 267, aired 6/11/04 [thislife.org]
My mom was so very happy when we went off to school so she could finally say "look at the horrible language they pick up on the play ground".
Unless I stop playing video games soon, it may be my kid teaching your kid those words on the playground...
The most entertaining moments of Thanksgiving dinners have been when my super-straightlaced Utah cousin's son would fire off a "what the hell are you doing?" &c.
I'm increasingly annoyed at the extent that adult images and language permeate public life. I'd prefer that my child not be in a rush to grow up.
A friend who worked at a daycare center in the 1990s was shocked at how and what toddlers talk about... the sort of stuff that would get him incarcerated if he were to respond back to them.
I went cold turkey on first-person-shooters the day my daughter was born. Our entertainment center was moved into the bedroom (and the bedroom's 13" TV now sits next to my monitor in my office). I miss computer games, but their absence has been positive. If Jon Stewart would just get off TV, Iíd cancel my cable subscription too.
Hey, to be fair, I only play sports games, and never when the little one is around.
That being said, my language could use a little tiny bit more work...
We don't watch much tv anymore because (a) we won't watch it when the baby can see it, and (b) we never have time to watch the stuff we record.
Ya, language is the tough issue. You know when you squeeze a ketchup bottle and a little bit of clear liquid (from condensation?) comes out before the ketchup? I call that pre-ejaculatory fluid.
It's the little things I need to curb. I can call bad people poopyheads. I don't have an alternate term for ketchup splooge yet.
Our 3 year old has learned the phrasing 'Damnit' and 'Oh Shit'. Fortunately, he limits the use these words only to applicable situations. Ie, if he's having trouble getting his large toy up the stairs, the 'Oh Shit' comes out. If he's having trouble getting dressed, the occasional 'Damnit' comes out.
So while some may shame him for using colorful interjections, I, personally, commend his grasp of proper grammar and context.
Personally, in the grand scheme of things, I REALLY have a tough time comprehending why we need to have our government concerned with a few fucks or shits, or a naked boob here or there.