January 25, 2003
GET THE LUX:
Curse of the Foul Mouth: It's not just celebrities. Profanity is everywhere. (GENE VEITH, January 24, 2003, Wall Street Journal)Bad language used to be associated with the lower classes--hence the term "vulgarity." But it is now an affectation of celebrities and macho corporate go-getters. Even sailors and peasants watched their language around ladies and children, but now family gatherings at the ballpark must endure obscenities from neighboring fans. Women are swearing the same blue streak as men, and young children don't seem to have their mouths washed out with soap. A recent Washington Post op-ed lamented the common experience of finding oneself in a subway car "filled with cursing students."What difference does it make? What is so bad about bad language? In fact, language taboos carry moral and spiritual significance in every culture.
Like many a son of a preacher man, I have a foul mouth, and, like most of us once we have kids, I wish I didn't. The older I get the stupider I think I sound when I swear (though I'll go to my grave appreciating the value of a well timed "Holy Crap!"). In fact, one of the few rules we try to enforce in our comments section is that posters please not use profanity nor slurs (for instance, because Muslims find Mohammedan to be an offensive term, we'd rather no one use it here). Thus, you can feel free to call me an "idiot", just not a "f**in idiot". I may be one, but there's no reason other people should be subjected to your profanity.
MORE:
N.B. Some of you may have noticed that while I try to use Mr. and Ms in references to people in the text of our posts, I do use first names, nicknames, or even initials in the comments. Typically, I do try to use Mr. or Ms until you've posted a few times, but if we've had prior discussions, especially if you've e-mailed us, I'm likely to switch to more familiar usage. This is not meant to imply any disrespect, particularly by comparison to the newsworthy but often nitwitish folks in the posts; rather it's intended to be friendly. However, please feel free to email me if you have a preferred name that you wish to be addressed by (or for any other reason--many of the posts here are suggested by y'all and I do answer every one).
Meanwhile, you can call me anything you want, though most folks call me O, OJ, Juice, or Mr. Judd depending on the vintage of our relationship and our respective ages.
I can't tell you how many times people have told me, or I've seen references at other sites, of the quality of the comments that people put up here. I agree with those who say the comments are better than anything I have to say (with the sole exception of the Darwinian nonsense that some of you adhere to and the occassional defense of soccer). We humbly thank all of you who participate and who endeavor to steer your poor misguided hosts a little nearer to the truth.
Finally, I try, sometimes more successfully than others, to leave my personal life out of the posts. Personally, I'd rather put my fist in a blender than read about every moment of a blogger's day. So, I was flattered that folks wrote last weekend to ask if I was okay or if the Other Brother had staged a coup, but I honestly just assume that folks don't care a whit if the Wife dragged me to FL, thereby violating the State Border Rule, but preserving the Time Zone Rule intact. So, don't worry, this overly first person post will not become a habit.
Be well. Stay warm. Pitchers and catchers report in a few weeks and all will once again be well with the world,
O
OJ: I never, not once, took offense at being called by my first name. (I generally prefer "Chris," as "Christopher" is used for women being angry at me, but as I sign "Christopher," I really have no objections to either.) On the off chance that I blog again, you are more than welcome to call me Chris, or Christopher, or even "You Pseudoliterate S.O.B.," as some of my friends do (just please don't draw out the acronym).
If I
ever gave offense at calling you OJ or Orrin, my apologies. Too much time dealing with too many lawyers who insist on putting "Esq." after their last name(s), I suppose, and reacting thereto; at any rate, the apology is genuine.
I know what you mean about the mouth. I think I'm gonna have to do something drastic if I can't control my mouth better in a month or two -- hearing a curse as my little one's first word would be... painful.
If you don't break the Eastern Time Zone Rule, you'll miss Texas. You're missing out.
I've worked in Texas, on a geoseismic crew. That contributed to the Rule. :)
Posted by: oj at January 25, 2003 4:34 PMHaving moved from a New York law firm to, with stops along the way, to managing a shop floor, I can personally attest that New York lawyers are far more foul mouthed than western Mass factory workers. After a couple of shocked and offended looks, I learned to curb my tongue.
Posted by: David Cohen at January 25, 2003 5:09 PMI'd kind of like to be like U.S. Grant who barely used profanity at all.
But dammit, the f-word is so expressive.
I'm not endorsing it at all, but my fraternity brother once spoke the greatest profane sentence in human history, later used almost word for word in Get Shorty:
F you, you F'n F--F.
Someone had cut in front of him in traffic so he was a little excited.
the worst swear words I could call you is a "bike racing indifferent!"
heh heh
In Kentucky we would call you a Hoosier, Illini, or a Buckeye.
Posted by: Bartman at January 26, 2003 8:40 AMBudd:
The shot at Lance Armstrong above was just for your benefit. :)
"Fist" in a blender?
OJ - You certainly are curbing your use of profanity. I remember when you'd use the same phrase, but featuring a different part of the Judd anatomy...