There was a day not so many years ago when use of profanity was socially unacceptable. Rough sailors who didn't blink an eye at the most vulgar words would clean up their acts in the presence of ladies (even ladies of ill-repute).
Then came a day when those words could be heard in sleazy barrooms and other places where "polite society" was not to be found. Then came a day when it was OK for anyone to use those vulgarities in situations causing dire distress. Then came a day when we heard those words quite commonly on the movie screen. Then came a day when we couldn't walk down the street without being assaulted with the f-word.
How much further can we fall? In order to raise the scores of low-achieving students this year, the British examiners of their equivalent of the TAKS test awarded credit for the use of profanity. In grading papers peppered with the f-word, one examiner stated, "It would be wicked to give it zero, because it does show some very basic skills we are looking for -- like conveying some meaning and some spelling."
I think the Brits need to convey some examiners to some rubbish bins!
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We were driving down the street one day and saw a child, maybe 3 years old, standing at the edge of the yard. As we slowly passed, the little boy took one hand and carefully folded down all the other fingers of his other hand EXCEPT FOR THE MIDDLE FINGER. He then proudly held his gesture up for us as we went by. My they are teaching them young these days!
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