A Guide to Basic Human Decency - Pt. 3

Hi, this is the filthy American here again! Today I want to delve into something scary, terrifying even. I want to talk about politicians... CUSSING! Whoooooooo, oooooooooooooohhh! *Rattles chains

Taboo: A Relative Term

Taboo is a relative term on its own. Walking around the town naked might be taboo in my home town, but to people in the Zo'é tribe in Brazil, nudity is the norm. Even outside of regional differences, culture changes and progresses with time. As one generation grows old, so do their taboos. 

Cussing: A Dirty Side of Language

Newer generations find normal things that were once considered risque. Cussing is a weird one though. While cussing certainly has progressed in acceptance, there still seems to be a consensus that it is immoral or unnecessary. Cussing continues largely to be the dirty side of language, scorned by mothers and proper society alike. 

Cussing in Politics

So despite its heavy use in current generations, cussing is still viewed as unprofessional for the large part. Nowhere is this more present than in politics. For most senators and representatives, it's not common, but also not a big deal. Some from the newer generation even pride themselves on being bold and honest instead of worrying about being proper and professional. 

The President and Cussing

For some, this is a tactic to seem even more relatable than other politicians. But for the President to cuss? Heavens are alive! The entire field of journalism shall now descend on the poor soul occupying the White House! To some degree this does make sense; after all, the president is the most powerful position in the country and supposedly commands respect as a role model of leadership and unity, etc. The president is supposed to be above the need for pettiness or insults or cursing. Never mind things that were screamed during the debates and campaigns. But once they step into that role, they are an immaculate statue of morality.

I mean, we all know that's bull****, excuse my language. I'm not the president so I can get away with it. But still, we somehow expect the president to act better than we all expect of ourselves. The presidency is a supposed bastion of judgement, illustrating both our strength and our conviction. So we don't want a president that can't express themselves without cursing, right? I would argue what we've gained in professionalism has lost some of reality. 

The Purpose of Cussing

We expect a president to stay calm and guide the country through troubles. But in an emergency, you don't quietly whisper to call 911. I think our society has forgotten the purpose of cussing. At its core, it is an expression of emotion where normal words don't quite fit. There are lots of expressive words like this, think yikes or dang. Cussing is expressive words like these, designed to hurt, offend, or be taboo or vulgar. They are harsh and strong in their meaning. While this seems a bad thing, sometimes we need harsh words and strong language. When the house is burning down, you can drop formalities and get out of the f***ing house! 

The President: Being Real

So while I don't want a president to lead the country with vulgarity, there are times when harsh words are necessary, and I want a president to lay down formality in favour of being real. I don't want optimism in a crisis, I want confident action, and I don't want restraint in the face of danger.

I want a quick response. Every time a president slips up and says a big bad word and the press jumps on it like a lion, I want the people to ask themselves if they might have used the same language. 

Conclusion

We talk all the time about how much we hate politicians and the way they lie to us and smooth-talk us. But then when a politician shows us a moment of vulnerable truth, we suddenly mark them indecent, unfit to serve. I for one would much rather let the president be real than make sure they don't say a nono.

With love and insanity equally,

J.M.