What's the obsession with the F word?

[Schmoopie]

This topic really applies to books and movies, but since there isn't a book section, I'll just post it here. Sorry if I caught you guys off guard with the subject heading!

I don't get why in most movies today the filmmakers feel that they have to include the "F" word at least once. I'm in the middle of watching the movie "The Holiday" staring Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, Jude Law and Kate Winslet. I wasn't that interested in seeing it before since I'm not a fan of Cameron Diaz or Jack Black, but I was amazed at how good this movie is. I was even more amazed at the lack of swear words... until Jack Black said the dreaded "F" word.

Even books. I read a lot of contemporary romances and it's getting VERY hard to find a book that isn't laced in F words or includes it at least once. I have this dream of being a writer and there is no way that I could include that word in a book. It's just not necessary. The book I'm reading now includes it at least ten times so far.

I'm not a goody-two shoes. Believe me, I've said the word many times, I'm ashamed to say. And I hate to sound like a hypocrite but I've even laughed when I've heard it in movies. I know that's terrible, isn't it?

My dad took me to see "Flashdance" and I asked him why it was rated "R". He told me because it had the "F" word in it. I remember cringing, waiting for the word to come. Other than that, I love that movie!

The sad thing is that I never, ever uttered that word until I saw "The Breakfast Club". That movie is filled with that word. It's a classic movie and I still find it funny, but mostly annoying.

When I watch the classic John Hughes movies now, I am amazed at how many swear words they contained. Has anyone noticed this? I'm sure everyone remembers the classic "Sixteen Candles" line Molly Ringwald says... "They _____ forgot my birthday." For some reason back when I was in high school, that word didn't bother me, or else I never noticed it. The line is pretty funny but I've also seen that movie countless times on cable where they edit out the swearing and it's just as funny. Go figure.

If I'm reading a book or watching a movie, as soon as I hear or read that word, it kind of ruins it for me a little.

It's very irritating. Maybe I am a goody two shoes, but there are many scenes in books and movies that would be just as funny or more "effective" with a milder word.

Even in "A Christmas Story" they don't actually say the "F dash, dash dash word" because everyone knows what they are referring to. That's what makes that line so classic! "Ohhhhhh fuuuuuudddddggge!":lol:

[ponytail]

I hate that word. I guess the film makers think everyone says it and it's part of our everyday language. Instead I say 'freakin'.

[Chocoholic]

I don't like that word either, or profanity in general. What really saddens me is when I hear children use those words in school. If I ever spoke like that, my mother would have slapped me so hard...

I won't even watch movies anymore. I love reading chick-lit and I agree it's hard to find authors who refrain from using profanity, unless you look in the Christian fiction section.

If I had to choose though, I'd pick the F-word over violence. That's something else we have way too much of in entertainment media. I don't find violence and murder entertainment at all and I refuse to watch it, listen to it, or read it.

[70s show watcher]

maybe it isint so much the word itself maybe its the fact that in alot of movies the word and others like it just seem tossed off and put into the scripts for no good reason

[catlover79]

I don't like that word either, or profanity in general. What really saddens me is when I hear children use those words in school. If I ever spoke like that, my mother would have slapped me so hard...

I won't even watch movies anymore. I love reading chick-lit and I agree it's hard to find authors who refrain from using profanity, unless you look in the Christian fiction section.

If I had to choose though, I'd pick the F-word over violence. That's something else we have way too much of in entertainment media. I don't find violence and murder entertainment at all and I refuse to watch it, listen to it, or read it.
I wish Christian lit had been a bigger market when I was in middle/high school. I read too much Danielle Steel and the like. I'm almost 30 and I still don't think I'm old enough to read/watch some of that stuff. :eek: :lol:

[MickeyMac]

I can appreciate that people dont like the F word. I got into a thing on another forum when I said that word, and everyone came at me with both barrels. I couldnt believe how shocked they were. They acted as though they never heard anyone say the F word before. Now I am not some major foul mouth person, but I aint no prude either. I get the impression those people have never seen an R Rated movie before.

[beautifuldreamer]

Hmmm... I don't really know what the obsession is with that... but you're right, it certainly is everywhere though. :eek: I actually take no offense to it... it doesn't affect me at all. I have used the word a few times, but it just sounds weird to people.:lol: They actually tell me I don't look like the type of person to swear. :rolleyes:

[steevo]

I have to make a confession that sometimes (every once in a rare while) I do catch myself saying that particular word. I immediately feel dirty afterwards. I don't think any of us likes saying that word (or others for that matter) but I suppose when really frustrated, it may slip every now and then.

[JT]

It's a word. It's four letters strung together. Its synonyms are perfectly acceptable, and for the life of me, I'll never understand why people get so upset over it. Oh wait, yeah I remember now, because "it's just bad, that's why!!"

[Janice]

I don't mind the F word in movies where I expect it, such as mob and other violent movies. A good thing is that today, viewers are told WHY it's given a rating. For sex, violence, language, etc. I don't like to be blindsided by the word in a movie. Watching a nice romantic comedy and then someone drops the F bomb out of midair. I think they do it to get it an R rating.

As for swearing in general. I guess there's a time and a place for everything. I swear but only when I'm very angry or for occasional humor purposes. I can't stand potty mouths, and I stand clear of them. Sometimes I'll see a post where someone just strings expletives together, and I immediately lose respect for that person. It happened recently. I thought a person had class. In one disgusting post, they turned into white trash, in my eyes.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

It's a word. It's four letters strung together. Its synonyms are perfectly acceptable, and for the life of me, I'll never understand why people get so upset over it. Oh wait, yeah I remember now, because "it's just bad, that's why!!"
lol that's how I've always felt. For the love of God, it's a word. It only has meaning because people give it meaning. I guess I'm pretty insensitive to swear words because I grew up with a father who has a mouth like a sailor. Just words to me. In fact if anything, I get angry when swear words get bleeped out on TV.

Of course, this is the only time when I considered dubbing acceptable...because it made it even more hilarious. :rofl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4t6zNZ-b0A

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

I don't mind the F word in movies where I expect it, such as mob and other violent movies. A good thing is that today, viewers are told WHY it's given a rating. For sex, violence, language, etc. I don't like to be blindsided by the word in a movie. Watching a nice romantic comedy and then someone drops the F bomb out of midair. I think they do it to get it an R rating.

As for swearing in general. I guess there's a time and a place for everything. I swear but only when I'm very angry or for occasional humor purposes. I can't stand potty mouths, and I stand clear of them. Sometimes I'll see a post where someone just strings expletives together, and I immediately lose respect for that person. It happened recently. I thought a person had class. In one disgusting post, they turned into white trash, in my eyes.
You caught me. I'm a heaping pile of white trash. I'm gonna go have a family bar bee cue and walk around barefoots while smokin in front of mahs chidrins now. :p

[Zoneboy]

You caught me. I'm a heaping pile of white trash. I'm gonna go have a family bar bee cue and walk around barefoots while smokin in front of mahs chidrins now. :p

I'm insulted! :lol:

[Janice]

You caught me. I'm a heaping pile of white trash. I'm gonna go have a family bar bee cue and walk around barefoots while smokin in front of mahs chidrins now. :p
LOL. Good one. I've never noticed you swearing a lot on the boards. Yes, words have meaning, all words. If you go for a job interview, would you use the F word? Would you swear like a sailor in front of teachers, your friend's parents, a boyfriend's parents, etc? Profanities have meaning, and usually pretty ugly ones. Excessive swearing is not socially acceptable, even if it is acceptable within your world. It's just a simple truth.

[Shine]

I don't mind the F word in movies where I expect it, such as mob and other violent movies. A good thing is that today, viewers are told WHY it's given a rating. For sex, violence, language, etc. I don't like to be blindsided by the word in a movie. Watching a nice romantic comedy and then someone drops the F bomb out of midair. I think they do it to get it an R rating.

As for swearing in general. I guess there's a time and a place for everything. I swear but only when I'm very angry or for occasional humor purposes. I can't stand potty mouths, and I stand clear of them. Sometimes I'll see a post where someone just strings expletives together, and I immediately lose respect for that person. It happened recently. I thought a person had class. In one disgusting post, they turned into white trash, in my eyes.


That is nicely put, Janice. In some movies, you need to have swearing to make the characters more realistic. Two examples would be Tony Montana in Scarface and Tommy DiVito in Goodfellas. Their use of language was a part of who they were.

[Schmoopie]

I finally finished watching "The Holiday" (Great movie, by the way!) and I swear, the F word was the only swear word that I noticed. If it weren't for that one word, that movie would have been almost perfect. I don't know what it's rated, but there are references to sex in it and they show people in bed, but I guess they needed to throw that word in to make it not suitable for kids. I just noticed that the movie is rated PG-13. Geez, like I mentioned in my original post, "Flashdance" got an R rating because of the F word and now they must be lowering their standards when it comes to giving movies their ratings. So these days a movie like "The Breakfast Club" would be PG 13 as well.

I admit that I love The Sopranoes and that show is completley laced with the word. Maybe I'm just weird but most of the time, I don't even like to hear or see that word. As I said before, I think most movies and books would be just as good without it.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

LOL. Good one. I've never noticed you swearing a lot on the boards. Yes, words have meaning, all words. If you go for a job interview, would you use the F word? Would you swear like a sailor in front of teachers, your friend's parents, a boyfriend's parents, etc? Profanities have meaning, and usually pretty ugly ones. Excessive swearing is not socially acceptable, even if it is acceptable within your world. It's just a simple truth.
Nope, of course not. There's always a time and a place with it. Of course, it's one of my bad habits and once in awhile I'll slip when I shouldn't, but I know who to say it around and who not to. Still though, personally, I don't find swear words to be a big deal at all and they wouldn't really change my opinion about somebody. Sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt us.

I also don't feel like I notice an extensive amount of swearing in movies or on TV. Seems pretty realistic to me. Lots of people swear like that and that's just how it is, especially people my age. If people don't like it, they don't have to watch it. There's plenty of programming out there without it, and when movies are shown on TV the swear words are edited out anyway (which I find very annoying, but to each his own I guess).

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

I'm insulted! :lol:;)

[Stuck In The '70's]

I rarely ever swear. That's just the way I was raised. I've never used the F word when I have gotten into a fight. I'm very proud of that. I don't mind if I hear it in an R rated movie because I'd expect it but if a movie has too much swearing in it, it just takes away from the enjoyment of it. Of course I was a fan of Deadwood and that had plenty use of the F word in it. Of course they used it so much I found it more as comedy. lol By and large if a movie can't be seen without excessive bad language then it isn't much of a movie.

[JT]

Nope, of course not. There's always a time and a place with it. Of course, it's one of my bad habits and once in awhile I'll slip when I shouldn't, but I know who to say it around and who not to. Still though, personally, I don't find swear words to be a big deal at all and they wouldn't really change my opinion about somebody. Sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt us.

I also don't feel like I notice an extensive amount of swearing in movies or on TV. Seems pretty realistic to me. Lots of people swear like that and that's just how it is, especially people my age. If people don't like it, they don't have to watch it. There's plenty of programming out there without it, and when movies are shown on TV the swear words are edited out anyway (which I find very annoying, but to each his own I guess).
I'm with you. I avoid cursing around certain people just to avoid the drama, but if a person wants to think less of me because of the words I choose to use, good for them. I think less of them because they base their opinions of people on the words they use.

[Torgo]

I don't think any of us likes saying that word (or others for that matter)

Somehow I don't think Samuel L Jackson dislikes the word at all :lol: Or the countless actresses on 'Inside the Actor's Studio' who have zero problem dropping the F-bomb when asked what their favorite curse word is.

[LuLu Rogers]

The F-word was actually a term that police used to use. It was an acranim(sp?) it meant: For Underaged Carnal Knowledge. Basically, it was a term they used when they caught kids under 18 having sex, but people decided to make it into a swear word for some reason :crazy:

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

The F-word was actually a term that police used to use. It was an acranim(sp?) it meant: For Underaged Carnal Knowledge. Basically, it was a term they used when they caught kids under 18 having sex, but people decided to make it into a swear word for some reason :crazy:
Actually I heard it originated in the middle ages when people had to get permission to have sex for some reason or other, and it stood for "Fornication Under Consent of the King." Hence the reason the word refers to the deed a lot of the time. Again, still don't understand how that turned into a bad word.

[LuLu Rogers]

Actually I heard it originated in the middle ages when people had to get permission to have sex for some reason or other, and it stood for "Fornication Under Consent of the King." Hence the reason the word refers to the deed a lot of the time. Again, still don't understand how that turned into a bad word.

Maybe it started there, then years later the police picked it up... I don't know what the hell I'm talking about! :lol:

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Here's an interesting article I found about the f word. It mentions censorship and movies/tv and music so as not to get too off topic.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1857851,00.html

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Maybe it started there, then years later the police picked it up... I don't know what the hell I'm talking about! :lol:
Meh, I guess no one really knows. All I know is it's a ****ing hilarious word. ;)

[MickeyMac]

I have to admit that my favorite curse word is motherf**ker. Its not like every other word out of my mouth is that, but still its my favorite curse word.

[catlover79]

The F-word was actually a term that police used to use. It was an acranim(sp?) it meant: For Underaged Carnal Knowledge. Basically, it was a term they used when they caught kids under 18 having sex, but people decided to make it into a swear word for some reason :crazy:
I think that was also the title of a Van Halen album - during the Hagar era.

[JamesG]

I think that some are just overly sensitive when it comes to swearing; some people are like that. It's almost like "Oh my god did you hear what he was saying as he was feeding the babies into the grinder?"

Some things out there you should expect to hear swearing; mainly action, horror, and comedies. Some romance films do contain loads of swearing too.


To me, if swearing is done in the right context I don't mind it. However, for some comedies that use swearing in almost every other word; I don't see the point of. It looks like, to me, that they lack creativity and they hope that by using swearing it will attract an audience and laughter just because of it.

I'm not really bothered by it but I don't find it necessary. It's also true that some films will use the F-word a certain amount of times just to get an R-rating thinking it will attract viewers because it's an "edgy film". Some people I know refuse to see anything PG-13 rated.