Whatever happened to the war against profanity?

[BackHand]

Censorship still occurs. I was in a house and the TV was on. A comedian was telling his jokes and every now and then, I heard “bleep” then “bleep.” I’m sure the owners of the broadcast rights or the broadcasters did not care about the First Amendment. Anybody watching could see that someone took the time to precisely bleep out every bit of profanity just so they could make a buck.

Censorship should occur on a case by case basis. And that’s not the first time I’ve heard certain words bleeped out. And they knew which words were the “right” ones.

Ed

Well that’s not state censorship, if TV shows and Artists want to bleep out words to make their art more appropriate for kids and family viewing that’s fine.

What goes against Free Speech and the Constitution is the government forcing Content Creators to censor their art that is what I’m against, if it is a law forcing someone to not say profanities than that’s unconstitutional.

Another thing worth mentioning is there are a lot of “worse” things than swearing. Take Pulp Fiction, Breaking Bad or lots of rock and roll songs they are still very mature with or without swearing. There is murder, rape, theft, sex, in moveis/TV/Music who cares about the F bomb.

Do you think the government has the right to forcibly censor people? I do not.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

I care. And the En Es A has announced they are monitoring everything you see or hear on the internet. With key word computer technology and IP Address look up, they know everything. So, in coordination with the Ef Be I, they can generate a list of every single incident. A lot of other people really care.

What does the FBI or the NSA have to do with what I typed?

You’re not making sense.

 

[Midwest88]

Before God, I knew as a boy: this is right and this is wrong. Becoming an adult does not automatically give me the right to abandon that. This or that will be wrong no matter how old I am.

Ed

Good point.

Being an adult doesn’t necessarily mean “independence” or anonymity. It’s doing what’s right versus what’s wrong. It’s restraining urges and desires when it’s appropriate – the true test of an adult is how one discerns one choice from another when the sloth, the hedonist and perv in us pokes its head either into our hearts, minds or privates. We all think unclean things; we all have envious, wanting hearts; and we all have loins that makes us slaves instead of masters.

 

[Joe_5859]

When I bought CDS in high school,explicit content was stated on the CDs. I think the music shop was supposed to ID, but I was never ID’d. I know Pandora asked if I wanted to hear explicit lyrics when I signed up. With the internet, I’m sure it is harder to monitor such things, no one reads the terms and conditions. Lol. Parents should monitor such things.

Ah yes, the “Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics” labels. Our record store enforced it inconsistently. Sometimes they would card you sometimes they would not. It has been hard for me to take those labels seriously ever since I found out that record companies wouldn’t necessarily use the label as intended. One album I have from one of my favorite bands (Savatage) has the explicit lyrics label even though there is no profanity whatsoever. But the record company wanted the label on there so they could market it as dangerous and edgy.

 

[Joe_5859]

Whenever these questions come up, people immediately start talking about how we cannot have censorship. The OP never mentioned censorship.

Though, as Ed pointed out, there is still “censorship” in certain places, such as radio and network TV. And if a song with profanity were played in those places, the profanity would be bleeped out. Although, the criteria for what qualifies as profanity has shifted over the years.

Censorship issues aside, I think there is still room to have a discussion about the right time and place for certain types of language.

As for the OP’s question, it does seem that the “war against profanity” is not really being fought anymore. I think a lot of people just stopped caring about it.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

Whenever these questions come up, people immediately start talking about how we cannot have censorship. The OP never mentioned censorship.

In fairness, the OP wistfully reminisced about the Parents Music Resource Center, who did indeed successfully advocate for censorship.

As for the OP’s question, it does seem that the “war against profanity” is not really being fought anymore. I think a lot of people just stopped caring about it.

A moral panic cannot be sustained forever.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

I remember back to the early 90s, when I was in high school, back in those days, it was common to hear about Tipper Gore and her ‘war’ against profanity in music, just wondering whatever happened to those efforts?

The parental advisory stickers backfired by helping kids find the kind of music that their parents would hate. Rock and rap make money off of rebellion and the thrill of the forbidden. The stickers only served to make the music that much more tantalizing.

 

[Leo2014]

The parental advisory stickers backfired by helping kids find the kind of music that their parents would hate. Rock and rap make money off of rebellion and the thrill of the forbidden. The stickers only served to make the music that much more tantalizing.

Isn’t that true! As a kid, weren’t you ready to turn the channel on the television…when…the parental warning message popped up? At that point, you said; yes! This is going to be good!

We all have a sense of rebellion in us, especially as a kid. Conformity is seen as boring or containing the fear to be different or to risk failure. Just look at how much we idolize hero’s that take chances. I salute those with a fiery spirit. However, parents should monitor their kids. Vulgarity does not equate to passion and offending someone does nothing to validate your convictions. Parents should know what message(s) their kids are listening to and get to understand them better. There are some truly good artist among the younger generation.

 

[edwest2]

That’s always the goal: convince people to stop caring; i.e. "Are they [that’s us] still hung up about that ? (fill in the blank)

I give high marks to individuals and organizations who never stop caring about the problem of obscenity, vulgarity and perverse media being accepted as normative or OK, and “just shut up about it already” remarks.

One Million Moms comes to mind.

Ed

 

[Joe_5859]

In fairness, the OP wistfully reminisced about the Parents Music Resource Center, who did indeed successfully advocate for censorship.

A moral panic cannot be sustained forever.

Ah, okay.

 

[edwest2]

Moral panic? The rising trend of profanity is not related to a panic, it’s an appropriate reaction to profanity in all media. It’s not going to away.

Ed

 

[Tomdstone]

Moral panic? The rising trend of profanity is not related to a panic, it’s an appropriate reaction to profanity in all media. It’s not going to away.

Ed

PG-13 movies contain things today that in the past were only allowable for R rated movies. And I admire the Muslims who protest against the illicit use of the character and image of their prophet. I don’t see many Catholics protesting when the Holy Name of Our Lord is used in PG-13 movies. In fact what I do see, is the novels of a Roman Catholic priest, Father Andrew Greeley using the name of God in vain and no one objects.

 

[Darryl_Revok]

Moral panic? The rising trend of profanity is not related to a panic, it’s an appropriate reaction to profanity in all media. It’s not going to away.

The PMRC organization, of which this conversation was originally about, was indeed the result of a moral panic.

 

[Leo2014]

PG-13 movies contain things today that in the past were only allowable for R rated movies. And I admire the Muslims who protest against the illicit use of the character and image of their prophet. I don’t see many Catholics protesting when the Holy Name of Our Lord is used in PG-13 movies. In fact what I do see, is the novels of a Roman Catholic priest, Father Andrew Greeley using the name of God in vain and no one objects.

I remember renting; “All The President’s Men” for my son when he was doing a report on Watergate (when he was in Junior High). The movie was PG from back-in-the-days before they had PG-13 ratings. It was informative and entertaining but it did not need to drop the F-bomb a dozen times! A few years back, we watched “The Kings Speech” - we had our reluctance because it carried an “R” rating. I think it carried an R rating because of the few scenes that dropped the F-bomb.

Here is where parents need to be consistent, if you tell the kids not to listen to music containing profanity but then turn around and watch a movie that is liberal with its use of profanity - what message are you sending?

I never read Father Greeley’s fiction stories, I did attempt to read his; “The Catholic Myth: The Behavior and Beliefs of American Catholics”. Unfortunately, there were sections that I thought were overly analytical and not a good read. However, I could care-less that he is a priest, if I thought his novels were offensive or used too much profanity - I would not read them.

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

That’s always the goal: convince people to stop caring; i.e. "Are they [that’s us] still hung up about that ? (fill in the blank)

I give high marks to individuals and organizations who never stop caring about the problem of obscenity, vulgarity and perverse media being accepted as normative or OK, and “just shut up about it already” remarks.

One Million Moms comes to mind.

Ed

I think a reason that “war” has fizzled out is that it is incredibly hard to quantify the harm. Especially since many of the teens of that era are now adults and the issue makes just as little sense now as it did then to them.

 

[mikekle]

I think a reason that “war” has fizzled out is that it is incredibly hard to quantify the harm. Especially since many of the teens of that era are now adults and the issue makes just as little sense now as it did then to them.

If this is true, why hasnt the FCC backed down? I have yet to watch major network TV, either primetime or late night, and here major curse words used? I mean, NYPD Blue was considered pushing the envelope back in the 90s when it showed mens butts in a few shots…youd think by now, we would see regular nudity being accepted, even on major network tv, but we dont, in fact, things are pretty much the same…??

So, how is the FCC different than everyone else? If everyone else has pretty much stopped caring about profanity, why are these folks still at it hard as they ever have been?

 

[KendraDZ1902]

If this is true, why hasnt the FCC backed down? I have yet to watch major network TV, either primetime or late night, and here major curse words used? I mean, NYPD Blue was considered pushing the envelope back in the 90s when it showed mens butts in a few shots…youd think by now, we would see regular nudity being accepted, even on major network tv, but we dont, in fact, things are pretty much the same…??

So, how is the FCC different than everyone else? If everyone else has pretty much stopped caring about profanity, why are these folks still at it hard as they ever have been?

If things are still the same, how are they still at it hard as they ever have been? Seems like if they were going hard, they would be trying to make it different, not keep it the same.

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

If this is true, why hasnt the FCC backed down? I have yet to watch major network TV, either primetime or late night, and here major curse words used? I mean, NYPD Blue was considered pushing the envelope back in the 90s when it showed mens butts in a few shots…youd think by now, we would see regular nudity being accepted, even on major network tv, but we dont, in fact, things are pretty much the same…??

Quite simply the battlefield has moved from broadcast tv to “basic” cable. The FCC does the enforcement it does to the bewilderment of many viewers because enough people write letters to them. But a lot of the stuff you talk about has simply moved to basic cable where they use certain words and at certain hours allow the major words.

Also, I presume this war also applies to movies and music which is outside the FCC’s reach.

So, how is the FCC different than everyone else? If everyone else has pretty much stopped caring about profanity, why are these folks still at it hard as they ever have been?

The FCC has regulations regarding obscenity that it can’t jettison like the rest of society. Not sure why but it seems to be that way for all intent. But the majority of consumers of media don’t seem nearly as bothered as the FCC.

 

[edwest2]

The group One Million Moms would disagree. They are taking visible action and we can each do our own part. I don’t watch most movies. I might see one or two a year. If I hear profanity coming from the car next to me at the stop light, I roll up my window. I don’t encourage others to watch or hear things I don’t like, mostly by never talking about them.

Ed

 

[Tomdstone]

Quite simply the battlefield has moved from broadcast tv to “basic” cable. The FCC does the enforcement it does to the bewilderment of many viewers because enough people write letters to them. But a lot of the stuff you talk about has simply moved to basic cable where they use certain words and at certain hours allow the major words.

Also, I presume this war also applies to movies and music which is outside the FCC’s reach.

The FCC has regulations regarding obscenity that it can’t jettison like the rest of society. Not sure why but it seems to be that way for all intent. But the majority of consumers of media don’t seem nearly as bothered as the FCC.

Is cable TV exempt from FCC censorship rules?