Profanity increases in Primetime

They are making it hard to raise kids. If we want to watch something but kid TV we have to lock our kids out of our room. There is no need for the profanity or sex. But as long as that stuff sells then we will see more and more....

Oh F*** That!

Give me a ************** break!

There is no g** d*** Cursing during ******* primetime are you all BL****** mad!?

woooo profanity.

pnw

Don't get me wrong, before I had kids I would curse like a sailor. But now I have little ears that repeat everything... that go to school.... that would get in big trouble.... My friend's kid got detention for repeating what she heard on the radio on the Bus into school. (I can't remember what it was, it wasn't horrible, but it was more than a 3rd grader should be saying...)

And don't get me started about the unnecessary language and sex just to get a worse rating... when we watched spy kids 2 and they threw in a curse word just for the PG rating, was really out of place, and stood out as odd, I was annoyed... (OK the whole movie was cheesy and disjointed, but they didn't need to curse..)

Regardless of the language, there really isn't much on TV that's worth watching. I'll let my kids watch videos before I'd let them watch anything on prmetime TV.

The children are exposed to profanities in their houses and school. The truth is that everybody curses, this "Holier than thou" bull**** being propagated by people of 11 century is too much. The parent of today should remember the times they had as kids and also all the reasons for which they hated their own parents (and they never ever used profanities when they were young).

As far as I can remember late 60- early 70's was an era of sex and drugs. You guys had your fun, give us a break.

Yep I've noticed it everywhere! Well it is a bit unfair for my house casue my sis watchs nothing but MTV so thats filled with curse words.
On the other hand on Nick there curse words like C#$* during normal kid show hours!

Originally posted by markiv810
The children are exposed to profanities in their houses and school. The truth is that everybody curses, this "Holier than thou" bull**** being propagated by people of 11 century is too much. The parent of today should remember the times they had as kids and also all the reasons for which they hated their own parents (and they never ever used profanities when they were young).

As far as I can remember late 60- early 70's was an era of sex and drugs. You guys had your fun, give us a break.

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there's a difference between holier than thou and not wanting my 4 year old daughter to swear. some of us still have morals concerning things like that. and yes, i remember being mad at my parents for them not letting me do things, like run out in the road or touch a hot stove. you're obviously not a parent (or at least i hope not) if your biggest concern is being 'the best friend' of a child. yes, it's good for them to like you, but it's also important that you teach them what they need to know.

no way i would let my daughter swear. drives me nuts... the people i live around dont give a rip - their 5 year olds swear more than the post above, and they don't care.

ya know this is really funny, cause there's this guy i know, named jeff, who swears about every other word. but w/o even having to ask him to stop, when he's around my daughter, he wouldn't even let out a 'pissed off'. even he realizes that some things just shouldn't be acceptable, even though he does them himself.

and yeah, i agree with spy kids2... it's strange how your viewing habbits change when you have a daughter. suddenly movies that we watched all the time are reserved only for our bedroom (no, not those kind of movies) and not having cable is the best thing i've ever done for our family

matt

Not to sound like grandpa or Michael Medved here, but a lot of the vulgarity is an attempt to cover up a lack of creativity and ability.

And it's not just language, it's nudity and sexual content. Some of the stuff lately has seemed completely contrived and out of place, inserted at the last minute because the show lacked a spark of talent.

Originally posted by pivo6
Regardless of the language, there really isn't much on TV that's worth watching. I'll let my kids watch videos before I'd let them watch anything on prmetime TV.

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I totally agree. I don't have any kids but am an uncle 6 times
Video/DVD is the way to go, you can jump the commercials at the beginning (less brainwash), you have a certain control over what they are watching and there is a beginning and an end to every story: they don't just randomly surf from channel to channel but have to actively chose what they want to watch and when it is over IT IS OVER. Time to turn the TV off and do something else.

As for your own TV habbits, yes, that could be a problem if there is kids around. But maybe you can turn the TV off , too. Show the example. Just watch the news, then read a book or play games with your kids...or just wait until they go to bed.

Where imagination is sucked out of children
by a cathode ray nipple
T.V. is the only wet nurse
that would create a cripple
(Television, the drug of the nation)

Originally posted by mkaake
and yes, i remember being mad at my parents for them not letting me do things, like run out in the road or touch a hot stove. you're obviously not a parent (or at least i hope not) if your biggest concern is being 'the best friend' of a child. yes, it's good for them to like you, but it's also important that you teach them what they need to know.

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Phew you spoke my mind...

Here is a question for the pro swear camp.... How many of you would swear during a job interview? I just hired a guy, and one of the biggest factors in him getting the job was his politeness and professional presentation. If he would have sweared it would have serverly hurt his chances.

Children cannot differentiate bad and good times for certain language. My 2 year old just learned the word "hate". He will walk up to people and say, "I hate you!". Now this is quite normal as he tests his bounds, and we teach him not to do that, but could you imagine if he walked up to a stranger and said "**** you!"?

Ah, kids do have a habit of picking up our little sayings My youngest must have overheard my say a "p**s me off" once or twice. He used the phrase, and I had to explain to him that it is an adult word and he shouldn't say it. So now, I try to be careful (more so than normal) around my kids, with what I say.

At least he used it in an appropriate situation

edit: the filter didn't catch my profanity, so I fixed it myself.

As a recient Child, and someone looking forward to having childern in the future, I feel that the Profanity is a good thing. Why? Because it shows more reality, and therefore you aren't shocked when you come accross in the real world. Also, having been exposed to profanity from an early age, by way of saliors, I have never cussed in front of elders or my parents. I have only used among peers and when the situation requires it. I love NYPD Blue for their blaitent use of the "S" word. It shows the reality of Police work and the stress they have, and the language that must be used to get your point across.

I hope the FCC is disbanded and then the real English Language can be used anywhere. I Love Canadian TV and Radio, where after a certain time there is little to no censorship.

Also, If there is Profanity, that is what the Ratings Bug is for at the begining of the Act. If it shows a S,L,V, don't let your young child watch.

TEG

Originally posted by mkaake
some of us still have morals concerning things like that.

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I don't see how morality and language are related. It's more a matter of manners. Learning when and where a particular type of language might or might not be appropriate is not different than learning any other type of manners (e.g. table manners, hospitality toward strangers, respecting your elders, etc.). Personally, I have impeccable manners and I swear like a sailor in front of my friends, because in that context it is not at all considered inappropriate behavior. And I fail to see how swearing in and of itself constitutes immoral behavior. I have certainly never felt immoral while swearing.

Originally posted by paulwhannel
woooo profanity.

pnw

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wooooo, spam

profanity has its place--it's for expressing great anger or disappointment... but it's for people who have the sense to use it exclusively around pelple they know won't be offended by it. kids can't do this, as a general rule, and we really don't need to fill their heads with it on the TV.

I think the general quality of entertainment television provides us has plummeted over the years. making innuendo and using profanity are great ways to get people to giggle and laugh without actually thinking about it. entertainers are realizing that their job is much easier if they just spruce dialogue up with some sex and damns and s**ts and what not. and america rides the boat and laughs just the same, pays the same wages.

I think the emphasis needs to be in teaching children how to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. I swear quite a bit, chatting with my friends or brother. I swear for emphasis with my father, or telling a joke. I never swear around my mother. I won't swear when I am in a work environment, and not on a date until I hear my date swear first. Then I exercise my best judgment to find out how comfortable she is with vulgar language and I respect that line.

If I am in public, I swear softly or not at all, depending on my surroundings. If children are present, I won't swear, and I often remind my friends, if they don't notice that young ears are near.

Children in America are raised in a sheltered home, then sent to school with kids that have not had much guidance. It's a recipe for trouble.

Dan

Originally posted by lmalave
I don't see how morality and language are related. It's more a matter of manners. Learning when and where a particular type of language might or might not be appropriate is not different than learning any other type of manners (e.g. table manners, hospitality toward strangers, respecting your elders, etc.). Personally, I have impeccable manners and I swear like a sailor in front of my friends, because in that context it is not at all considered inappropriate behavior. And I fail to see how swearing in and of itself constitutes immoral behavior. I have certainly never felt immoral while swearing.

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and some people dont' feel immoral looking at porn 20 hours a day, what's your point?

just because you're okay with swearing doesn't mean that some people don't have moral objections to it - i for one feel it is morally wrong to swear, no matter the company. yes, it can be impolite and innapropriate, but in my book, it's still wrong.

matt

Originally posted by mkaake
and some people dont' feel immoral looking at porn 20 hours a day, what's your point?

just because you're okay with swearing doesn't mean that some people don't have moral objections to it - i for one feel it is morally wrong to swear, no matter the company. yes, it can be impolite and innapropriate, but in my book, it's still wrong.

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and it's because of people like you that it offends me that they are so liberal with their tongues on the telly!

Originally posted by alset
<snip>

Children in America are raised in a sheltered home, then sent to school with kids that have not had much guidance. It's a recipe for trouble.

Dan

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noperz...

you guys are confusing some of what i have said here. my daughter, when she is older than 4, or sooner, depending on if she hears the wrong person, will learn what swearing is and why most people do it. she will also learn that it's still not appropriate. (and in my family, just plain wrong)

there's a difference between never letting your children see the bad things of the world and not allowing them to participate in those things.* and if you do a good job of teaching, when they get out into the world themselves, not only will they not be 'in trouble' but they will stick to their guns and make decisions based on what they think, not what others think.

matt

*<edit> and yes, i just said they should be exposed and understand what is in the world, but to get back to the topic, that does not mean that i will flood them with it on TV or appreciate the profanity on TV

Originally posted by shadowfax
and it's because of people like you that it offends me that they are so liberal with their tongues on the telly!

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well i'm not quite sure if that was a compliment/put down/or what, but okay...



i'm dense right now. been at work all day and need to go home.

oh, and i gave blood today

Another side-effect of excessive use of profanity is that it stunts your vocabulary. I have heard some teenagers go, "Holy S***, I f***** up", or "Dad's gonna s**** my happiness" etc; whatever happened to the actual language?

Relating to the topic here, it's entirely possible to create TV material for adults without making it necessary to lock the kids out (or in), as we keep seeing with the better serials. Profanity and nudity are just what those that lack talent use in its stead.

Btw, a great topic, even if I am suprised to see it here. [ Pleasantly so, particularly because the discussion seems to be - on the most part - pretty mature. I guess geeks too can think, feel and discuss ]

Originally posted by mkaake
well i'm not quite sure if that was a compliment/put down/or what, but okay...



i'm dense right now. been at work all day and need to go home.

oh, and i gave blood today

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heh. it wasn't intended in a negative way. i meant that it offends me that people don't have enough respect for people who really are offended by profanity to keep it off primetime network television. it's a key example of how low-class popular TV is becoming.

Originally posted by radhak

Btw, a great topic, even if I am suprised to see it here. [ Pleasantly so, particularly because the discussion seems to be - on the most part - pretty mature. I guess geeks too can think, feel and discuss ]

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That and MacRumors is Special.

Arn and the Mods work hard to keep the community discussions mature. But I personally steer clear of the Political Discussions Forum. (A bit too confrontational for my blood)

I hope the Mods notice your post, it reflects well on them.

Originally posted by Stelliform
But I personally steer clear of the Political Discussions Forum. (A bit too confrontational for my blood)

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for the most part, i think that the political forums have become a much more docile creature in terms of all the hot blood going round. it's a pretty neat place, really.