R-rated Language
August 17, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Today’s New York Times weighs in not so much about the movie Tropic Thunder’s use of the r-word, as on the more general phenomenon of certain Hollywood movies seeking to top levels of tastelessness and crassness, and un-PC-ness, all in the name of box office revenues.
The r-word is kind of r-rated around here and, indeed, just simply rude.
And a sign of a rube?
What really got me was someone I know saying that “oh, [the R-word] is just a word, it doesn’t mean anything when I say it…” and then getting angry that I used a different, less offensive word.
The thing is, people have the right to use the language they want to use. They just don’t have the grace to consider its effects on people.
That word gets used too much on the internet.
You can’t even dislike a movie or like a movie without the R word raining angrily on your head.
I just don’t mind PCness if it means not using words like that to describe people or if just means using more respectful language.