Freedom of speach is ruining the english language

[[THANATOS].Teo]

As a self proclaimed poet who enjoys the artistic manipulation of words, I am disgusted by the raping of the english language. Everyday a new phrase is coined, a new insult created, and for what? It used to be for expressing ourselves sure, but now? I cant help but feel embarrassed for people like shock jocks and news anchors who try to make their mark in manufactured "news" bits by irresponsibly combining words and purposefully distorting their meanings, reaching an audience of, extremely impressionable, unintelligible adults who then go and regurgitate these ear soars.

Most recently I was listening to some Moronic self righteous shock jock on a mission to generate partisan hate by fabricating truths, tiptoeing around right-out lies through the use of language. People, ones in the media especially, need to do a better job maintaining class and integrity when they are reaching large audiences. If a third grader, just learned of how to effectively use context cues, were to read or listen to what I listened to today, I am absolutely certain they wouldn't figure out a single words true meaning. They would however, gain a false understanding of many words and probably use them incorrectly for the rest of their life (anyone in Massachusetts who's on the right).

We have witnessed the power of words countless times, even I have in my short time on this earth. When fox insists on using Obama's middle name, half the country immediately thinks thinks of terrorism and in that instant they manufactured fear. When people abuse words and fuzzy-up their meanings we can no longer communicate effectively. I have seen it in school, and witnessed it on these forums. How many times has No homo, or That's what she said been uttered? I can only guess in saying thousands. These phrases don't bother me because they may be politically incorrect or offensive, but they do show the direction English is headed. I Think homebrew shares my frustration when it becomes impossible to use certain words in many combinations because the first response will now, and forever be either, that's what she said or no homo.


I know that was a nonsensical rant but, bottom line, people reaching audiences, large or small, need to be forced to maintain integrity when broadcasting. I apologize for using a political example as I would like to remain nonpartisan but it was freshest in my head.

[[THANATOS].Shiver-]

If this were Facebook, I would have hit the "like" button on this thread.

[[THANATOS].AnGeL]

i would have to say I both agree and disagree all at the same time.... it isn't the freedom of speech that is ruining it... it is society that is ruining the freedom...

i.e. lets use a less complex example....

the word FUCK

when that word was first uttered umpteen years ago... who was it that decided that it was socially unacceptable to use that word... and pronounced it foul...

now back on the examples used... i totally agree that the media is screwing up... the news should be about informing about events going on... not pushing an agenda or making money... but they have learned that they can make money by pushing an agenda and in the end "Controversy Sells" and "If It Bleeds It Leads"

The media as become so corrupt that all they tell you is what they think you need to know....

as far as the banter around here... hell this is mild compared to what i hear from soldiers on a daily basis.... i hate to tell you guys this... but in the scheme of things you guys are very pg maybe pg-13 in the workings of the world... it may be more graphic on Vent... but in the forums... no

[[THANATOS].Metal]

Movie time, Teo:

Idiocracy.

[[THANATOS].Teo]

it is society that is ruining the freedom...


i liked that, well put as depressing as that is haha

[[THANATOS].Sneye.GT]

[THANATOS Wrote:.Metal"]Movie time, Teo:

Idiocracy.

One of the funniest and scariest movies I've ever seen.

[[THANATOS].Atomic]

[THANATOS Wrote:.Teo"]it is society that is ruining the freedom...


i liked that, well put as depressing as that is haha

I agree.

[Spluff]

Take off the rose colored specs, Teo. Language (or more accurately, communication) is, at this point, no better and no worse off than it has been for eons. It has changed, yes, as it is constantly changing (and many consider change to be a bad thing, but it has always happened and always will, just like people resisting it will always exist), but it is not inherently worse.

We can look back at things like Hemingway, or Shakespeare, or even Homer and think how much better their grasp of whatever language they used at the time was, and how it was used for good and noble purposes, but the simple fact of the matter is that it is generally only the best parts of history that will be remembered in the future. Propaganda twisting and distorting the meanings of words existed back then just as it did now, and simple butchery of language no doubt existed as well.

'No homo' or even 'that's what she said' are fads, plain and simple (I'd say it was memetic but as another example of the ever-changing meanings of words, people associate meme with shitty forced jokes from 4chan, and the less said about 4chan the better), and to think that they will be around forever, let alone in 50 years is somewhat baffling - though there will no doubt be some similar lowbrow joke pop up to replace them, it's hardly indicative of the state of the English language. The existence of the internet and television has no doubt furthered the propagation of these type of things, making things like 'no homo' a lot more widespread than it would have been in the past, where it would probably be a lot more localized, but it would still definitely be there.

I'm only going to touch of freedom of speech briefly because I don't think it was at the heart of your post, as I believe the issues you raised would exist in some form even without freedom of speech, as those things are just a byproduct of the increasingly complex society we live in, just like war, homelessness, 95% of the problems in the world, though we wouldn't go back to living as cavemen if you paid us (possibly because money would also be completely useless without modern society).

I feel the main problem we are going to encounter is that our technology is so far ahead of where are as a society that it is going to really do some damage because we didn't evolve to cope with mass media like the internet or TV. Things like the real life 4chan raids (crap, I'm talking about it again) are scary as fuck when you think about it, as this is only the fledgling stage of the internet and things can only escalate from here. It means concepts that should have been stamped out as minority bullshit are allowed to propagate (a symptom of which is probably more and more of the butchery of english language you were ranting about gets out into the public instead of either dying off quickly or being localized to a small area).



(fuck being sick, you start writing something and by the end you're writing about something completely different. So in summary, I can't remember what point I was trying to make but fuck you I'm sure it was a good one)

[[THANATOS].Lionheart]

[THANATOS Wrote:.AnGeL"]as far as the banter around here... hell this is mild compared to what i hear from soldiers on a daily basis.... i hate to tell you guys this... but in the scheme of things you guys are very pg maybe pg-13 in the workings of the world... it may be more graphic on Vent... but in the forums... no

You are not lying, haha. I know we (Marines) say and do shit that would put a normal person in shock. It would probably do some damage to you guys as well.

[[THANATOS].Teo]

[THANATOS Wrote:.Spluff"]Take off the rose colored specs, Teo. Language (or more accurately, communication) is, at this point, no better and no worse off than it has been for eons. It has changed, yes, as it is constantly changing (and many consider change to be a bad thing, but it has always happened and always will, just like people resisting it will always exist), but it is not inherently worse.

We can look back at things like Hemingway, or Shakespeare, or even Homer and think how much better their grasp of whatever language they used at the time was, and how it was used for good and noble purposes, but the simple fact of the matter is that it is generally only the best parts of history that will be remembered in the future. Propaganda twisting and distorting the meanings of words existed back then just as it did now, and simple butchery of language no doubt existed as well.

'No homo' or even 'that's what she said' are fads, plain and simple (I'd say it was memetic but as another example of the ever-changing meanings of words, people associate meme with shitty forced jokes from 4chan, and the less said about 4chan the better), and to think that they will be around forever, let alone in 50 years is somewhat baffling - though there will no doubt be some similar lowbrow joke pop up to replace them, it's hardly indicative of the state of the English language. The existence of the internet and television has no doubt furthered the propagation of these type of things, making things like 'no homo' a lot more widespread than it would have been in the past, where it would probably be a lot more localized, but it would still definitely be there.

I'm only going to touch of freedom of speech briefly because I don't think it was at the heart of your post, as I believe the issues you raised would exist in some form even without freedom of speech, as those things are just a byproduct of the increasingly complex society we live in, just like war, homelessness, 95% of the problems in the world, though we wouldn't go back to living as cavemen if you paid us (possibly because money would also be completely useless without modern society).

I feel the main problem we are going to encounter is that our technology is so far ahead of where are as a society that it is going to really do some damage because we didn't evolve to cope with mass media like the internet or TV. Things like the real life 4chan raids (crap, I'm talking about it again) are scary as fuck when you think about it, as this is only the fledgling stage of the internet and things can only escalate from here. It means concepts that should have been stamped out as minority bullshit are allowed to propagate (a symptom of which is probably more and more of the butchery of english language you were ranting about gets out into the public instead of either dying off quickly or being localized to a small area).



(fuck being sick, you start writing something and by the end you're writing about something completely different. So in summary, I can't remember what point I was trying to make but fuck you I'm sure it was a good one)

sick or not, some good ideas there for sure. I do understand the unfortunate phenomena of the internets viral spreading of words. The title with the freedom of speech and all was just to be a tad ironic

[[THANATOS].-Hades]

Who the fuck cares

JFIAJIOJJIFJJF

[[THANATOS].Metal]

I dunno Spluff, they added "Bootylicious" to the dictionary a few years ago.

Thank god my browser still doesn't recognize it as a real word.

[[THANATOS].Teo]

[THANATOS Wrote:.Metal"]I dunno Spluff, they added "Bootylicious" to the dictionary a few years ago.

Thank god my browser still doesn't recognize it as a real word.

hahaha, you should see the words they added this year. staycation.... what the fuck is that, thats some cute way to tell ppl your cheapin out on a vacation. or your just looking to get killer deals down at the 7/11 all summer

[[THANATOS].Metal]

I think webster is having an identity crisis and believes it's urban dictionary.

[[THANATOS].Teo]

[THANATOS Wrote:.Metal"]I think webster is having an identity crisis and believes it's urban dictionary.

hahahaha