When Words Fail Me

WARNING: Prudes and hypocrites who are allergic to swear words are advised not to read further.

The editorial in ST of June 18, 2012 titled "Swearing off the profanities" makes me want to swear. It is editorial like this that "can spark a chain of reactions that can spin out of control". Indeed!

Trying to be preachy, ST wrote, "More troubling than just the language was the student's attitude - he wanted answers to national issues from the minister rather than to be asked for his views on them. It spoke of a lack of understanding that citizens own and shape societies they live in, not government leaders or officials. Carried to extremes, this what's-in-it-for me attitude is antithetical to fostering social cohesion and consensus on the way forward on the many challenges this country faces."


The way I read it, apart from belittling Reuben Wang's lack of vocabulary prowess, ST now blames poor Reuben for being a selfish brat with a what's-in-it-for me attitude!

If "citizens own and shape societies they live in, not government leaders or officials." why the fuck is ST still harping and flogging this dead horse?

If the attitude of the 17-year-old is fooked up, the attitude of the DPM is worse!  An ex-PAP minister who lost and got lost in Aljunied GRC (George Yeo?) once said something like we cannot be "bo tua bo sway" literally meaning "no big no small". In other word, "respectful".  It does not mean that the small must respect the big!  It means respect needs to be earned, regardless of race, language, religion, age, gender and/or status. If the big and powerful behave no better than bullying scumbags, they deserve no fucking respect!

I love the attitude of Reuben. He has the guts to tell it like it is. He is so different from the majority (60%?) who are either cowered and coerced for fear of the rich and powerful. For fear of losing what's-in-it-for-them!

If ST is still having an orgasm beating up young Reuben, using him as a example to scare others from fecking off deadwood ministers, ST deserves to be fooked big time! (Oops, my words fail me!) Instead of flogging a dead horse on the 'fuck' word, I think decent Singaporeans (even those who dislike to use the fuck word) would see that the sickening behaviour of a DPM who almost always answer a question with a question in that forum was fuckin' irritating. Isn't it a no brainer to ask a question when you know the answer?

DPM: "What do you think?"
Student: "Dear Millionaire Minister, you take me for an idiot or are you one? If I know the fuckin' answer, would I be asking you?

I believe the way the DPM behaved in the Pre-U Forum is "antithetical to fostering social cohesion and consensus on the way forward on the many challenges this country faces." If Millionare Ministers of PAP continue to behave this way, it'll be the death of Singapore!

ST ends the editorial with: "Worse, profanity for its own sake can can vulgarise a community and degenerate the tone of public discussions. It could foster a cynical culture, more ready to knock down than to nurture and build. With maturity, the young may come to see that it is all a question of time, tone and place."


No Sir, vulgarity or the 'fuck' word' is not going to bring Singapore down. The following will definitely bring Singapore down:

• Rulers who do not know how to lead, 
• Leaders who take care of themselves instead of the people
• Msm that sucks up without any sense of fair play or decency
• Discontent of the people generated by ivory-towered leaders who still think that Singaporeans are daft.
• Prudes and hypocrites who make a fuckfarce out of a 'fuck' word used by a 17-year-old 

Usually, I do not use so many 'fuck' words in what I write. I guess "it is all a question of time, tone and place."

Indeed, what triggered it is my sympathy for the plight of a young man who has the gumption to tell it like it is!

Peace and strength be with him.

feedmetothefish

The menacing editorial of ST 18 June 2012 in full:


Swearing off the profanities

PROFANITY on the Web is so common these days that it has lost much of its impact. It is poor substitute for wit or a clever argument, of course, but it's a no-brainer for some bloggers when words fail them.


Consequently, swearing for effect tends to be seen in a negative light, as noted by Glen Matlock, formerly of the Sex Pistols, in a television interview: 'It's pathetic when people just swear for the sake of it.' He should know as the punk band didn't do itself any favours by spewing vulgarities for no apparent reason on the most inappropriate occasions.


What is appropriate, of course, depends on the context of a group and a verbal exchange. In working class interactions and the online chatter of the young, foul words are so routinely traded that some would consider it a way of merely building rapport.


Hence, the measured response to the expletive-filled blog post of a junior college student commenting on this year's annual Pre-U Seminar where Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean was the key speaker. The student deleted the post afterwards and apologised for his words, which an Education Ministry spokesman noted were 'rude and unbecoming'. The spokesman added: 'We hope to turn this into a teachable moment both for the student blogger and students in general.'


More troubling than just the language was the student's attitude - he wanted answers to national issues from the minister rather than to be asked for his views on them. It spoke of a lack of understanding that citizens own and shape the societies they live in, not government leaders or officials. Carried to extremes, this much lamented what's-in-it-for-me attitude is antithetical to fostering social cohesion and consensus on the way forward on the many challenges this country faces. Beyond this, the swearing incident raises questions of public manners and how public discourse should be conducted.


Even so, it would be unrealistic for language gestapos to even try to stamp out such conduct entirely. Swearing is so much a part of popular culture that it has surfaced everywhere, from acclaimed books like J. D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye to the HBO drama Deadwood. In real life, however, if the intent is to show disrespect or desecration, it can spark a chain of reactions that can spin out of control.
Worse, profanity for its own sake can vulgarise a community and degenerate the tone of public discussions. It could foster a cynical culture, more ready to knock down than to nurture and build. With maturity, the young may come to see that it is all a question of the time, tone and place.