Language & Logic

This essay responds to the New York Times Learning Network Current Events Conversation: “How Common Are Curse Words in Your World?” on October 22, 2025. The discussion, inspired by Mark Edmundson’s essay “Why Does Everybody Swear All The Time Now?”, asks how swearing shapes everyday life and whether it still carries meaning. In my response, I explore how curse words have become so normal that they almost feel empty, and why we might need to remember how to speak with care again.

In my world, curse words are just part of everyday life. I hear them walking through the halls at school, in movies, during swim practice, and even from adults who are supposed to set an example. It’s strange how normal they have become.

When I was younger, swearing felt shocking. If someone said a bad word, people would look around to see who heard. Now no one reacts—they just keep talking as if nothing happened.
Mark Edmundson writes about how people once treated swearing as private or rare. His story about a father who only swore once in fifteen years feels almost impossible to imagine. Today, some people curse because they’re angry, but others do it just to sound cool. The words have lost their weight.

Edmundson says that obscenity loses its power when it is everywhere, and I think he’s right. When every other word is harsh or angry, language itself starts to shrink. Swearing once in a while can feel honest or even funny, but too much of it dulls everything we say.

I admit I swear sometimes too, but I try to be thoughtful about when and where. Being considerate isn’t about pretending to be perfect—it’s about knowing when something might hurt or offend someone.
Maybe we don’t need to ban curse words. We just need to remember that words have meaning, and when we use them wisely, they still have the power to surprise, connect, and express what we truly feel.