A picture is worth a thousand words. However, words can paint a picture.
Jan 08 '01
You can't run from me Kim …
It's just us, nobody else!
You're only making this harder on yourself.
Ha! Ha! Got'cha!
(Ahh!)
Ha! Go ahead yell!
Here I'll scream with you!
AH SOMEBODY HELP!
Don't you get it bi*ch?
No one can hear you …
Now shut the f**k up and get what's comin’ to you.
You were supposed to love me.
{*Kim choking*}
NOW BLEED! BI*CH BLEED!
BLEED! BI*CH BLEED! BLEED!
- Excerpt from “Kim” released on the Marshal Mathers LP by the artist known as Eminem.
Imagine a world in which there is no “adult” language. There are no 7 words that you can’t say on TV. The only 4-letter word you know to convey a strong negative emotion is “rats”. The middle finger is simply another ring finger … pointing it at the sky alone doesn’t have any implications. A perfect utopia … or dismal, communistic society? Maybe a bit of both.
Before we get to far this editorial let me mention that I am an American and firmly believe in our constitution. The 1st amendment that we have allows, no matter how much it may bug you, anyone to say almost anything they care to. This includes Eminem, Snoop Dogg, (The late) Bob Marley, The Pope, Marilyn Manson and Jesse Jackson. I would fight to defend my worst enemy’s right to say that which I am opposed to most.
Now you can see my stance. No matter how inappropriate a song may be … no matter how sick a person may be mentally, I would not take away his right to say what he must. Does this mean that I think 12-year-old kids should be listening to the Marshall Mathers LP? No … but did you know it is illegal not to sell the album to them? That’s right. (In the state of Ohio at least) it is completely against the rule of law not to sell and Eminem CD to an 8 year old. A parental warning is just that … and not set in stone. What does this mean for our society?
First let’s take a look at words. Any word can be harmless … any word can be innocent. It is the order they are placed into a sentence that dictates their meaning. Take the following two lines, both of which include profanity.
It made me feel like sh*t not to be able to help that starving man.
Implies that the person felt a deep and sincere emotion towards a fellow human. This person wanted desperately to help someone in need, and couldn’t. The word “sh*t” was used in order to further the emotion of the sentence.
I took a sh*t on that starving man.
You get the picture. Completely different meaning.
Bad words … good people, or the other way around?
Want to know why certain words are deemed “bad” by our society? To maintain the true evil a given word carries with it. Case in point:
John used the F word once in at least every 2 sentences he speaks in everyday conversation. One day he was sitting in his office screaming his choice word and nbody paid attention. In fact, he was being attacked by man-eating hamsters and wanted help. Unfortunately he used the word so many times that it had lost its meaning. Think about him as the “crying wolves” curser.
Joe never says even the word “crap”. He feels that bad language is a habit that he wants no part of. When he does use it, however, everyone in the room turns to look. He carries much more power with his words.
They loose meaning … so what?
The late “Easy E” was once asked “Why you curse so much in your records?” His reply, “To get my point ‘cross fool” … but the truth is … it didn’t. He swore so much in his albums that by the 3rd track you wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow to the use of the word “fu*k” much less the rest of his trademark expressions. Want to maintain integrity as an artist. Keep your swearing to a minimum. Far and in-between. It will pack more punch when you do use it.
Conclusion about swearing: It packs an added punch into music, but often I feel artists either leave cursing out or wear it out. Find a good middle … a rational middle.
Now on to the big problem …
A kid shoots up a school and he had headphones on the whole time. In his CD player was the release “Strait Outta Compton” by NWA. Immediately people point their fingers at the artists. They write editorials about kids and the impact music had on their lives. They say it must have been the video games or violence on TV. Until recently, I was like most people my age. “Lyrics can’t effect me”… and they can’t. But they can effect others.
If Sam just got out of a mental hospital (in for extreme moments of anger mind you) and pops in the song “Kim” (sample of lyrics above), most likely it would effect him in some way. I also think that little kids may read more into music than they should, gaining ideas and gradually desensitizing.
My points are …
1. There is nothing we can do about any of this without giving up certain rights… are you ready for that? Do you want to give up a little free speech for “cleaner” music coming out of speakers across America? I sure don’t.
2. The more you swear, the less punch it packs. Remember only a few years ago when “sucks” and “crap” where considered “to hot for TV”? As a society we have built up our tolerance towards certain words and fraises over the years.
3. There is a difference between “Adult” language and bad language. I think I explained this pretty well above.
Lastly…
I want to hear what you have to say about all this. Do you think that we should give up some of our rights in order to protect young ears? Do you believe that words are only what we make of them? Leave a comment … share your ideas.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
ericgreene
|
|
Member: Eric Greene
Location: bowling green, ohio
Reviews written: 116
Trusted by: 58 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.