A direct response to George Carlin’s “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television”
Claudia Corrigan | Opinions and Co-Spread Editor
This past weekend I received a personal email from my English teacher asking about my reaction to a potentially offensive video we watched in class the Friday prior: George Carlin’s “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” Back in 1972, this sketch was a direct form of taboo – even today Carlin’s Seven Filthy Words are banned from television broadcast. (Its radio broadcast actually led to a Supreme Court Decision that gave the federal government the power to regulate speech on radio and television broadcast.) While attempting to read the physical reactions of his students around the room, my teacher came across my expression, which led him to believe that the repetitive dissection of Carlin’s top seven intolerable curse words had sparked my personal offense.
I cannot recall whether this video had actually produced any immediate visual disapproval, but after rewatching Carlin, I realized what my initial reaction had been: pure unamusement. I find nothing wrong with curse words – I am an avid user myself. (My friends actually tell me I am the tainter of my younger siblings’ innocence with my potty mouth.)
Curse words are the ultimate expression of instant emotion. They can relieve me from the short-term stress of scraping the hood of my car in a dip. They can ease the pain of a fingertip bitten by the edge of a match. With cuss words, any amount of comfort is possible.
However, what struck me as dull-witted in Carlin’s skit was his overuse and repetition of vile words without need for emotional/physical comfort. It’s like a child saying “pee” or “poo” without actually referencing a recent trip to the restroom. They say it just to say it. You chuckle at first because they seem to be amused with themselves, but after a millisecond the entertainment fades.
This is how I feel watching Carlin string his seven dirty words in a rhythmic manner. At first, it seems daring of him and I smile a bit at his tenacity. But after the seventh repetition of the seven sinful sayings, I realize there is absolutely no reason for his expressions. He hasn’t jammed his toe against the leg of a table or lost his $2000 on a whim in Vegas. Without any proper reasoning, his curse words are just words – they lack the emotional trigger to convey any useful meaning. If I repeated the same seven sounds for 10 minutes, you’d lose interest, too.