... Hello readers of my blog. I'm writing specifically to you today, for I have a question that I need your help with.
Do you think it is the same to read a book with lots of swearing and to watch a movie with lots of swearing?
See, I'm in this book club. Our current book has some swearing, specifically the F-word. It's not on every page, but it does show up a couple times in every chapter. Definitely more than any PG-13 movie would swear.
I've never stopped reading a book because of language, but I won't watch most rated-R movies because of the language in them. I just hate hearing those words over and over again. But it has never bothered me as much to read those words.
It has occurred to me that my position might be slightly hypocritical. What do you think? Is the damage the same, regardless of whether you hear or read the word?
And if it is, does that mean we should avoid reading books with a lot of swearing in them? That rules out quite a few great works of literature. Hemingway, Steinbeck, Salinger, and O'Connor to name a few.
What is your opinion? How do you handle books/movies with a lot of swearing?
8 comments:
I like to have the same rule for both the books and tv/film. I would prefer not to have either with bad language, specifically the f-word in it at all but will live with it 2 to 3 times. If it is in it more than that, I do not like to finish it. I did however finish the book in question, but know that the language influenced my opinion of the book. I almost stopped reading it half way through because of the amount the fword was used.
Jeannie stopped reading the book. I'm still reading it, but the fact that she stopped reading it got me to thinking about this.
I hate not finishing a book but I can't tolerate bad language very well. And even though you can "skip" over it, you have to see it first to skip over it.
IMO there are some many other good, wholesome and uplifting books out there that I do not need to waste my precious reading time on a book that is not.
As for movies it's about the same for me. Why bother bringing that into my life.
Oh and one more thing...I can tolerate some words more than others because I have something to replace them with (dang, gosh, shoot) but words like the f-word...what do you replace them with?
The great works don't use the f word. I guess the degree of the language matters. It is harder for me to ignore it when I read it.
it is a pretty personal decision.
you could always cross them all out. But, that's almost the same as saying you don't watch rated R movies in them because of Sex/nudity, but then read books with Sex in them. (you know those nasty romance novels)
I'd ask yourself a few questions: Does it affect you negatively? Do you get it stuck in your head or cross your mind more? Are the moral lessons you are learning from the book greater than the moral harm by the language?
I think it's the same. I can't stand a lot of swearing. I won't watch movies with a lot of swearing or read books with it.
I too read the book and kept reading it cause i wanted to know the end. I feel that the bad words/scenes run thru my head more with a book. a movie i forget about. i don't know why. my conscience usually dictates whether or not i should have read it. that is, whether Paden can read it or not.
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