Walking down the streets of Hong Kong, it is not uncommon to overhear people’s conversation. However, it is extremely annoying that the one behind you is swearing non-stop, with each sentence compacted with foul language. Fortunately, seldom are the words of obscenity heard on our compass. There is definitely room for improvement, but first of all, why would many of them opt for using foul language but not decent words when all youngsters have received education for years, from which they should have learned about what manners and moral values are? And what measures can be taken to improve the situation? Regarding these, I have thought of some.
To begin with, some people perceive that swearing is a proof of their close relationship. In fact, most people are able to exhibit proper manners and speak decently when they are conversing with the ones that they are not close to. However, while chitchatting with friends, those barbaric words are poured from their mouths, making their conversation more ‘vivid’ and kind of hilarious. Moreover, to teenagers, their peers are a very influential factor shaping their habits and the values that they uphold. When one member of a squad tends to resort to using foul language to add ‘colours’ to his descriptions, the rest are more likely to follow suit. The old Chinese proverb ‘being reddened when we are near the vermilion, and being blackened when we are close to the ink’ would best describe the situation. Therefore, people are inclined to speak foul language among their peers who have possessed this habit already.
Besides the peer effect, adolescents have a mistaken notion that the use of foul language or swear words can show that they are nearly adults. For this point, the adults should partly be blamed as they are setting a wrong role model for teenagers to follow. Pieces of news of people shouting obscenities at each other on public occasions are common scenes of our cityscape, which somehow ‘justifies’ the use of the inappropriate language. For the moderate cases, like talking to friends with foul language may seem cool for some youngsters and they reckon that the use of it is a sign of maturity. The failure of the elders of our society of inculcating the next generation with proper manners causes the wrongly adopted idea, thus making people less opposed to foul language.
Facing the dire situation like this, both adults and teenagers ourselves should do something.
For the adults, education from the government is needed to raise their awareness of being the role models for the next generations. The idea that adults have the capability to exert great influence on teenagers should be ignited in their hearts by the government advertising its importance or making use of some slogans. This can remind the more experienced and mature folks of our society that they should not belittle their role of educating youngsters about the right, decent and polite behaviors and they should have a better control on their wordings— expressing their discontent without crossing the red line. To be concise, the government should take a step further to curb the swearing culture. No one wants our society to be full of obscene words, right?
Then, for the teenagers like us, the school can also step up its efforts to prevent the undesirable atmosphere from further permeating in the campus by teaching us the meaning of foul language and the proper way to deal with annoyance or sudden stress. One of my classmates is very lovely that she swears without noticing it. Asked about the issue, she said she didn’t know the meaning and even that the word is regarded as a swear word. Should we point our fingers at her innocence? Maybe, but it is a real and solid proof that we have the need to learn about foul language so as to avoid it, and not to use it. From my understanding, foul language consists of words describing our genital parts and sex. Although sex should be a taboo in a civilized city, the nature of those words is obscene and profane. Under no circumstances should we allow ourselves to say these improper words. Together with the education from the school, like introducing the language and the correct ways of venting our anger in class teacher lessons or assemblies, we can nip the issue in its bud.
Maybe some of us may think that foul language is a distinctive part of our mother tongue, but we had better never use it or at least, keep it in paper instead of saying it, especially in our school, where love and kindness is our motto. Only through everyone’s efforts can a better society and a better learning environment be woven. Agree, Carmelians?
Carlos Cheung Chun
5C 2017-18