Profanity's Connection with the Downward Spiral of the American Economy

"Well, Fuck."

That's the sound of the economy going down the toilet and with it, Americans' ability to vent frustration verbally -- without the use of naughty words. Usually well-behaved adults have recently resorted to an adolescent expression in everyday language preferring to replace adjectives such as "very" with the more sinister "fucking". As in, "I'm going to get into my fucking car and drive off a cliff." And more descriptive nouns from such simple things as utensils, to the more complex, have been replaced with the vulgar "shit" or "crap". Other unruly words such as the less offensive "damn" to the queen-of-all-swear-words "mother fucker" can be heard in offices, grocery lines and yes, even around kitchen tables.

Once reserved for only the most inexplicable or desperate of times, swear words are fast becoming commonplace in everyday language.

It's obvious that the current vernacular is directly connected to the dismal state of affairs in the economy. With every job lost, comes an expletive; with the New York Times stating that "...The economy has shed 1.2 million jobs since the beginning of the year (2008)," how could we not express our frustrations in heated verse?

The most depressing of cases are reported in households whose use of the once outlawed words are now cropping up. Returning to their childhood homes for what they think is going to be a nice, enjoyable meal, grown children find themselves horrified by the use of course language by once proper parents. Stay-at-home moms are getting together in book clubs and describing main characters as "jackasses" and "bitches". Educated fathers are complaining about the "shithead" that walked into his office during prep time. Elderly folk now regularly use terms such as "dingle berry" and "fuck face" when upset.

Blue-collar workers, known for their colourful language and use of rough terms, are leading the way in the (mis?) education of the country. Once thought of as the only social group with enough to fret vulgarly about, these workers have perfected the complaint. Years of under pay, cut-backs and pink slips have prepared this group of men and women to shine in this time of economic uncertainty and verbal expressionism. Office workers, geared in tailoured Brooks Brother suits and Bluetooth headsets have been seen sharing a pint down at the local pub in an effort to expand their vocab. Manicured CEO professionals are hanging around building sites to catch an earful of "shit and giggle" terminology to use in voicing their own frustrations with today's world and the unstable work environment.

With all that is on his plate as the incoming president, Obama doesn't have time to focus on the degradation of the American vocabulary. With his plans to rebuild the economy, increase jobs and thus, decrease unemployment, he hopes for a trickle down effect to take hold in our language. Otherwise, "we may all be fucked."