Obscenity in novels

wondrousgnat

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I do read a lot and many of the books I read are novels. Many of them are loaded with obscenities. And I have no doubt that some of what I have read I would have enjoyed if the author would have cleaned up his language. For example I read a couple of books by Vince Flynn and thought they were too long and he could have shortened his books by 50 pages by simply eliminating the F word. And I recently read one by Douglas Preston which seemed to have several swear words on every page. Why do so many novelists rely on such language? I have heard the argument that they are simply reflecting society. But what society are they talking about? I was in the army and was a blue collar worker often in bad neighborhoods and I never heard such talk.

I know that some novelists are clean (for example Mary Higgins Clark, Dean Koontz and I am reading my first Ted Dekker novel). But there are too few of them and I would like a greater variety in what I read.

Again, why do novelists use such bad language?
 

RC1970

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Modern authors feel they need to put sex, violence and rough language in their works to attract the debased thinkers of the modern world.

I usually stick with the classical authors, those from the early 20th century or before. There were many excellent authors in the 19th century for example.
 
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Al S

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What is considered excessive is different to everybody. Since not everybody shares the same views on profanity it would reason they wrote in the manner in which they see fit. Not according to how you or anyone else would have them do it, except perhaps theirs editor(s).
 
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brewmama

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What is considered excessive is different to everybody. Since not everybody shares the same views on profanity it would reason they wrote in the manner in which they see fit. Not according to how you or anyone else would have them do it, except perhaps theirs editor(s).


And yet societal standards have unquestionably deteriorated. Why jump on board with that and risk offending people?

Sigh. The same goes for movies. It's hard to believe that "The Godfather" (movie) had so little profanity in it, after seeing other mobster movies. Of course the book did have it.
 
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Al S

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And yet societal standards have unquestionably deteriorated. Why jump on board with that and risk offending people?

Sigh. The same goes for movies. It's hard to believe that "The Godfather" (movie) had so little profanity in it, after seeing other mobster movies. Of course the book did have it.
What societal standards? Who made those? Is there a standard that everybody supposed to live up to? If so who made them? What is the penalty for not following them?
 
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Mountain_Girl406

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I do think it's a bit odd to focus on profanity or obscenity in movies and books with violent themes of murder, crime, and bloodshed, as if gunning down your enemies without cursing was somewhat more moral than cursing as you did.
 
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brewmama

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What societal standards? Who made those? Is there a standard that everybody supposed to live up to? If so who made them? What is the penalty for not following them?

Uh, society.

No penalty, evidently, except for certain of us avoiding them and/or complaining about them.
 
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brewmama

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I do think it's a bit odd to focus on profanity or obscenity in movies and books with violent themes of murder, crime, and bloodshed, as if gunning down your enemies without cursing was somewhat more moral than cursing as you did.

Just making an observation, not saying murder is moral. Sheesh.
 
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Mountain_Girl406

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For example, many people were up in arms about the 50 shades books (not for their awful writing) because of the explicit description of the theme of sexual activities between consenting adults. Yet the Hunger Games books, with a far worse theme of graphic violence against children was lauded as a young adult series. Odd priorities
 
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brewmama

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For example, many people were up in arms about the 50 shades books (not for their awful writing) because of the explicit description of the theme of sexual activities between consenting adults. Yet the Hunger Games books, with a far worse theme of graphic violence against children was lauded as a young adult series. Odd priorities


It depends on how it is represented. The violence in Hunger Games (which made me not want to read them actually) is portrayed as an awful thing, and rebellion against it is the point. 50 shades of grey is (I think) as you put it, "between consenting adults", so therefore OK I guess. It's not the fact that it's there that's the problem, but what you take away from it.

Most of the profanity in books and movies in not at all necessary, but just gratuitous or for shock value, and it offends me. It also bothers me that my children (19 and 22) see nothing wrong with all that filth, since it's so prevalent, but see me and my husband as too old fashioned.
 
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brewmama

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Ok. The only standards I was aware of were laws.

How old are you? When I was growing up there actually were laws against indecency and such in movies and TV. And if not laws then standards.
 
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topcare

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I do read a lot and many of the books I read are novels. Many of them are loaded with obscenities. And I have no doubt that some of what I have read I would have enjoyed if the author would have cleaned up his language. For example I read a couple of books by Vince Flynn and thought they were too long and he could have shortened his books by 50 pages by simply eliminating the F word. And I recently read one by Douglas Preston which seemed to have several swear words on every page. Why do so many novelists rely on such language? I have heard the argument that they are simply reflecting society. But what society are they talking about? I was in the army and was a blue collar worker often in bad neighborhoods and I never heard such talk.

I know that some novelists are clean (for example Mary Higgins Clark, Dean Koontz and I am reading my first Ted Dekker novel). But there are too few of them and I would like a greater variety in what I read.

Again, why do novelists use such bad language?

Good question. I hate it when I am reading a novel than get hit with all that.
 
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