What makes a single word hurt more than a swift kick to the groin? Is it the harsh sound of the word alone, or is it something deeper than that? It could be the tone of the person uttering the offensive series of syllables. Maybe its context in which the word is used (i.e. Oh my god Jennifer, I can’t believe you’re going out with him; he’s such a f**!)

Going to a high school with a student population of over 3,000 is a real eye opener in terms of the brutal misuse and butchering of the English language. Words like f***, s***, and fa**** are tossed around in casual conversation without a second thought. I don’t know what caused this generation to believe these words are simple sentence enhancers, somehow adding color and nuance to any otherwise bland conversation. It’s like someone sent out a mass memo to teenagers saying: Hey! Add these simple words and phrases to your everyday language and watch your silly discussions go from mediocre to brilliant!

I admit I’m guilty of popping the occasional F-bomb into an angry rant or heated debate. What I’m saying is not that one shouldn’t use that word and others like it. What I’m asking is for people, especially teenagers, to rethink the number of times they use these words when they may not be needed. If anything, the overuse of these words just makes people sound uneducated and crass.
There’s nothing wrong with bringing back old fashioned values. Perhaps the newest fashion and pop culture trends should take a backseat to something that should never go out of style: class.