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Manda Lee,
first about the network news --
I don't think it's dying. There are still enough older middle-aged people who watch TV news as a routine, as well as a minority of young people, such as me, who do so as well.
Yes, the 30-minute nightly news report with the formal, eloquent white guy in a suit is old-fashioned, but that's part of what I like about it (not that I wouldn't welcome a black or woman anchor; I would).
It is still one of the best ways to get news -- it is very condensed, gives a relatively quick summary, and some in-depth analysis, all in a short 30 minutes. Definitely worth watching.
As for cursing, I agree with you because the word, by definition, is meant to demean, offend or express anger. Such words should be used very cautiously if at all, especially around people whom the speaker does not know very well, and in formal, professional settings.
On the other hand, what Tom Wolfe calls the "f--k patois" and the "s--t patois" is used in some social settings so liberally and trivially that it is not meant to offend or demean, at least not any particular person. So the words should still be used carefully, but I don't think there's any intrinsic harm in using them among a group of people that is used to hearing them, since these patois have come to be pretty much just space fillers in some senses.
posted by
Dyl_Pickle
on March 11, 2005 at 9:23 AM
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Mandalee - I think you are right. It is so refreshing to be able to carry on a conversation with people where cursing is not introduced.
posted by
TAPS.
on March 11, 2005 at 8:46 AM
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