Society has had a problem with this use of language issue because many people eff and jeff in the supermarket in front of their's and other people's toddlers. I've heard people **** and **** and **** and piss off while shopping in ASDA. The FA charged JT for using foul language on the pitch regardless of context. Their standard is one where you should communicate and respond always without any foul language. It is a high ideal and universally ignored in football as well as in ordinary life. JT could not appeal because he admitted to using such language, the context wasn't considered important. For those still struggling with that concept the FA insist (except usually they don't and ignore it) that one such as JT should of responded thus : " I say old thing do you think that I had called you something untoward? For I would never do that.". Simply that, to have used simple words. Anyone who thinks it is impossible not to swear in a rage just doesn't want to. You can, you don't want to, as a people we don't want to, which is why we have foul and abusive language as part and parcel of our daily lives. If it is acceptable in the stands why should it not be on the pitch?
I can't speak for everybody, only myself. I swear. All my career I work with children and people. I don't have any swear words I consider too obscene, if I want to say it I will and have, yet I'm not a hypocrite. This is because I do not swear in front of children or at work. I have never swore while at a football match (mainly because children are there). I can moderate my language. I do it because I care, not about me but about others. Swearing is a statement about one's own self and feelings, which is why I do it anyway. Yet I'm not so selfish as to swear habitually. What would be the point of that? My constant swearing would become meaningless and convey no power of my real feelings any more. It would be a waste of good anglo-saxon. Basically I know I can not swear in the wrong place at the wrong time, and since I'm no superman I can do it I know everyone can do the same. It is an matter of choice. There are those who will claim it impossible not to control their swearing, it just happens. Pile of crap. They are anti-social, they don't care, and they'd never admit to that, who would? The only reason I can see that swearing is uncontrolled would be if you were brain damaged or in incredible pain. Basically habitual swearing is learned behaviour and, here is the thing, not swearing is also learned behaviour. We are products of our environments, yet there comes a time when we can recognise that and decide if we want to change or not. Swearing isn't considered a high enough priority by our society. It is against the law to swear in public or display swearwords on a sign in public, yet rarely prosecuted.
We aren't a naturally introspective society. We have one, mainly to help the individuals in it attain a life they never could alone. If we wish to continue that we have to respect those others in life , i.e. everyone, who contribute to that society. What we have in the UK though seems to be a majority of people who only take and moan about it when they aren't satisfied and a small amount of people who end up giving far more than they should because they believe in the ideal of having a society and not an anarchy. You may think I've wandered too far away from JT and football and this specific incident, you may think that but you couldn't be more wrong. Life is not black and white, it is shades of grey and all we do and strive for impacts on everything and everybody else. Is the consensus that we should all swear and have it mean nothing? If so why would some words be worse than others? Does it actually hurt anyone? Does it actually damage society?
I am fortunate to have a choice. I can choose to not let anything I hear bother me and I'm fortunately strong enough an individual to do so. I would ask people though to think about those in this world who have their ability to choose taken away from them.
