At a recent trip to the bookstore, I was astounded by the number of titles that include the word fuck. Among the offerings were:
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
- What the Fuck Should I Make For Dinner?
- Calm the Fuck Down
- Go Fuck Yourself, I’m Colouring
and the classic, Go the Fuck to Sleep, from 2011.
When Walter, the Farting Dog came out, I thought it was quite daring. And having said this, I have to confess to dropping my own f-bombs. Under certain circumstances, they change nothing, but sometimes I feel better after a good old Anglo-Saxon curse.
Now in my more mellow years, I am trying to use better vocabulary, even when frustrated. I strive to swear less and it looks like once again, I’m missing the chance to be trendy.
Book titles with fuck abound. I read an article that suggested a book with the f-word in the title was sure to be a best seller. I think that’s a stretch but it’s likely tempting.
I realize it’s 2019 and hard to encourage kids to read in the old-fashioned way from physical books. The same bookstore (and it was a Cole’s; so few independents remain) featured an array of titles for toddlers, kids, and young adults. However, their section wasn’t featured in the same way AND the fuck books had prominent places in several displays. I’m not prudish but it did make me wonder what Mom or Dad would say, when in all innocence, a child asks, “Why does that book say fuck? That’s a bad word.”
I’m kind of with the kid. It is a bad word and if it totally loses its shock value, what will I do when I drop the ketchup and it splatters everywhere? Sacre bleu.
themildsidelinda 