The post suggests that profanity is harmless because it is not as destructive as slurs or dehumanizing language. That comparison is flawed. Swearing may not carry the same moral weight as racism or bigotry, but that does not make it “good.” An act being less wrong than another does not make it right. Killing in self-defense is not celebrated as morally pure, it is tolerated as the lesser evil in a tragic circumstance. Likewise, profanity may be tolerated as less harmful than hatred, but it still coarsens language and weakens self-discipline. To hold children to a higher standard, one should avoid both the greater and the lesser corruptions of speech.
The post suggests that profanity is harmless because it is not as destructive as slurs or dehumanizing language. That comparison is flawed. Swearing may not carry the same moral weight as racism or bigotry, but that does not make it “good.” An act being less wrong than another does not make it right. Killing in self-defense is not celebrated as morally pure, it is tolerated as the lesser evil in a tragic circumstance. Likewise, profanity may be tolerated as less harmful than hatred, but it still coarsens language and weakens self-discipline. To hold children to a higher standard, one should avoid both the greater and the lesser corruptions of speech.