You know what gets me? ... How everybody says 'fuck' and 'shit' all the time. I used to be scared shitless I'd say 'fuck' or 'shit' in public, by accident. Now everybody says 'fuck' and 'shit', 'fuck' and 'shit' all the time. Something very big must have happened while we were out of the country.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Vonnegut notes how common swear words have become, wondering what changed.
- In plain terms
- Everyone swears now, which used to be unacceptable.
- What can you take from it?
- Language norms shift significantly over time.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What changed language norms?
- Is swearing bad?
Another view
It overlooks social progress in free expression.
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