Teens’ profanity a sign of times

To the Times:

I don’t shock too easily, but when I was walking behind a gaggle of teenagers on the Ocean City boardwalk near the end of the summer season, the profanity being uttered rivaled that of drunken sailors on a three day pass in Singapore. These were Main Linelooking kids, well groomed and well dressed, looking like a year away from matriculating to elite New England colleges.

Look, I acquired my extensive profanity inventory by hanging out on street corners after World War II when returning vets congregated to share war stories. I was permitted to stick around as long as I kept my mouth shut and tried to look totally inconspicuous. My impoverished vocabulary played a key part in my resorting to profanity. I don’t believe, however, that a depleted vocabulary played a part in the profanity these privileged kids were uttering. Curse words seemed to complement nicely their cigarettes and vaping. Profanity made these wet-behind-the-ears youngsters appear cool.

There is a possible Ph.D. degree awaiting some social psychologist out there who will take the time to do an in-depth study behind this trend toward profanity among kids born and raised in good families. My use of profanity still sticks with me, I must admit, especially when behind the wheel of my car. Most of these kids will some day curtail the use of profanity, I hope, because they will obtain the class and dignity expected of basically good decent human beings.

Driving my young grandchildren about has elevated my emotional outbursts and has helped to suppress my impulse to hurl expletives.

Sam Alfonsi, Marple