The Cracks in the Pillar: Profanity and the Erosion of American Civility
In the grand architecture of a functioning democracy, civility is not merely a decorative flourish; it is a load-bearing pillar. It provides the framework through which citizens and leaders navigate deep-seated disagreements without collapsing into chaos. However, in recent years, this pillar has begun to show alarming cracks, manifested most visibly in the normalization of profanity. What was once the language of the “private room” has become a staple of the public square—used not only by regular citizens in the heat of protest but, more disturbingly, by the very officials sworn to uphold the dignity of the state. While some argue that coarse language is merely an authentic expression of passion, its rise signals a deeper, more systemic decay in the social fabric.