Firstly, one has to take into consideration the current culture in Singapore. The times have changed since 20 years ago, and swearwords are no longer so frowned upon. It is common nowadays to hear primary school children saying "damn" and "shit". I am not saying that this is good, but swearwords are no longer taboo in today's society. I think people need to become less rigid and more accepting of this kind of behaviour, because it will only become more common in the future.
Secondly, the swear word was not even used in an offensive manner. "Congratulations to the graduating class of 2011. We f****ing did it!". In this case, the swear word was just used to emphasize her point, not to insult someone else. I feel that in such cases, a line needs to be drawn. A swear word used against someone else is clearly wrong, however, in this case, I do not think swearing is wrong.
That said, I also think she should have judged the moment more appropriately. The graduation ceremony is a serious occasion, and there were many teachers and parents in the crowd, who may not have felt amused by such a profanity. In a private place, when she is talking to her friends, I do not think that there is anything wrong with swearing.
In conclusion, I think that netizens should not overly critisize her, and they should also look at her achievements before judging her.
Secondly, the swear word was not even used in an offensive manner. "Congratulations to the graduating class of 2011. We f****ing did it!". In this case, the swear word was just used to emphasize her point, not to insult someone else. I feel that in such cases, a line needs to be drawn. A swear word used against someone else is clearly wrong, however, in this case, I do not think swearing is wrong.
That said, I also think she should have judged the moment more appropriately. The graduation ceremony is a serious occasion, and there were many teachers and parents in the crowd, who may not have felt amused by such a profanity. In a private place, when she is talking to her friends, I do not think that there is anything wrong with swearing.
In conclusion, I think that netizens should not overly critisize her, and they should also look at her achievements before judging her.
2 comments:
Hi Kenneth,
My point-of-view is greatly different from yours. Firstly, I do not see why she had to use a swear word to emphasise her meaning or to liven the atmosphere. Is there not any other word in the wide sea that is the English language? Why must she choose a swear word, especially in a formal occasion? There are professors and parents, mind you! It is undeniable that swear words are more accepted in today's society, but much as we have to draw a line between celebration and insults, we have to properly discern on where and when to use swear words, if any at all.
Yes, I agree that to a certain extent, swear words are somewhat acceptable in private conversations between good friends, but more severe and long-term repercussions might result from overusage of swear words, even within private conversations. Over time, people might get too used to using swear words freely, to the extent that it is of second nature to them. As seen in this incident, we might even fail to differentiate the right moments and events to use swear words.
Even though I am against your views, I felt your post was well-written and supports your point fairly well. This was until I read your conclusion. Do you mean that stellar results and a plethora of achievements mean that one can act as one wishes? Do you mean that high-fliers such as the valedictorian is spared from criticism? This is an elitist view and I am strongly against your point. Achievements do not give one the liberty to act freely without fear of consequences. So what if you are the top student? So what if your parents are billionaires? So what if you go on a month-long trip to Europe every year? One should still remain humble and not foolishly think that he (or she in this case) is immune to all criticism. Please rethink about the point you made, and hopefully you can change your mindset for the better.
Cheers,
Roystan
Hi Kenneth,
I somewhat agree with your points. After all, just look at society. From the past to present, traditional "Hokkien Kias" use vulgarity in dialects such as Hokkien to curse and swear have now turned into ordinary students who swear almost everyday! Think about it, almost every student I have met in every school has swore at least once in front of me and I can truthfully say that this trend is not only increasing in Singapore, but globally too. Therefore, as society changes, one should progress in thoughts with the flow.
I feel that your point on netizens to understand Trinetta's achievements is very valid. Usually, as the web allows more freedom of speech with anonymity, people naturally tend to speak more honestly. Yet again, sometimes they speak blindly instead of using critical thinking to understand the circumstances of the offender. In Trinetta's case, she has just graduated - a major breakthrough and achievement for many people. This was therefore an avenue to voice out her deepest feelings and excitement. I am also sure that most of these netizens have used swear words before. Sometimes, they should step into other's shoes and reflect upon themselves before truely posting up something.
Yet again, graduation is after all, a formal occasion. F*** is not exactly the best word to describe a scenario, but I believe one uses it only at the extent of having incredible, indescribable feelings. Therefore, I also disagree with Roystan's point about using different vocabulary from the sea of English words.
Kai Xiang
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