Ramadan’s Cursing Competition

This Ramadan has definitely outdone any other in the past. When I say that, I’m referring to the horrifying amount of foul language in most series this “Holy” month. Previous years we’ve heard vulgar language in maybe one or two shows at most, but this year it almost feels like a cursing competition.

Last year, I could not bear to watch Ghada Abdelrazek’s series from the extremely low language used as well as the nonstop ear piercing screaming! What happened this year? Is this an attempt to show society’s reality? Is this an attempt to show that we’re an open-minded community?

To me the widespread use of profanity is nothing but a mere attempt to desensitize people, to make this sort of language a kind of norm. Society isn’t entirely full of such vulgar language and showing it as such is appalling.

This sort of language isn’t only being shown in series portraying the lives of less fortunate lower class citizens. On the contrary, it’s very much present in series with upper class citizens living in gated communities.

It is appalling to watch a grandfather on a family show refer to his grandchildren using foul language. It is even more appalling that cursing in Arabic isn’t enough, but they’re also resorting to cursing in English. How can the F word be used so casually in an Egyptian TV series showing in Ramadan?

How can parents watch TV in the presence of their young ones? How can a parent trust that in the middle of the show, in the middle of a nice family gathering, no one will start cursing on TV?

Ramadan series have always been a great time for family and friends to get together. Now I’m not so sure what the purpose is.

If I may call this a phenomenon, then this is a very frightening phenomenon that will only get worse each Ramadan if people continue to accept it.

WE SAID THIS: Check out our guide for Mosalsalat Ramadan and a schedule of times and TV channels here.