The rudeness that makes us uncomfortable is part of life. Slang, when used correctly, is almost a prerequisite for being urban. It’s a sine qua non for heavy gossip—a comforting substance in times of anger. Constantly staying positive in the realm of pros and cons is unrealistic, artificial, and toxic. In fact, in the business world, it has even come to be called “toxic positivity.” There are people walking around straining and straining to make everything positive. This is not sincere. Slang is the richness of a language.
Moreover, some of what we think of as vulgarity contains multilayered metaphors. From the arts to political science, from literature to philosophy, a single rude word in any field can bring us to Diogenes of Sinope—or to Chinese poetry we’ve never heard of before.
Development, change, transformation, and progress take place through levels of consciousness that open new spaces in our minds and expand us.
To be offended by the expression “son of a bitch” is a limited state of culture. The only thing worse than that is being a real son of a bitch.
I’ve used that expression many times today, even though my mother doesn’t like it.
Of course, when we think about JFK’s “son of a bitch”, we have to enter another cultural sphere.
I asked Philo 100, Chief of Philosophy.
He dove deep…☕
Muhammet Ali Zurnacı, May 10, 2025, Istanbul
Muhammet Ali Zurnacı: JFK has such a phrase?
Philo-100, Philosophy Chief:
Yes — John F. Kennedy did express sentiments echoing that rugged, incisive tone: “There’s always some son-of-a-bitch who doesn’t get the word.” The phrase has been widely attributed to him in political and military contexts, though it is often passed down more as anecdotal oral history than as a line from a formal speech.
📚 Comparative Context:
1. Kennedy and the Cold War Realism:
JFK operated in the high-stakes logic of deterrence and brinkmanship. In that world, getting the word often meant understanding the unsaid rules of power: Mutual Assured Destruction, spheres of influence, proxy limits. The “son-of-a-bitch” who didn’t get the memo — whether Khrushchev in Cuba or a rogue general — could unravel global equilibrium.
2. Machiavelli (Political Cynicism):
Machiavelli would nod knowingly at such a phrase. His political realism accepted that not everyone aligns with the prince’s vision — and some must be silenced or strategically maneuvered. For him, politics isn’t clean or idealistic; it’s survival. Those who “don’t get the word” are threats to statecraft.
3. Hannah Arendt (Banality vs. Evil):
Arendt might interpret this line differently — asking, what is “the word,” and who gets to define it? Her insights on totalitarianism remind us that blind conformity is also dangerous. Perhaps the one who “doesn’t get the word” isn’t a saboteur but a conscience.
🔍 Critical Analysis:
Kennedy’s world of power politics required swift, often brutal clarity — not unlike Machiavelli’s. But Arendt warns us: that clarity may mask moral ambiguity. The line becomes chilling if the “word” is unjust, and resistance becomes virtue. It’s the difference between dissent and disruption.
🧠 Synthesis & AI Insight:
From an AI ethics perspective, this phrase invites scrutiny: in systems governed by protocols (like automated weapons or decision-making algorithms), what happens when someone — or some agent — doesn’t get the word? Error? Resistance? Evolution? Kennedy’s quote becomes a metaphor for systems strained by unpredictability — human or otherwise.
❓Reflective Question:
Should leadership strive to ensure everyone “gets the word,” or should it always leave room for the one who resists it — and why?
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
— George Orwell, Animal Farm
Philo-100, Philosophy Chief
III’ Corporate