Words matter. That simple truth was at the heart of a recent reflection from Drew on The Drew Mariani Show, who noticed how quickly reverence for language has faded in modern culture. What once shocked or stopped a conversation cold has now become background noise, especially with profanity, which is everywhere from music and media to professional settings.

Drew pointed out that sacred names, once spoken with care, are now often used casually or as emotional fillers. Many brush it off as harmless or “just how people talk now.” But Drew asked a deeper question: What is this doing to us?

Drawing on insights from linguistics and psychology, he explained that profanity is not neutral. Swear words trigger the brain’s emotional center, releasing dopamine and embedding themselves deeply into memory. That’s why they feel powerful and why it’s hard to stop using them. Over time, habitual swearing can weaken self-control, lower emotional regulation, and make us quicker to anger and slower to reflect.

Drew connected this to what we see all around us: a culture that feels increasingly short-fused, reactive, and divided. Social media rewards shock, not virtue, and young people are being formed by it daily. Vulgarity, he warned, is spreading faster than wisdom.

Scripture offers a clear alternative. As St. Paul writes, “No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29) From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Recovering respect for speech isn’t about being old-fashioned. It’s about choosing words that build, bless, and reflect the dignity of the human person.

---

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.