The late Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's oft quoted ambiguous remark on obscenity "I know it when I see it", is just as relevant today as when he uttered it.  That quote had to do with a 1964 case (Jacobellis v. Ohio) involving what was deemed a hard core pornographic film.  Of course, those of Stewart's generation wrestled with the appropriateness of sexual deviancy, lewdness, and debauchery in the public square. We still wrestle with those same issues today but less so.  Primarily due to the shifting definition of obscenity and what constitutes "community standards", we as a country have removed the obscene from sexuality and have attached it to other things.  But the word itself has seemed to lose its punch.  It is probably used too much to too little effect.  A string of profanities just doesn't have the same shock value it used to have.  Writers incorporate them into their writing more because society utters them more, although I recently reviewed a book, Welcome To Fred, that contained nary a profanity within its covers.  The author's wonderful storytelling did not suffer a bit without the inclusion of such. But "obscenity" is a word that needs to be reclaimed.  There are still things in this life I read or hear about and encounter that are emotionally and physically nauseating, repugnant, and despicable.  Added to my working definition of "obscene" are the words "morally objectionable", "highly distasteful", and "repulsive". I find my definition of obscene works as well as anyone else's.  What I deem obscene in 2012 includes but is not limited to these topics:

Money in politics:  In a recent Rolling Stone article by Matt Taibbi, the word obscene was found no less than 3 times in a piece about GOP hopeful Rick Perry.  It's usage in each occasion dealing with the corrupting influence of money in political campaigns specifically zeroing in on the gaffe prone Texas governor.  And running for office has never been so profitable.  Candidates routinely pay themselves a salary out of campaign funds.  They run for president not to win, but to use their prospective campaigns to sell books, videos, and audition for a pundit's spot on a certain news network that purports to be fair and balanced.  It has been reported that Newt Gingrich charged his own campaign $42,000 to use his personal rolodex of potential donors.  Now that's obscene.

Money in sports:  Where to begin?  The recent NBA strike centered on a disagreement between the multimillionaire players and the billionaire team owners on how they would divvy up the gazillions of annual revenue.  Taxpayers who often fund and pay for the venues where the games are played weren't asked their opinion.  The "Civic" auditorium doesn't exist anymore.  XYZ Corporation bought the right to name the auditorium with the proceeds going back to those cash starved owners.  Now that's obscene.  In the past few weeks, TexasA&MUniversity has fired its head football coach and left one athletic conference and joined another.  So what, you might ask?  But all this came with a cost.  To buy out the coach's contract and leave the Big 12 conference cost an outrageous 19 million dollars!  I love college football as much as the next guy, but the top priority at our nation's top universities is not education and it should be.  19 million dollars would provide money for a lot of scholarships to financially strapped students.  Head football coaches routinely make many times over the salaries of university presidents.  And Texas A&M being a state university will gladly allow the taxpayers to pick up the tab for their folly.  Now that's obscene.  The alleged cover up of sex crimes committed by former assistant Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky had very little to do with sheltering the university and legendary head coach Joe Paterno from adverse publicity.  It had a lot to do with money – the money that the illustrious football program brought in to PennState and the surrounding community.  With its reputation tarnished (Note to Sandusky: When being arrested, please remove your PennState jacket.  The visual imagery does no favor to the university.), less money will make its way to university coffers.  When people say it's not about the money, it's not true.  It's always about the money.

Donald Trump:  Being a real estate mogul has never been enough for Mr. Trump.  Building opulent casinos, office towers, and luxury condominiums can get a little boring.  He brags about working 16 hour days, but 14 of those hours are spent in front of a TV camera or on the air of some radio talk show.  Good work if you can get it.  Lately when he's not involved with the birther conspiracy movement (these folks don't believe the current White House occupant was born in this country), he has taken it upon himself to be the de facto vetter of GOP presidential candidates.  He takes them out for dinner and sizes them up for their potential to be president of these United States.  He thought so little of Sarah Palin, that he invited her to have pizza on a paper plate. No need to decide people, his eminence will decide who your nominee will be.  Trump has nixed the idea of running for the job himself.  No, the title of POTUS is too constraining for a man like Donald Trump.  Now that's obscene.

Awards Shows:  Most awards shows are travesties really.   They are little more than three hour orgies of the untalented paying homage to themselves and the other untalented, undeserving bands, actors, whatever that makeup their respective industries.  Mediocrity breeds mediocrity.  Bad awards shows breed the impression that not only is excellence not desired, but it had no place at any of those star studded tables in the first place. Occasionally a lifetime achievement award is given out to some truly deserving "legend" that is given a perfunctory acknowledgement of his or her contributions and then summarily dismissed. Thanks for your service old timer. Get off the stage and don't stand in the way of progress.  Now that's obscene.

Reality Shows:  Most reality shows have no basis in reality.  They are staged attempts at creating controversy, intrigue, cheap thrills, slapstick, and drama.  These shows are a lot cheaper to produce than fictional dramas and comedies.  Also Joe Smo is a lot easier to deal with than Charlie Sheen.  Some have catchy titles like Pawn Stars.  If you changed a couple of letters, you would have Porn Stars.  And while Pawn Stars shares historical information about various products offered up to the pawn shop, there is also an element of humiliation heaped upon the would be sellers whose asking price for family heirlooms and assorted paraphernalia is simply unrealistic.  Humiliation also is an element in certain kinds of porn.  Go figure.  And while some of the competitive reality shows drive contestants to excellence, most of this television programming drives people into the gutter.  Now that's obscene.

Big dogs in sweaters:  I don't know why this is obscene.  It just is, ok?  I have no logical, rational explanation; just a strong visceral dislike of the imagery. Also throw in Chihuahuas dressed in festive holiday outfits.  Now that's obscene.

Will I find some of these things less obscene in 2013? Perhaps.  Donald Trump's antics?  Not likely.  Big dogs in sweaters?  Never.