Garrison Keillor

When asked what he attributes the lack of obscenities in his work, GK said this (it includes one hell of a 'run-on' sentence, but I give him a pass, as he's making a point):

"My parents, of course. "Goodness gracious" was as close as my mother came to profanity. Late in life, I think she said, "Oh man." Now our daily life is studded with profanity and obscenity and the result is desensitization and immunity, it's no more shocking than dog barks, whereas the words "Goodness gracious" still has (for me) a bite to it, I can feel my mother's dismay and disbelief, which now I feel, seeing the forces of individual narcissism take arms against the idea of social responsibility and argue that the state has no right to tell you to get vaccinated or wear a mask or to drive at a safe speed or send your kids to school — those who hope to make a world in which children can be sent off to the factories to work a 16-hour day for 50 cents an hour and forget about measles shots or the purity of food and drugs. But you didn't ask me about that so forget that I said it."