People Who Get Pissed Off About "Curse" Words

[Greenday]

One of my friends from school has a mouth that would put a drill sergeant to shame. She's taught me some neat stuff. But some people don't like her because she speaks her mind and doesn't shy away from cursing. I mean, a lot of the time, the useage isn't even in an offensive way. But people freak out like it's so horrible. It's just words.

[BroomJockey]

Probably why is most people feel that any use of "curse words" is offensive. It's not the context, it's the word itself. They're so fixated on "don't use 'bitch', or "don't say 'fucking'" that they completely miss the content of the sentence. These are often the same people who don't grasp the notion that the feelings behind a word are usually more powerful than the word itself. After all, in the hands of an inventive individual, skilled with either sentence construction or tone of voice, any word can be an invective.

Personally, I go more for the meaning of what the person was trying to say, and think people who get upset when someone says "That was fucking nuts" moreso than "That was a stupid, crazy thing to do" need to re-evaluate their standards of communication.

Taking a page from an actual CS thread from ages ago (apologies to JuniorMintz for taking this), JAM mentioned a sucky customer didn't want an "Oriental" to be his doctor. And then the entire thread devolved in to a debate about whether "Oriental" was derogatory or not. JAM had clearly demonstrated the buttmunchery of the customer, and indicated that the man was obviously dismissing the doctor based on race. It's the context. It wouldn't matter if the guy had said "Asian," or substituted his favourite epithet of choice. He was still being insulting.

Sorry about people dismissing your friend just due to word choice.

[protege]

I admit, I have a colorful vocabulary at times. Anyone who has read my LJ (or been in my garage ) knows what I mean. I don't go around cursing like a sailor though--there's a time and a place for it. I also think that although I'm a bit creative (the phrase "twinkle-toed fuck pixie" comes to mind), to constantly use the words...tends to lessen their impact. But, one think I *don't* do, is curse in front of kids. Again, that whole "time and place" thing.

I'm sure that some people will bitch that I do that at times. I could see their point if it was being done constantly. However, there are times that no other word will suffice

[Rapscallion]

A society is made up of its rules. A looser set of societal boundaries is a looser society - when word usage is tightly bound you have a tightly bound socity.

Even classes within society or a nation define themselves through language - some, such as the elite, do so knowingly, and the scum (think chavs) do so unwittingly.

I tend to the view that I'll curse from time to time, but using obscenity as punctuation just waters it down to the point of irrelevance when I really need to curse.

Rapscallion

[Greenday]

That's the funny thing, I've never seen this specific friend REALLY curse someone out. The closest I've seen to her cursing someone out is saying to them, "See you next Tuesday." I'm curious as to who will get it first.

[BroomJockey]

"See you next Tuesday." I'm curious as to who will get it first.

As that's been on CS multiple times, I think we all know that one.

[Greenday]

Really? I never noticed it there. I guess now that I haven't worked in real customer service for a couple years I've been paying more attention to the off-topic forums and such and not the main section.

[Cats]

I swear horribly in places where I can get away with it, but I watch my language at work (well, in front of customers anyway) and in front of my family, simply out of respect.

I'm mixed on it. On the one hand, yes, the meaning is more important than the word itself. On the other hand, do we REALLY need to utter a curse word every 3 seconds in a sentence? It kind of annoys me when I end up doing it. I have no idea why I even do. The brain filter just comes completely off when it doesn't NEED to be on.

One thing that bugs me though, is that someone who is pissed feels the need to say "fuck" every other word. The emphasis goes from helpful to annoying very quickly. It's like, I get it, okay? And it doesn't necessarily need to be a curse word either, I'd be equally annoyed if someone constantly said "Narf" or "Zort" instead.

And to be honest, I have NEVER understood why "See you next Tuesday" is THE most offensive word to a lot of people. I admit personally I think it just sounds, well, weird I guess is the word I'm looking for. I just don't get why it's considered so much more offensive than other words that are meant to offend.

And another thing...when it comes to TV shows and whatnot, the only swears that tend to be censored are shit and fuck. But yet, they're 2 things that who's literal meaning is something that is natural to humankind on a frequent basis! What gives man?

[the_std]

One thing that bugs me though, is that someone who is pissed feels the need to say "fuck" every other word. The emphasis goes from helpful to annoying very quickly. It's like, I get it, okay? And it doesn't necessarily need to be a curse word either, I'd be equally annoyed if someone constantly said "Narf" or "Zort" instead.

They do this as a sort of brain pause. It gives these people a chance to think of what they actually want to say without breaking the flow of conversation. It's the same as people who, like, say like every other, like, word, y'know?

And to be honest, I have NEVER understood why "See you next Tuesday" is THE most offensive word to a lot of people. I admit personally I think it just sounds, well, weird I guess is the word I'm looking for. I just don't get why it's considered so much more offensive than other words that are meant to offend.

This is actually because of the way the word itself sounds. Words like "cunt", "fuck", "cock" and such are short, blunt words that end in abrupt sounds. This tends to interrupt our train of thought and make us notice them. Such interruptions are generally translated as rude by our brains because it means we actually have to stop thinking. It's just one of those weird language things.

[blas87]

I tend to get a lot of flack because of speaking my mind in general. Cursing or not cursing. Because I don't sugarcoat.

We've gotten several verbal warnings at work about swearing.....it's not like we work at Wal-Mart or the grocery store. It's a fucking factory. Everyone swears.

[guywithashovel]

"Curse" words are precisely what they are: words. They are words that crept into our language, and, over time, people decided that they were offensive. They have only as much power as we give to them.

From my experience, the people who get vocally offended by swearing are usually very self-righteous and sanctimonious. Plus, they are usually far from model citizens themselves. Many of them have no qualms about being unnecessarily rude to people on a regular basis, speading malicious gossip about other people, ridiculing people, etc. But all because they (supposedly) don't say cuss words, and get preachy when people do say them, they are the shining beacons of morality in a world sick with corruption.

In short, they are usually a lot like those "nice guys" that were discussed in a Fratching thread a few months ago.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

As far as I'm concerned, actions are more important then words. So say fuck all the fucking time, I don't care.

But actually being an asshole to people for no reason, if you're cursing or not, is the real rude thing to do.

[Flyndaran]

I can't help but feel that the swearers are patting themselves on the backs for their ingenuity.
Words are not just words as most people mean it.
Language is the primary means by which we interact with eachother. As such it has a real physiological effect on us.
To many, certain words are just as effective as physical assaults.

I'ld bet that most here would not feel the same about ethnic slurs. They are just words right?

[Greenday]

I'ld bet that most here would not feel the same about ethnic slurs. They are just words right?

As I mentioned, I think how you use the words makes the difference. There's a difference between stubbing your toe and saying, "Fuck, that hurt!" and "Fuck you bitch." The former isn't being used in an offensive manner and the latter is. Most ethnic slurs are used to put people down. That's why most people find them wrong.

[Flyndaran]

As I mentioned, I think how you use the words makes the difference. There's a difference between stubbing your toe and saying, "Fuck, that hurt!" and "Fuck you bitch." The former isn't being used in an offensive manner and the latter is. Most ethnic slurs are used to put people down. That's why most people find them wrong.

But what if they used it lovingly?
You might say that they are defined by their usual use. Most people use swears to insult people or objects.
Either way, we don't get to decide what others find offensive. We just have to be considerate of others, unless we feel thier views hurt others.