Comments on: Profanity Without Using Curse Words

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:52:41 +0000

I suppose that I can see your point about it being a slippery slope to a legalistic life in which you punish yourself. However, that’s definitely not what I want. I understand that there is some need for catharsis, but I wanted to address any of the root causes of profanity. People might argue with me here, but I think that there are healthier ways to deal with anger, bitterness, frustration, etc than with cursing. Granted, there are lots of worse ways. But I definitely don’t want to be exceptionally hard on myself “to an absurd extent” so I appreciate your comment!

Hm I’m still not sure if I agree with the swear words with kids, but that’s fine because I’m sure that we don’t have to agree on everything. It’s interesting to see what other people think, though. I wouldn’t want a whole bunch of people always just telling me that I was completely spot-on for everything!

By: Jill/Twipply Skwood

Jill/Twipply Skwood — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:04:50 +0000

On the slippery slope - I think if you start berating yourself for things you haven’t even actually done…well…I dunno that seems like a slippery slope to me. I just think you have some off moments now & then and you have to give yourself a break sometimes if the stuff you can’t be perfect about isn’t that terrible to begin with and what’s more you haven’t even done it, but only have done it in spirit. (shrug shrug) It seems like you could end up being hard on yourself to an absurd extent if you weren’t careful and from there it would be easy to give up, there being almost no way to be a decent human being in your own eyes.

I don’t consider myself promoting my kids to use swear words or encouraging it. I just tell them that they can. I just think they do or they don’t. And if they do they are most certainly only using the swear words at what I feel like are appropriate times (ie not at school, not in a religious setting, not around adults, etc.). If they do (and I sort of doubt my kids are - I once asked 10 year old if he knew “a swear word that started with the letter “f” and he couldn’t even LOOK at me, much less admit to knowing the word! I told him, “It’s okay if you KNOW the word. I don’t really want you to USE the word, but it’s ok to KNOW it! He did finally fess up to knowing what word I was talking about) and they’re not making trouble with them, then they shouldn’t have to feel guilty about it.

By: Derek

Derek — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:36:10 +0000

Resolved to START swearing? My my that’s interesting!

Why is not cussing in spirit a slippery slope? Where does that slippery slope lead to?

Hm I’m not sure that I would encourage my children (if I ever have them) to use swear words. Kids will try to misbehave, but just like with other things I’m not sure if promoting the mischief is the answer. But to each his (or her) own, huh? Did you grow up around swear words?

By: Derek

Derek — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:30:34 +0000

I do hear swearing at work as well. I guess since I was never a consultant who had to watch my image, I can only imagine the difference that you feel now.

I enjoy sarcasm every now and again. For me it did initially start as a defense mechanism, but I think that it has softened by now. When I use it nowadays, it’s mainly because I think that it can be used for humor.

It’s so unfortunate that people resort to constant swearing. I know exactly what you’re talking about because I’ve encountered it. It’s a pity when people can’t use the extensive English language to more accurately describe what they want to say.

By: Jill/Twipply Skwood

Jill/Twipply Skwood — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:51:37 +0000

Hmmm…well I guess my new years anti-resolution to start swearing isn’t going to be popular on this thread! :-0 :-0 :-0 It’s okay though - a year and a half later and I’ve only really gotten up to “crap”! A girlfriend/another teacher asked if I could start saying “sh*t” this year and I was like, “I dunno. I’m always sort of afraid I could accidentally say it in front of the kids.” She says, “How about f*ck then?”

Joking aside though…I still don’t know. I do think profanity is ok in some circumstances and not in others. And knocking out cussing even in spirit seems like a slippery slope. I don’t cuss/use swear words and I do think the over-use (Ms.Q’s last sentence) where people don’t even know another way to speak is sad, but I don’t see any reason to deny yourself an exclamation when you need one now and again either, especially if it’s a “nice” one. I’ve always told my kids that they can use whatever swear words they know IF there are no grown ups around and IF the children they are with already know the words they’re using (basically that they’re not teaching their friends any *new* swear words).

By: Ms. Q

Ms. Q — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:21:06 +0000

“Cuss in spirit” - interesting! I do believe you’re right. I still cuss but rarely and I usually use the “darn” version. Most days I use “Dang” and I don’t think of it as swearing at all since I don’t feel it in my heart. I use “Dang” to express surprise or “Boy that’s too bad.”

What I’ve been surprised to hear is swearing at the office - both men and women! As a consultant I watched my mouth as you never know, right? But it’s been surprising and amusing to hear the word “crap” coming out of some mild-looking people. I do hear the eff word which was followed soon after with, “Whoops, sorry for my potty mouth.”

I don’t feel the urge to swear much these days. I also lost sarcasm along the way. Sarcasm is based on negativity and when you stop looking at life negatively, it’s hard to be sarcastic.

I know what you mean by not being aghast when you hear swearing - depending on the source. When I hear young men in their early 20s communicating primarily with swear words I admit to being judgmental. I think of incessant swearing as a defense for the weak and unimaginative.

I’ll hear the effin’ this and the effin’ that and he/she is an effin em-effin’ effin-effin and it just comes across as a bit ludicrous.