On Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 6:31 PM, Mike Parker <[email protected]> wrote: > > The problem I have with the stigma on swearing is that people who find these > words objectionable tend to replace them with other words that aren't so > objectionable in order to get the same intent across. Nick mentioned this > already. To me, it's an absurd practice. > > Consider the case of insulting someone. If I were angry at someone and > wanted to let them know what I thought of them, I might say one of the > following: > > "You're a piece of shit!" --> unacceptable > "You're a piece of crap!" --> acceptable to many, but the intent is same > "You're a piece of poo!" --> who would object to that? > > My mother would not have scolded me had she heard me call someone a piece of > poo. She would have admonished me for using "crap", since crap sounds > dirtier to her than the cutesy poo. She would have slapped my face for > saying "shit". But in all three cases the intent is the same. If I were > wanting to insult someone, I would use the harshest word I could allow > myself to use. In my case, I have no problem saying "shit", despite my > upbringing. My mother would use "crap", because she thinks that's quite > dirty enough to get the point across. My grandmother would use "poo", but it > doesn't mean the emotion behind it is any less than mine or my mother's, or > the intent any different. > > What of the case of swearing in general, not /at/ someone? If I stub my toe, > I might exclaim, "Fuck!" Someone nearby might be offended by that. So should > I take that into consideration, check my natural reaction, and exclaim > "Ouch!" instead? I say no. This really is the listener's problem, not the > speaker's. > > There's nothing inherently wrong with any swear word. Any perceived offense > or insult behind the words themselves is a result of indoctrination by our > parents and teachers. And when you really want to insult someone, non-swear > words are no less vile than swear words. The intent behind the words is what > matters most. Getting upset over the words themselves is just plain > silliness.
Yes, to everything. Exactly. :D
