Swearing - Is It For You?

Swearing is the inability to express one's self otherwise. So what?

from JoeUser Forums
There's been a lot in the news lately about the comment from VP Cheney. This has caused me to focus on the issue of swearing, but not particularly what he said. Cheney's remark in significant only in that it was said while in session - a place considered to be a bit more genteel than his expletive.

So, what's wrong with cursing? My high school English teacher stated that swearing was merely the inability to express one's self otherwise. I tend to agree with him. On the whole, therefore, I don't swear.

We do have the famous example of not-swearing as expressed in the 10 commandments - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain. This rules out using God's name when we are swearing. So, Jesus, Jeez, God ___, and other variations of the Lord's name are strictly verboten. But... What about the 'F' Word? No bibical proscriptions there.

So much of the time we express our personal choice to not swear. Then we say Darn. Drat. Rats. Buggers. Or other similar words. This is swearing just as much as in saying the 'F' word. Only the scale is changed. Polite society generally frowns on using the stronger swear words. This seems terribly inconsistent.

However, there are times when there is no other way to express one's self clearly without a pejorative. It takes a good two or three sentences to adequately (and politely) describe someone who is an asshole. It would be so much easier just to call them the name. At times it becomes quite inconvenient to express otherwise. This is what happened with VP Cheney. His 'F' word essentially expressed these thoughts:

* You are an asshat
* You are badgering me unmercilessly
* You are incorrect in your assumptions
* Proving that you are incorrect will take too much time
* I don't like you
* I won't carry on this conversation further.

Cheney's use therefore fits under the concept of ease of use. I therefore defend his use of the terminology, even if I don't agree with the underlying statements.
philosophy
3,418 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
My high school English teacher stated that swearing was merely the inability to express one's self otherwise. I tend to agree with him. On the whole, therefore, I don't swear.


This is what I was always taught by my parents, and is one of the reasons I don't swear, as well. However, I once stated that in an email loop, and had someone tell me that I was acting as if I was smarter than people who swear. Hey, don't ask me why I don't if you don't want to know the real reason, you know?

His 'F' word essentially expressed these thoughts:

* You are an asshat
* You are badgering me unmercilessly
* You are incorrect in your assumptions
* Proving that you are incorrect will take too much time
* I don't like you
* I won't carry on this conversation further.


Then why couldn't he have just said those things, minus the first one, and not have appeared so offensive?
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Poetmom-
Perhaps calling him an asshat was so important to the statement, that he wished to include it with the conveyance of the "f-word." Additionally, there may have been the "I am utterly frustrated due to the circumstances already listed" at the end of that list. This sort of emotion tends to push us into economical use of words.

We need an Adult Content tag for "asshat" now?
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
My dad was a true sailor in every aspect. He never cursed in our presence and chastised my mother when she did. He told me the same story. It took me 30 years and being a sailor to realize that there is a time and place for cursing. It is a more efficient and direct means of getting your point across. That is the way I choose to use it.