Are curse words really that bad?

Swearing in public, violence against others, racism/prejudice, pornography . . . why are all these things controlled/restricted by a society?

To answer this question, consider the alternative. No rules!

I am a combat-hardened, ex-recon specialist with "credentials" from Vietnam. Even at 59, I fear no man. If some guy tries to harm me (or any member of my family), I CAN and WILL deal with it . . . no hesitation . . . no limitation on my level of response, and I don't need cops to help. Are you tough enough to deal with violence that might be directed at you? I doubt it. Most writers tend to be soft. What about women? Would you like living in a society with no rape or child molestation laws? Maybe women could earn enough money in their jobs to hire bodyguards. After all, total freedom and complete lack of limitation would rule this society . . . truly a world where the strong survive.

Sounds ridiculous, huh? Especially in context of a thread asking only about profanity.

Bear with me for a moment - we live in a society that has chosen to establish rules protecting everyone against potential violence and abuse by aggressors. Those rules INCLUDE language that is harmful. Threats of violence, false accusations, impugning another's integrity, yelling "fire" in a crowded theater . . . these "wrongful acts of language" can indeed harm others and have been prohibited under our laws. In the US, our "freedom of free speech" does not allow unlimited use of language. Along the same line, many people hold strong religious or moral convictions that include deep objection to certain profane words or words of great verbal harm (racism comes to mind).

The measure of greatness for any society is how it defines and protects the interests of their minorities. In this framework of reference, protections extending to minority interests (like prohibition against using the n-word in radio and TV, preventing the most offensive profanity from being broadcast over "public" radio, or banning certain sexual scenes during child-watching prime time television). Such limitations generally apply to "public" domain where an average person doesn't have any "filter" to protect them from having their values violated accidentally. So, as a society that values ALL its members, we impose restrictions on certain language that might not offend everyone, but might offend some. Respect for the interests of minority groups (racial, sexual orientation, religious, etc.) - it is those accepted limitations that define the greatness of a society.

Embrace those rules. They make all of us better, and remember, in private, we enjoy the freedom to write anything we want!

 

I get what your saying NaCl, and I think your partially correct. But there is a huge difference between a gun to your head, and a word slung out in anger.

The point I'm making is. Words are tools, like guns, like a hammer or anything else. The rule with a hammer is thou shalt not bash in your neighbors head. But there is nothing innately wrong with the hammer, regardless of your race, sex, or religion. (unless you fall under the hammer worshipers who swear to do no steel or wood damage.)

I guess its perspective, and I say words are tools and you should use them as such, i.e. not to bash your neighbor but to get your point across. A gun is a tool you should use it as such, not to randomly kill.

Being that as it is, it takes some rules and regulations to control the tools but those rules and regulations largely fall to the use of, not the actual tool. (with some exceptions)

I.e. don't ban the word bitch, because its spelled with b-i-t-c-h. Just make sure you use it correctly. To indicate a dog of the female sex, that is within her breeding years. (as I understand a spayed dog would no longer be a bitch. (someone in the dog show circuit correct me if I'm off here) You cant just ban the word. you cant ban the hammer because someone has used it to kill.

All that being said, I don't drop "curse" words in my writing as a whole, nor do I care to see them. They tend to detract rather than improve a writing. But in the right context with the right meaning they work, but generally not when they are designed as "curse" words. There are better ways to cuss than to drop the f-bomb.

 

Is there? Words can kill just as easily as bullets.

 

If you don't need it... don't use it. The opposite can be said as well.

 

I somehow doubt that.

 

Oh no, that expletive you just used has punctured my brain, and I'm bleeding profusely from my skull...

Wait, no I'm not. Because words are not physical objects that can be propelled at speeds sufficient to obliterate flesh and/or bone.

 

Words can kill, just not directly. There was a man named Hitler once who said all Jews should die...

 

*Sighs* Everyone take a deep breath (minus wordy dirty's) and count to ten.

 

I'd be curious to know how many expletives he actually used in his public speeches, if any.

 

No, no. Words can't kill, only the one that recieves it can.

 

We have already discussed the swearing issue at some length in this thread:
**** This! How Necessary is Profanity in Writing?
The other thread is limited to iyts use in writing, which is more appropriate for this site.

I am therefore closing this thread because it's redundant, and because tempers appear to be rising here/