The Power of Swear Words.

You know, I noticed that Bad Words are Power Words. They are hated because it gives abusers unwarranted power. And that power is the power of another emotions. Its plays off our feelings and compels us to feel a certain way. Many hate to be controlled so thus they are shunned.

what

what

i agree with this guy.

But they lose effect when used repeatedly no?

You know, I noticed that Bad Words are Power Words. They are hated because it gives abusers unwarranted power. And that power is the power of another emotions. Its plays off our feelings and compels us to feel a certain way. Many hate to be controlled so thus they are shunned.

This touches on the very issue i've thought about a lot, which I find interesting. We give power to those words to play off our emotions. I had a very extroverted math teacher my freshman and sophomore years in college, and she couldn't care less about any swear word besides plum (prob going to be filtered, starts w/ a c and addresses feminine genitalia), to which she basically flipped out and would give whoever said it an F in the class for whatever reason. However, that's not because the four letters are inherently deserving of a failing grade in the class, but because she gave them that power over herself.

Then I go on to think about how some cultures find certain words more obscene than others, such as bloody in england and america.

South Park already did it

This touches on the very issue i've thought about a lot, which I find interesting. We give power to those words to play off our emotions. I had a very extroverted math teacher my freshman and sophomore years in college, and she couldn't care less about any swear word besides plum (prob going to be filtered, starts w/ a c and addresses feminine genitalia), to which she basically flipped out and would give whoever said it an F in the class for whatever reason. However, that's not because the four letters are inherently deserving of a failing grade in the class, but because she gave them that power over herself.

Then I go on to think about how some cultures find certain words more obscene than others, such as bloody in england and america.

Exactly. The same situation occurs when someone hears a word they don't like. Its how most fights get started. When someone says "F'uck you!!" its like unlocking some inner primal instinct to fight. Language is in
teresting to me...

I don't know about where you live, but around here pineapple you is thrown around more often then hello. It's never the start of any fights that I've seen.

1. Seriously? This isn't a smart discussion, this feels more like a speakeasy thread.

2. As nalek said, not being racist, but someone with the fucking name thugnificent shouldn't be offended by a curse word. I'm not saying you are offended but it's common for a thug to hear, get the pineapple over it.

On topic 3. There are certain situations where it's unnecessary and certain situations where it's common where things are laid back. The same applies to more than just cursing, it could be about clothes or behavior or more. Don't mix situations up and it's not offensive.

It's not that interesting. I wouldn't walk into a job interview with jeans and a t shirt and start cursing. I wouldn't go to my friends to a movie in a suit busting out SAT words. The people who don't know how to act are either ignorant, assholes, or retarded.

If you're not using any swear words you will be described as (octo)platypus
If you use them them people go all "trololo u mad?".
It's paradox.

according to your reasoning, that would work on a person by person basis.

I don't see any power in these words, and do not flinch when I hear them being used. Infact, I see the user usually as someone who needs to find a better way to re-tell what they were saying, unless if used in songs or movies, etc.

1. Seriously? This isn't a smart discussion, this feels more like a speakeasy thread.

2. As nalek said, not being racist, but someone with the pineappleing name thugnificent shouldn't be offended by a curse word. I'm not saying you are offended but it's common for a thug to hear, get the pineapple over it.

On topic 3. There are certain situations where it's unnecessary and certain situations where it's common where things are laid back. The same applies to more than just cursing, it could be about clothes or behavior or more. Don't mix situations up and it's not offensive.

It's not that interesting. I wouldn't walk into a job interview with jeans and a t shirt and start cursing. I wouldn't go to my friends to a movie in a suit busting out SAT words. The people who don't know how to act are either ignorant, pimentos, or retarded.

1. You fail to see the deeper meaning in this which is the power of words and language. Ive observed that (most) people let these swear words affect them.
2. I dont see how a name of a profile for a website has any thing to do with this thread but It seems like youre assuming im some sort of gang member and Im exposed to a bunch of cussing degenerates on a daily basis. For the record Thugnificent is just some fictional character from an animated tv show called The Boondocks.
3. So you do understand. These words are abused and give power to anything whether its needed or not. I dont care if its more accepted in certain places there's going to be people in those place who dont tolerate language like that.

according to your reasoning, that would work on a person by person basis.

I don't see any power in these words, and do not flinch when I hear them being used. Infact, I see the user usually as someone who needs to find a better way to re-tell what they were saying, unless if used in songs or movies, etc.

The words dont affect me at all either but seeing how some people react when hearing these words and these who use them is a prime example of basic human interaction. Emotion.

It's not that interesting. I wouldn't walk into a job interview with jeans and a t shirt and start cursing. I wouldn't go to my friends to a movie in a suit busting out SAT words. The people who don't know how to act are either ignorant, assholes, or retarded.

I guess you need to widen your perspective and get out more. There're so many layers to life, I certainly wouldn't be so arrogant as to say that each layer has a clearly identifiable or innately understood rule of how to act and speak. As mentioned above, it depends greatly on a person by person basis, as well as the culture and social standing etc etc. Maybe when you grow up a little more and experience life some you'll understand *pats on the head*.

I generally don't mind swearing. Exceptions include when swearing is used in a profusely derogatory and excessive nature, or when the intent of the words far exceed my understanding of the severity of the situation.

The words dont affect me at all either but seeing how some people react when hearing these words and these who use them is a prime example of basic human interaction. Emotion.

No one reacts to the words themselves, they react to the intended disrespect or nuanced implications of the word.
They do not get emotional because the words themselves are emotional words, but because the context of them is.

This concept is not remotely deep or novel. It's kindgergarten level sociology most people begin to understand intuitively by five or six and have mastered by eight.

a table is called a table because it was called a table, but if tomorrow everyone started calling it a spoon, the essence, the object then called table wouldn't have changed at all.

No one reacts to the words themselves, they react to the intended disrespect or nuanced implications of the word.
They do not get emotional because the words themselves are emotional words, but because the context of them is.

This is true within the confines of a single culture.
However, when people of different backgrounds converse, one might attribute more force/disrespect to any given word than the other.
Examples: political correctness (I'm not a "girl", I'm a "woman"!), religiousness (is "god damn" a really bad curse or a mild one?), and just plain vocabulary (the examples given above of people who use the 'f' word as filler even when no particular emphasis or insult is intended).

It's kindgergarten level sociology most people...have mastered by eight.

Lulz.

Lulz.

There's nothing funny about it. You specifically omitted the age I said they begin learning it.
At no point did I say eight year olds were in kindergarten. This is not Shenanigans. Do not spam.

This is true within the confines of a single culture.

You're mistaken. It remains exactly true. The fact one party is unaware of the meaning in the other culture does not change the fact it's the cultural meaning behind the word that makes it negative. It's still the context of the word, regardless of the speakers ignorance of that context, that makes it offensive to the offended party.

Just because I don't know gnorshleboggle is a deathly insult to your culture doesn't mean the implications of that word aren't what offended you by my using it.

No one reacts to the words themselves, they react to the intended disrespect or nuanced implications of the word.
They do not get emotional because the words themselves are emotional words, but because the context of them is.

This concept is not remotely deep or novel. It's kindgergarten level sociology most people begin to understand intuitively by five or six and have mastered by eight.

Even if most people have somehow become masters of social interaction it does not make this topic any less interesting. Judging by how this thread has turned out Id say I got my point across and that we are actually having an intelligent debate over the context and implication of words. So...