Swearing?

[EverlastingMan]

Undoubtedly it is not immoral, but should it be respected merely on the basis of it status as a harmless social taboo?

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Undoubtedly it is not immoral, but should it be respected merely on the basis of it status as a harmless social taboo?

Why exactly is it immoral?

 

[Cerberus~]

Why exactly is it immoral?

Reread his post, and you're gonna feel real silly.

 

[Dainichi]

Why exactly is it immoral?

immoral

adjective

1. Morally objectionable: bad, black, evil, iniquitous, peccant, reprobate, sinful, vicious, wicked, wrong. See right/wrong.

And to the op I say this. Words are words and the only thing that really matters is the intent of the speaker.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Reread his post, and you're gonna feel real silly.

Wow, I'm blind today. Well that's not a fun argument. *Leaves thread to find other action*

 

[The Seeker]

Undoubtedly it is not immoral, but should it be respected merely on the basis of it status as a harmless social taboo?

I try not to swear in front of people who it might offend (unless I'm trying to offend them ) but to be honest, I'm probably one of the most foul mouthed people you're ever likely to meet IRL. I don't know why, I just seem to swear rather too much, unless I specifically keep in mind not to.

 

[Caylin]

When I'm in a decent mood, I don't swear too much. When I'm mad I can sound like a sailor.

 

[Ampoliros]

Eh, I swear when I do. I don't think anyone's ever been injured from swearing alone, so its relatively harmless.

 

[Rygel]

If I swear an oath, is that immoral?

 

[EverlastingMan]

No I dont think anyone said it was either. The question is whether the social taboo should be restricted as it does no harm and may in fact benefit the induvidual.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

No I dont think anyone said it was either. The question is whether the social taboo should be restricted as it does no harm and may in fact benefit the induvidual.

It's really only a socil taboo to some people. It isn't restricted anywhere in my life, except for this forum. It's really the stupidest thing in the world for me. It's like a vicious circle. The words are taboo because the government censors them on television and the radio, and they are censored because they are taboo. If people stoped making a big deal about the words, guess what, they wouldn't be bad words anymore.

 

[revrobor]

Profanity is a sign that one does not know enough about his native language to be able to use it properly to make himself understood.

 

[The Seeker]

Profanity is a sign that one does not know enough about his native language to be able to use it properly to make himself understood.

Or possibly a way of adding emphasis to particular parts of a sentence? Or expressing frustration in a succint and reasonably satifying manner?

 

[EverlastingMan]

It's really only a socil taboo to some people. It isn't restricted anywhere in my life, except for this forum. It's really the stupidest thing in the world for me. It's like a vicious circle. The words are taboo because the government censors them on television and the radio, and they are censored because they are taboo. If people stoped making a big deal about the words, guess what, they wouldn't be bad words anymore.

But you provide no reason that we should not respect it. If we did respect the taboo then we would most likely benefit. Like Revrobor said it generally demonstrates ignorance of ones language there is almost always a better word or phrase than whatever cussword you use; furthermore, it builds one self control, because obviously it takes more of a will to not cuss then it does to cuss.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Profanity is a sign that one does not know enough about his native language to be able to use it properly to make himself understood.

I'd beg to differ. I have a huge vocabulary and I swear quite a lot. Swear words have their place and convey emotions better than most words. If I'm angry, the F word conveys meaning and emotion much better than simply saying, "Gee, I'm quite angry right now," or any other words nice words you can put together.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

But you provide no reason that we should not respect it. If we did respect the taboo then we would most likely benefit. Like Revrobor said it generally demonstrates ignorance of ones language there is almost always a better word or phrase than whatever cussword you use; furthermore, it builds one self control, because obviously it takes more of a will to not cuss then it does to cuss.

Well Revbob is in no position to make such comments about language. It is simply his opinion.

How exactly would we benefit? I do not think there are always better words or phrases to use than other swear words. Where does that idea even come from? Words are simply words, they don't have values set to them. As for it taking more will to not cuss then to cuss, you may continue doing so. I do not use my expression through words as an excercise to control my will.

 

[psychedelicist]

But you provide no reason that we should not respect it. If we did respect the taboo then we would most likely benefit. Like Revrobor said it generally demonstrates ignorance of ones language there is almost always a better word or phrase than whatever cussword you use; furthermore, it builds one self control, because obviously it takes more of a will to not cuss then it does to cuss.

Alright so lets all agree to speak in proper, old english, so that we all know we're not ignorant of the language.

Languages change, speaking today is much different than it was a hundred years ago. Doubtful we are very un-ignorant in the ways of one of our mother languages, latin. But latin doesn't apply to todays culture, no one speaks it any longer.

The same way, more people are using simpler languages, and while it may mean they are ignorant of 'traditional' english, well, we don't need to be as informed about it, since less people are speaking it nowadays.

I also see no reason to respect taboos of cultures I don't belong to. And I sure don't fit into the mainstream american culture, so I don't care much about it's taboos on words, especially if it's a word I like to say a lot, like swearing.

 

[EverlastingMan]

Alright so lets all agree to speak in proper, old english, so that we all know we're not ignorant of the language.

Languages change, speaking today is much different than it was a hundred years ago. Doubtful we are very un-ignorant in the ways of one of our mother languages, latin. But latin doesn't apply to todays culture, no one speaks it any longer.

The same way, more people are using simpler languages, and while it may mean they are ignorant of 'traditional' english, well, we don't need to be as informed about it, since less people are speaking it nowadays.

I also see no reason to respect taboos of cultures I don't belong to. And I sure don't fit into the mainstream american culture, so I don't care much about it's taboos on words, especially if it's a word I like to say a lot, like swearing.

Your coments on laguage are a gross exageration of what I am saying.
You may say words have novalue and one is as good as another but obviously, though this I supoose is an exaggeration, they do or else we wouls string them together in whatever man we saw fit. Also some words descriptive power is far greater than others, for instance I could say that your post had made me angry or I could say that your post indigdant, in this case indigdant would be by far the better word it more clearly and consicely demonstrates my feelings than simply saying I am angry. Some of you have even said that swear words are better words for describing your emotion, then go onto say one word is as good as another. Well if you are right on your first point than you have disproved your second and if you are right on your second than you have disproved your first.

Respect is more than just what you want I may not want to respect you or your post at the moment I may want to tell you that I think you are a dirty rotten base liar and thief, again I dont, but as a matter of respect I refrain. Our whole society is based on respect, if I have no respect for life than I may kill as I please, if I have no respect for your opinion than I may insist stupidly in my own, if I do not respect government than I will not abide by its laws, if I do not respect you than I can lie to you steal from you, and kill you if it please me.

 

[Electric Sceptic]

Profanity is a sign that one does not know enough about his native language to be able to use it properly to make himself understood.

Completely unsupported nonsense.

 

[Electric Sceptic]

But you provide no reason that we should not respect it.

You provide no reason we should/

If we did respect the taboo then we would most likely benefit.

No, we wouldn't.

Like Revrobor said it generally demonstrates ignorance of ones language there is almost always a better word or phrase than whatever cussword you use;

That's rubbish, sorry. You can't provide any support at all for this (quite common) claim.

furthermore, it builds one self control, because obviously it takes more of a will to not cuss then it does to cuss.

So what? It would build self control if everyone decided never to eat ice cream, too. Should we do so for that reason?