Swearing in Threads

HenryMc · April-15th-2005, 04:06 PM

I'm not against profanity and lord knows I swear enough myself but I'm interested why there is so much swearing in the Alley.

Do people get off on it?

Is it naughty (hee, hee) in a mommy might catch me kind of way?

Is it an attempt to create a "hip"persona of some kind?

Does it show a lack of vocab?

Is it arrogance as an I can swear and Im gonna its my right kinda thing?

or is it just lazy and easy and you guys actually talk like that in real life?

maybe I should have made this a poll?

Enforcer · April-15th-2005, 04:12 PM

I'm not a smart man, so I probably can't answer all your questions, Henry. But what I can tell you is that there is no word that gives me the feeling of catharsis and satisfaction that I get when I say the word f**k.

Valerie · April-15th-2005, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryMc

I'm not against profanity and lord knows I swear enough myself but I'm interested why there is so much swearing in the Alley.

Do people get off on it?

Is it naughty (hee, hee) in a mommy might catch me kind of way?

Is it an attempt to create a "hip"persona of some kind?

Does it show a lack of vocab?

Is it arrogance as an I can swear and Im gonna its my right kinda thing?

or is it just lazy and easy and you guys actually talk like that in real life?

maybe I should have made this a poll?

I, personally, think it's probably all of the above!

April-15th-2005, 04:15 PM

I think swearing in threads kicks ass!!

Gives it kind of an official feel, you know?

clinthopson · April-15th-2005, 04:42 PM

Lenny Bruce said it all.

If he didn't say it George Carlin did.

And if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

Sergio Zamora · April-15th-2005, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryMc

I'm not against profanity and lord knows I swear enough myself but I'm interested why there is so much swearing in the Alley.

Do people get off on it?

Is it naughty (hee, hee) in a mommy might catch me kind of way?

Is it an attempt to create a "hip"persona of some kind?

Does it show a lack of vocab?

Is it arrogance as an I can swear and Im gonna its my right kinda thing?

or is it just lazy and easy and you guys actually talk like that in real life?

maybe I should have made this a poll?

Given the list of options you provide, you're obviously not interested in a poll. You want to state your opinion through a thinly disguised question format .

April-15th-2005, 04:53 PM

Ouch!

Uli · April-15th-2005, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryMc

I'm not against profanity and lord knows I swear enough myself but I'm interested why there is so much swearing in the Alley.

What profanity & swearing?

Dr Dave · April-15th-2005, 04:56 PM

It is definitely my lack of fuckin' vocab.

Monte Smith · April-15th-2005, 06:09 PM

I have the best vocabulary of any current resident on Earth. But I swear, by God, because it is my right as a fucking American.

Monte Smith · April-15th-2005, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryMc

Is it arrogance as an I can swear and Im gonna its my right kinda thing?

Oh. Uh, yes.

April-15th-2005, 06:38 PM

I'm just wondering if there will have to be a seperate ceremony for each thread, or whether we can conduct a blanket swearing in.

You know, Moonie style!

crawjo · April-15th-2005, 07:51 PM

I use profanity in the Alley about as much as I would in real life. I don't do it for any specific purpose; to me they are just words like any others and I use them to convey meanings, feelings, etc.

Captain Hate · April-15th-2005, 07:59 PM

I like it that the mods let profanity go here; we're all adults even if we have potty mouths from time to time. I like to use it for effect but exclusive reliance on it is just the sign of an underdeveloped vocabulary.

Sergio Zamora · April-15th-2005, 08:03 PM

Fixed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Hate

I fucking like it that the motherfucking mods let cocksucking profanity go here; we're all motherfucking adults even if we have potty fucking mouths all the fucking time. I fucking love to use it for motherfucking effect but exclusive fucking reliance on it is just the sign of a goddam under-fucking-developed cocksucking vocabulary.

jesus marion joseph · April-15th-2005, 08:11 PM

My vocabulary is under-fucking-developed. (Or is it fucking underdeveloped?)

Captain Hate · April-15th-2005, 08:13 PM

Nobody reads between the motherfucking lines as well as SOZ.

Sergio Zamora · April-15th-2005, 08:19 PM

FWIW, I have lately been trying to curb my profanity as much as I can when I post here. I do it out of respect for some of the folks who have complained (not about me specifically, but in general). I'm not saying I'm going 100% clean because it does feel nice to swear, but I try to limit it and do it only in selected threads. I hate using the asterisks, but if I gotta then I gotta.

jesus marion joseph · April-15th-2005, 08:28 PM

Fuck the asterisks.

April-15th-2005, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

Fuck the asterisks.

Goddamn right!!!

bruce massey · April-15th-2005, 09:16 PM

I am absolutley against profanity because I don't believe in it. I find the notion to be absurd.

Good words..Baaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddd Words.

"Hey..watch out for the defication"

What...

"Your real close to some excrement"

What...SHIT! I just stepped in shit! Why didn't you tell me motherfucker!

A word paints a picture. Seems if the word is long it's acceptable. Shorten it up and it becomes bad. Vulgar is defined as common, God knows those with class don't want to be associated with the Hoi Poloi.

Fornicate-Fuck
Urinate-Piss
Deficate-Shit
Penis-Cock
Buttocks-Ass
Vagina-Cunt

What is the difference?

But SOCIETY says to use those words goes against social norms.

Hypocrisy!

Lenny lives!

At least in my mind!

GoodSpeak · April-15th-2005, 10:16 PM

I don't just swear for the hell of it.

sheesh

Dennis_M · April-15th-2005, 10:27 PM

I'm no saint when it comes to using profanity. There are times when it seems right to me.

However, unless you have a low level blue collar job, or you just happen to be a dictator of a small country, profanity will get you nowhere in the long run. You will offend too many people. To me, they are just words, but to others it's a much more serious matter. And there is ALWAYS a more effective way to get your point across. That's my fucking opinion.

bruce massey · April-15th-2005, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis_M

I'm no saint when it comes to using profanity. There are times when it seems right to me.

However, unless you have a low level blue collar job, or you just happen to be a dictator of a small country, profanity will get you nowhere in the long run. You will offend too many people. To me, they are just words, but to others it's a much more serious matter. And there is ALWAYS a more effective way to get your point across. That's my fucking opinion.

Always my ass...

Like I said...

"Hey..watch out for the defication"

What...

"Your real close to some excrement"

What...SHIT! I just stepped in shit!

Whats more effective than look out for the shit! The response needs to be quick. Any other means will lead to possible Florsheim disaster.

Even the blue-est of blue bloods would prefer the concise nature of the shit warning.

cookie · April-16th-2005, 01:17 AM

I swear like a mother****** in real life. Certainly, I know how to behave properly in public, but when I'm chillin' with my nearest and dearest, well, it's colorful. I know "ladies" aren't supposed to swear, but then again, I'm no lady, ladies.

I swear here, but probably LESS than I do in my daily analog life. I am definitely a foul-mouthed person. I'm not necessarily proud of it, but I don't fuckin' hate myself over it either.

HenryMc · April-16th-2005, 01:36 AM

Sergio said

Quote:

Given the list of options you provide, you're obviously not interested in a poll. You want to state your opinion through a thinly disguised question format .

I love this ....Sergio knows my mind! Another insufferable trait here, the presumption that people KNOW others intentions.

Actually I wanted to know why people feel it necessary to revert to profanity when most of the time it doesn't shock, isn't comedic and just serves as a short insult. Comparing the alley to Lenny Bruce is stretching it a bit you know. As I said, I swear too. In real life I use some choice expletives so im not anti swearing, just curious.

patricia · April-16th-2005, 01:42 AM

I swear seldom, though I swear more now than I have in the past. I don't think I'm angrier, or more coarse, but I do swear from time to time.
There was no prohibition to swearing when I was growing up. But, the use of the George Carlin list was seen as unimaginative and creativity in insults was encouraged. The rationale was that if you have to think about why you are angry at someone, to express it in a specific, individual way, it gives you just a little more time to think about why you are angry. I think letting fly with a string of profanity, in a non-emergency situation shows that not a lot of thought is being given to what you actually think. People listen if the angry response is personalized. A large chunk of people are so turned off by profanity, that they judge you as a boor and stop listening to what else you are saying. If you don't care about that, it's no problem. But, there is a line that shouldn't be crossed, when it comes to profanity, if you want people to consider you an intelligent person. Knowing who is listening to you, I think is key.

However, I certainly take Bruce's point. I would tend to blurt out "Watch out! You're going to step in shit!" should the occasion when such a warning were necessary. Also, come to think of it, I have been known to blow up and curse like a sailor when really vexed. Recently, I had occasion to unleash a string of profanity, because I was so angry and wanted to retaliate immediatly. I consider that a loss of control, but it was very effective.

Funny story. I was on my best behaviour, meeting my oldest daughter's in-laws, very religious folks, for the first time a while ago. Partway though their visit to her house, my daughter took me aside and asked me not to swear anymore, because I had embarrassed her. When I asked how, she said that I had said "damn" during my conversation with her mother-in-law!!! I realized then that I had never sworn, or raised my voice when Robin was growing up. As a result, when I raise my voice at all, they think I'm shouting.

Sergio Zamora · April-16th-2005, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HenryMc

Sergio said

I love this ....Sergio knows my mind! Another insufferable trait here, the presumption that people KNOW others intentions.

Actually I wanted to know why people feel it necessary to revert to profanity when most of the time it doesn't shock, isn't comedic and just serves as a short insult.

Whatever. You listed a bunch of reasons, all of which were negative. I rarely make presumptions because I know the first line of defense is denial and charges of presumption, but your disingenuousness in this case is insulting. Gimme a fucking break already. If you wanted to really know you would have left it as an open-ended question. If you were really curious, you would have tried to engage your audience. Your list of negative reasons implies you don't want to know shit, and from there on I inferred (not by reading your mind, but by reading the content of your post) you want to tell us how stupid or boorish or childish or whatever we are. I don't need to read your mind to interpret the intention of a post like yours.

Whatever. Either tell it straight or ask a straight question. Don't beat around the bush with this fucking nonsense.

Dr Dave · April-16th-2005, 10:32 AM

Fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruce massey

"Hey..watch out for the deification"

April-16th-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McHank

Actually I wanted to know why people feel it necessary to revert to profanity when most of the time it doesn't shock, isn't comedic and just serves as a short insult.

I'm sorry that that's your opinion, Henry.

As you can clearly see, not too many here share it.

Can't please everybody all the time.