Sunday, August 16, 2009

The girl’s got a mouth on her

Snow White Yeah, I'm talking about myself. I admit it, and I've written about my foul mouth before.

I don't make many apologies for it. As I wrote in the linked entry, I don't go around spouting profanities, I rarely cuss in front of my parents (a rare S-word), and I never once did so in front of Ken's kids, and Ken didn't, either. Any potential or actual inclinations there can't be blamed on us.

However, with like-minded friends, I'll let it fly. Fair warning when it comes to my blog--there will be times here that I drop an F-bomb, and if you are offended by that, I won't be offended if you choose to move along and not read anymore. I feel that I generally make a fairly compelling argument on any issue without using profanity, or at least I try, but there are times when a well-placed profanity just seems to fit perfectly.

It's interesting to hear the take on profanity from other countries...it seems that we have a bit more of a hangup about a lot of words than others do. I do try to remain respectful and I accept the fact that there are a lot of people that are offended by such words, so I watch what I say in public, or around those that I think might be offended. But around here, when it's just me and Ken, or with people that I know won't be offended, I'll let it rip. Even when I'm out in the yard by myself, if I twist my ankle on a rock or a root, or if I smash a blood-filled mosquito on my person, it's likely that the first word out of my mouth will be a bad one.

On my blog, I am happy to exercise my right to free speech, and if I feel like cussing, I will do so with a smile on my face.

Well behaved women For anyone who thinks that their kids don't use such language, I'd say that they probably just don't use it around you. I won't generalize, because I'm certain that there are some kids who really don't use profanity, and more power to them. But don't be so sure and don't be so smug about thinking that your kids just don't go there. About thirty years ago, I remember sitting around the table at my parents' house with a couple of girlfriends, playing cards. The three of us were all in the top ten percent of our high school class, all in the National Honor Society, all on the college track, all known as "brains," and all perceived as "good girls." We sat at that table and let the foul words fly, and the saltiest sailor and foulest-mouthed deadbeat had nothin' on us. I'm not sure what prompted it, but we laughed like hell and had fun. It was almost a challenge to see who could come up with the worst, and if I recall correctly, I won.

Profanity is mostly harmless. It should go without saying to watch it around kids or around those that might find it offensive, and there really isn't a need for every other word to be one that might offend. Personally, I find racial or sexual epithets to be much more offensive than an occasional F-word. There are probably bigger issues at hand than worrying about a fucking profanity.

16 comments:

  1. Did I miss something? Actually, I don't remember hearing you cuss at all when we went out. I know we did but not as much as I do when baking. haha
    Love,
    Jamie

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  2. Love this post from one swearer to another...lol I swaer like a trooper, but not all day everyday and can curb depending who's company I'm in...lol

    Yasmin
    xx

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  3. I have to admit I don't use profanity often but sometimes I do let one slip if something happens that surprises the crap out of me.

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  4. WOW, I am nearly 80 and I still say a few words that someone else might not like when things don't go right. For 6 years while I babysat I had the cleanest mouth in town. The only time I taKE OFFENSE IS WHEN MY ALCOHOLIC NEIGHBORS for nearly 40 years , first from the mother who was also an alky used the F word every other word in their yard but if we had our windows open we had to listen to that or close the windows. THAT to me is something to complain about.

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  5. LOL David already did was I was going to do, but hell yes a well placed f-bomb is a necessity now and again. And, shit, well it's my fave word...lol

    be well... also a National honor society, straight A good girl! LOL

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  6. you are preaching to choir at the church of the most guttermouth swears when you talk to me about cussing.

    i like to think i have a phd in profanity-- i worked in a gas station with safety glass for so long that i could say 'fuck you very much' with such a sincere smile the unsuspecting customers would smile back and say, yeah, you too' it was too funny.

    i have to make a CONSCIOUS effort to not swear between the hours of 7 and 5 when at work. when i leave i often cuss for the first mile or so of driving just to let all the pent up frustrated fucks and shits out. when at home it's on. when i write it the amount of profanity depends on how fired up i am about something.

    and you are right, there are way worse things than swears that are coming out of people's mouths that show their ignorance...but for the most part we only worry about the explicit stuff which makes NO sense.

    xxalainaxx

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  7. My personal thing is "Fuck a duck" I have no clue where I picked it up from. But it has stuck with me over the years.

    Oh yeah and if you comment on my site and feel the urge to cuss, you have my permission to do so. =o)

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  8. Beth, my saying is "fuck a duck". I have no clue where I picked it up at, but it has stuck with me over the years.

    Oh by the way, if you leave a comment on my site, and need to cuss, please do, you have my permission. =o)

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  9. Hell, I've worked long enough in shops and factories now that swearing is an automatic(almost a requirement in those places), I have to consciously watch myself around children and when out in public, but if one flies out I don't really sweat it-but if I hit myself on something? Oh, the words come flowing!

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  10. I curse & while I find some of my faults liberating, this isn't one of them. I don't mind anyone else cursing and I do believe it is pretty harmless, but I don't like the way I sound. But yet I still do it(less than before). It is something I work on because I find for me personally, I feel more negative when I am peppering my speech with curse words. Overall, I do it less, but I go back and forth a bit too.

    With all that said, I've never looked down on anyone else for cursing & I find a lot of things people do A LOT WORSE, but I still don't like the way I sound...and I do get more of a negative vibe going.~Mary

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  11. you know me well enough to know i can cuss with the best of them and i admire that in you too.

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  12. Hi Beth,
    No harm in a little profanity now and then, I guess!
    Best,
    Marty

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  13. Sometimes nothing expresses what we need to say except profanity. It feels so good!

    I've always been able to restrain myself when I needed to and know when, where, and around whom to use it and like for others to do that, too. Sounds as if we're all in that same boat here!

    "Fuck" is my favorite because it's so versatile.

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  14. I don't hesitate to let it slip when I'm angry. Then of course there is Paul chiding was that necessary?"Yes, it fucking is!". The funny thing though is, I do try to get the point across in my writing without going in that direction. To me it's just too easy. At home, I let it fly. (Hugs)Indigo

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  15. Cuss away girlie...it takes alot to offend me. LOL. So funny you wrote about this. Doug just scolded me the other day for f-bombing a driver next to us. What's the big deal? We were in our convertible. He said people in a BMW don't use FFFF 5 times in a sentence. I said, "they do now and who made up that stupid effin rule?" He ignored me for about an hour. Now I know how to make him leave me alone for awhile. LOL.

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?