Dave’s No Cursing Policy

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Rev
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby Rev » February 23rd, 2018, 9:40 am

Honestly, I curse a lot in my day to day life. I have for the last twenty years. I dated a curser and hung around a lot of people who cursed so I picked it up. I also enjoy cursing. However, I don't curse at work. I don't curse when I'm around customers and partners at the workplace and I think that is appropriate. Even though I do curse a lot, I don't think it is a bad thing to hold a forum accountable and keep it friendly for all people. I think there are enough places online where there is no filter. I think it also indirectly encourages people to not attack one another (as much) and keep it respectful. One thing the video game community is really good at is being aggressive towards one another online, which our forum is fairly good at not promoting. That's a good feeling and makes this a nice place to escape after a long day. Kudos to the Critic and the members at this site.

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Stalvern
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby Stalvern » February 23rd, 2018, 10:57 am

Atarifever wrote:Post modernism vs. Enlightenment rationality: Round 1 -- Fight!
*gets popcorn*

All I'm saying is that there are probably better arguments for swearing than trying to completely deny the concept of language.

Voor
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby Voor » February 23rd, 2018, 3:33 pm

even if I agreed the “bad words are stupid” argument (which I don’t), I still would watch my language around people who may not feel the same way (ie, the general public). Just being respectful.

matmico399
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby matmico399 » February 23rd, 2018, 3:57 pm

Agreed Stalvern. Hey if people don’t curse in public but just do it with friends and such who am I to care. I don’t care for it but it doesn’t affect me or my loved ones. I just appreciate Dave keeping up a fantastic site which is very informative, funny and a great place to visit on the web. His is my fourth visited site behind only google, my bank and a news site. Thanks for keeping it classy though Dave! :)

matmico399
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby matmico399 » February 23rd, 2018, 4:08 pm

After rereading his comments I agree with Stalvern even more. So the N word shouldn’t offend anyone because it’s just a sound wave? Even curse words can be hurtful. I am a devout Christian and anytime I hear gd I hate it. The f bomb not so much but I only use it when Super pissed. Sorry didn’t mean to turn this discussion into a morality tale. But people really need to think before they talk. This post was mainly about the Critic keeping it classy. And he and the members have done a great job of keeping it that way. Game on!

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Atarifever
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby Atarifever » February 23rd, 2018, 6:14 pm

Stalvern wrote:
Atarifever wrote:Post modernism vs. Enlightenment rationality: Round 1 -- Fight!
*gets popcorn*

All I'm saying is that there are probably better arguments for swearing than trying to completely deny the concept of language.

To be clear, I'm on your side. I'm not a post-modernist. I don't believe the perspective that language is "just sound" holds as much merit as the perspective that words have meaning and importance. I wouldn't go too far with that line though, as I also don't think they're on the same field as sticks and stones, which is why they never actually hurt you.

I've never really looked into it, but I imagine "swear" words are probably "bad" because they are emotionally charged, often used in emotional contexts that are unpleasant or private, and convey very little useful value. So, for example, the sentence "I love/hate that" and "I [expletive] love/hate that" are equal, with one wasting more of everyone's time by having gibberish garbage in it. It's like if you inserted needless baby babble into your talk when you got contrary. "I hate that, wah, wah, poo poo *mouth fart*" Not exactly the finest in human communication and quite unhelpful to the point. It would also make you seem less serious and somewhat silly. Other swear words are, of course, considered blasphemy for certain religions, so those also have a logical tie to why people consider them inappropriate.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby VideoGameCritic » February 24th, 2018, 11:12 am

When used in moderation I think expletives can be used effectively to more emphasis and intensity. For example, if I said "I hate this" and "I [expletive] hate this", I would interpret the second as stronger and more emotionally charged.

For people who spout bad words continuously however, the words have little if any meaning.

matmico399
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby matmico399 » February 24th, 2018, 10:25 pm

Again agreed Dave!

goldenband
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Re: Dave’s No Cursing Policy

Postby goldenband » February 25th, 2018, 11:02 am

Atarifever wrote:I've never really looked into it, but I imagine "swear" words are probably "bad" because they are emotionally charged, often used in emotional contexts that are unpleasant or private, and convey very little useful value.

It also has a lot to do with what linguists call "register" -- the idea that you use a particular type of language in a particular context, and using the wrong mode at the wrong time/place can have negative consequences.

If your speech is casual and laced with "swear" words, it can connote a few different things:

  • the idea that you're talking to a person of equal or lower status, and yet that you don't see yourself as "above" using informal/vulgar speech;
  • the idea that you may have some familiarity or intimacy with them, so that you don't have to be formal or "careful" with your speech;
  • and the idea that you may be speaking in an unguarded, uncalculated, spontaneous way -- in other words, that your speech is authentic, sincere, and truthful.
Note that I'm not saying any of these things are the case, but merely that using obscenities/profanities can be perceived in these ways, and that people sometimes use "swear" words in a very calculated way towards one or more of these ends.

Of course, these are also valid reasons to be offended by their use. When the young swear in the presence of the old, it feels disrespectful because it erases the difference in their respective status, and implies that either they think they can "get away" with it or they simply don't care.

When you swear in a conversation with someone you barely know, it can feel like an unwanted, unearned familiarity (which is why The Jerky Boys did it all the time: to make people uncomfortable). And if you use any mode of speech in a calculated way, intending to symbolize authenticity without actually meaning it, people can often sniff that out and are repulsed by it.

So they're definitely not "just words". They symbolize relationships between people -- of trust, of status, of intimacy -- that normally have to be earned. It irritates us when someone violates those boundaries, because it signals that we might not be able to trust them to respect other, more urgent boundaries.


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