People say "thats ****ing awesome" and "i had a great ****ing time" and "holy **** i cant believe you actually got that gift i wanted thanks so much" and stuff like that all the time :?
ariz3260
I know it is used in such a way your examples demonstrated, but it is not as excessive as when they are talking about something negative, as in my example above demonstrated. I tried to show that people do not use EXCESSIVE profanity when describing a positive event, at least I have not seen it done in such manner...
true. i also think it depends on the type of person you are. majority of people never use it unless they are mad or upset, or when something drastic happens which is why you probably have that opinion (not that i disagree) Personally, my cursing barely changes with my mood. I swear when i talk about negative things, positive things, and things that carry no emotion at all. a lot of people put swearing on a pedestal like t carries some sort of unholy meaning. once you decide to take it off that pedastal, i've found that your mood/the topic hardly affects your usage.
I wouldn't say so... an overuse of profanity could mean anger issues, but I do not think it should or can be properly used to judge a persons' intellect.
true. i also think it depends on the type of person you are. majority of people never use it unless they are mad or upset, or when something drastic happens which is why you probably have that opinion (not that i disagree) Personally, my cursing barely changes with my mood. I swear when i talk about negative things, positive things, and things that carry no emotion at all. a lot of people put swearing on a pedestal like t carries some sort of unholy meaning. once you decide to take it off that pedastal, i've found that your mood/the topic hardly affects your usage. JPOBS
Do you use excessive profanity with just about anything?
Words of Wisdom: When told that swearing means you're unintelligent, make note of how high in the air the person's nose is.
Seriously, I've yet to see any reasonable correlation between a person's intelligence, and how often they sprinkle swear words into their conversation. I, for instance, swear a lot, nonchalantly, and I'm pretty smart. Any suggestion that swearing makes you less intelligent is usually just an attempt for the person to make themselves feel morally superior, and high class.
Stick that up your ****ing *** you ****ing **** mother****er ****************************************************. :)
I would say Definately myself. The only reason people use profanity is for emphasis. Intelligent people have other more advanced words they can use to emphasize various phrases.
I would say Definately myself. The only reason people use profanity is for emphasis. Intelligent people have other more advanced words they can use to emphasize various phrases.
BumFluff122
What if the person is just using it nonchalantly? I swear a lot when I talk to my friend, and it's never anger or emphasis. It's just casual chit-chat. Also, that last part, I could practically see right up your nose. You should really come back down here with the rest of us; not swearing doesn't make you smarter, and it doesn't make you a better person.
I curse a lot. I don't think I'm an idiot though. I'm obviously not the smartest or most educated person around, but I like to think I have a decent grasp of intelligence.
Not necessarily. It could well be one of those one-way correlations as I call them. Gereral gist: all low intelligence people swear, not everyone who swears is of low intelligence.
I have noticed a pattern in my dealings with people. Those that use the most profanity usually aren't the brightest crayons in the box. I have come to believe that frequent use of profanity is a sign of the inability to make your point through reason, IN MOST CASES. Now I am not saying that there is any kind of scientific proof for this. But it is undeniably the case in most circumstances. Thoughts?
Penguinchow
IT make me feel more comfortable around people... thats one of the main reason i cuss... and plus it just feels right
It's very unattractive, and makes you think negative of the person if they cuss too much. I barely EVER cuss, i only do it when I'm extremely ticked off. Cussing does NOT make you look cool. A lot of people think it does...like Dana White, the UFC president..
No. I use language that is consider "profanity" when the context suits it. For example, the only one word expletives that show annoyance are considered profanity.
Again I do not think myself any better than anyone else! It's a choice I made because i believe it's the right thing to do. Am i not allowed that? Let me be the first to say that I am a filthy sinner. I've done some bad stuff and still do. Also the topic was not about dropping words when you hurt yourself it was about people who lace every sentence with them. Don't put words into my mouth.
Penguinchow
But you claim that people who use profanity generally are of lower intelligence. How do you know they are of lower intelligence? How do you know that they aren't just putting on a facade of ignorance but attend MENSA meetings in secret? Your OP kind of makes you seem quite arrogant and self-absorbed when you make the "observation" that people who use profanities are of "lower intelligence."
Patrick Star basically summed up "bad" words perfectly: they are "sentence enhancers." They make it "spicy" to say. And the most important thing they do... add a level of emphasis that "clean" words cannot... which in many situations is very necessary.
Plus, what is the difference between "Holy crap!" and "Holy ****!"? They are both utterances of sound, both carry the same motivation (an exclamation of surprise), but only one carries a negative connotation because English-speaking society says it is "bad." Yet, to someone who doesn't speak a lick of English won't know that "****" is a "bad" word and could think that "crap" would be equally as "bad" given that the emphasis put behind the saying of those two phrases is exactly the same.
It is not the words that are "bad" but the way in which they are used.
Profanity is cultural/upbringing/social norms and the like. It has nothing to do with intelligence.
Take your mensa types and stick them in the military, in a police force, or in an urban gang and there is a high probability theirlanguage will become bluer.
Just like urban gang membership doesn't mean you are stupid. You might very well be so. Yet there are highly intelligent gang members as well.
Just like the guy with the intelligence to develop a potential curefor cancer might be living in a hut in some 3rd world country.
[QUOTE="Penguinchow"]Again I do not think myself any better than anyone else! It's a choice I made because i believe it's the right thing to do. Am i not allowed that? Let me be the first to say that I am a filthy sinner. I've done some bad stuff and still do. Also the topic was not about dropping words when you hurt yourself it was about people who lace every sentence with them. Don't put words into my mouth.
foxhound_fox
Your OP kind of makes you seem quite arrogant and self-absorbed when you make the "observation" that people who use profanities are of "lower intelligence."
Well i apologize if that's the impression you got. That was not what I intended to convey at all. First of all I was addressing the over-use of profanity. Not the guy who lets it fly when he's mad or stubs his toe or something. The guy who's every fifth word is F***. I am not, nor did I, say that "people who use profanities are of "lower intelligence"". I was merely observing that those who use them CONSTANTLY tend to be slower on the draw. TEND to be. Not ARE. This is not an absolute thing. I know very intelligent people who curse like sailors also. But It is undeniably a pattern. I was not intending to demean them for fun. This was intended to be a discussion on you own observations and your opinion on the matter. Most people answered it quite well without feeling the need to bash me to death. I try not to curse. I do sometimes when I'm really ticked or I get hurt. For the millionth time that is NOT what I'm talking about.
[QUOTE="0Tyler0"]I have a very high IQ and in honors classes, but when I'm pissed, damn it I'm going to swear.Penguinchow
But you don't sprinkle your everyday conversation liberally with four letter words do you? Shut the **** up you filthy piece of ****. Are you trying to call us stupid you mother ****? Just kidding. :P
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