Poll: About the F-word...

[ZeroMachine]

It's just an excuse for people to get all offended and whiny.

Yeah, after all, racism was eliminated centuries ago!

Right? That whole slavery thing wasn't racist at all. It was just... a boo boo. Yeah. A boo boo! Racism doesn't exist anymore!

... Hm... I tried to find a funny video to go along with our sarcasm, Zachary. Sorry. Couldn't find a thing.

Anyways, more on topic, I don't care about "bad words". But I'm not one of those people who think that because it doesn't offend me it SHOULDN'T offend anyone. So if someone kindly asks me to stop saying/doing something, I stop.

 

[Agayek]

ahem, i believe this quote applies here:
"It's not hurting anybody. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck."
-E Cartman.

Pretty much this. My take on "offensive" language is simply that words mean nothing more than what meaning you prescribe to them. Anyone who is offended or otherwise uncomforted by a word that is not a direct, personal insult needs to grow the fuck up and realize that.

 

[The Funslinger]

Well, the escapist is what you'd consider a mature forum. As such, there's no need to treat us like eight year olds with a certin... condition, and make us run around these threads with the proverbial foam helmets. As there is the certain level of implied maturity, nobody really has a right to get into a hissy about swearing. Yes, we don't have to do it, but if anything, that makes it even better to do so. Stephen Fry explains it better than me.


That said, my Geography teacher was basically what Mr. Fry here decried. Hell, he told us he'd never once in his life said "fuck". (He said "the F-word", so I couldn't be clever about it.) I find it hard to believe.

 

[Snotnarok]

I'm sure they are aware that their viewers are grown adults considering the content the themselves post. Also cenorship is just stupid, I never got the need to regulate sounds people make or pixels on a screen.

I also hate the ridiculous use of 'the f-word' just say fuck if that's what you're trying to say.(not speaking to anyone in general here)


Louis C.K. pretty much explains it here just ...a different word.

 

[Batou667]

So, lets talk about the F-word. With the F-word I mean of course: floccinaucinihilipilification [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Floccinaucinihilipilification], the longest non-technical English word in the dictionary

I thought it was antidisestablishmentarianism? Damn, one letter shorter!

 

[Knusper]

I only use it occasionally, but I don't get offended. A judge here in Britain raised a controversial opinion that swearing should not be a criminal offence, but then all sorts of people got annoyed. So I guess we're still in the minority

 

[Stormz]

It's just a word. I never understood the whole concept of "Bad" words. The way I see it if it isn't directed as an insult it shouldn't offend anyone. I say fuck all the time. Also Throwing in a big loud "FUCK" really helps me relieve anger when a game pisses me off.

 

[Zen Toombs]

I personally don't swear, but I don't mind others doing so UNLESS they curse every other word. Cursing should be a seasoning and not the main dish, so to speak.

 

[DevilWithaHalo]

I find expletives tend to show a lack of creativity to generate emphasis and quite often are redundant. It can become addictive it seems: as the words lose punch due to overuse they get used more often - just look at your stereotypical wharfie.

I find it curious that due to the versatility of expletives, they are not explicative and are to me at least, a floccinaucinihilipilification.

Yeah! I used IT in a sentence.

Depends on how you look at it doesn't it? One the one hand, using a swear word indicates the person is usually in a state with they are no longer concern about the creativity of language. On the other hand, they might be doing it specifically to be creative in the first place, finding multiple and new meanings for a single word.

Words are tricky bastards I'll give them that. It seems overly complicated to find a word offensive in the first place. Take your use of the word wharfie. I have no fucking clue what wharfie means. Let me go look the damn thing up... an Australian docksman who uses coarse language. So now I need to have personal experience to even understand the context to see how it applies, *then* find it to be beyond definition into the realm of offense.

I was following a truck yesterday that was hawling a fag. Oh shit! I'm totally offending homosexuals! But no, it was actually transporting a bundle of sticks. That kind of responses is pretty gay if you ask me, but it happens all the fucking time. You might call me an woman hating asshole when I say I need to go home and take care of my *****; but she's a wonderful dog that needs attention, and you're just an assuming **** for your misinterpretation.

The whole thing is pretty retarded when you think about it. Like saying a cotton picker and fudge packer aren't real jobs! Maybe they just need some good caulk to seal the chinks in their sensitivity; I don't see why they always have to be anal about it.

 

[Ragnarok185]

well just look at all the fucks i give.(had to say it)

seriously though its a really common word and people don't care anymore(most people anyway)

 

[Ragnarok185]

I don't like the principle behind swearing (at least meaningless ones, I can understand not using ******), but because I can't change that people get offended, I don't use them in public. I actually almost never use them at all.

You know, now that I see this Thing about Stuff in the corner, it made me think of something.

Fuck is like a lightsaber. Pull it out occasionally and in tasteful situations (the original trilogy) and it has meaning and power behind it, and is sometimes cheered on by an audience. But throw it around every chance you get just because you can (prequels) and you're a hack and should be exiled forever.

And still, don't do it in public. Because that's a dick move.

holy shit your right!!!.LOL.

but I did like the prequels though.

 

[babinro]

Cursing in general goes a long way towards my ignoring a post or statement. I mentally associate cursing with laziness and ignorance even though I realize that's unfair.

The F-word in particular holds no weight considering how commonly it's used and ultimately is just filler for sentences. When woman use it I find it particularly unattractive and a turn off.

 

[Eomega123]

Used properly, it can help craft some of the funniest sentences in the English language.

 

[stygN]

Words them selves are not offensive, it is the context and meaning that may be offensive.

Take this example. First some phrases where the words are NOT offensive.

Fuck - "Fuck, I got an F on my exam.."

Hate - "Oh, I hate maths!!"

****** - "The word "******" was, and are still used, as a racial slur against people of African decent."

****** - "Now, bundle up those sticks into a nice ****** for me son." (where ****** means a bundle of sticks, the original meaning)

Die - "Eventually plants die."

Hell - "Aw hell, I stepped in dog leavings.."

Now an example where the same words can be put together in to a phrase that is clearly offensive and wrong to say. This is NOT my personal meaning, simply an illustrative hypothetical example to prove a point.

"Fuck! I hate niggers and faggots.. I hope they all die and burn in hell!!"

It's ALL about the context and meaning. Blind censorship (meaning that words are automatically censored, or that you are not allowed to post posts with "bad" words) is rather brutal I'd say, and also not effective.. Writing fu?k instead of fuck, sh!t instead of shit may trick the system. And even with constant updating of new ways to write "bad" words, the writers will constantly find new ways to trick the system..

Having humans to moderate, and not blindly ban or warn a person who use a "bad" word, but instead use reason is the best solution in my eyes. This may lead to different treatment as two moderators may have a slightly different opinion on the severity of a persons statement, but I'd still say it's better then blind censorship.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Joccaren]

I've heard 'Fuck' said in numerous non 18+ titles.
There is honestly nothing wrong with the word. If I asked you what was inherently wrong with the word, you could not find an answer. 'Its rude' Why? 'Its offensive' Why? Because society has told you it is? Do you do everything society tells you to do? Because of its meaning? So we should put the same stigma on other words like 'sex' and 'intercourse', among other numerous things (Seriously, it has a use for just about anything: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuck). There is nothing actually wrong with the word itself, only in how it is used. When used in ways such as 'Fuck You', it becomes offensive. Its the same sort of thing where die, go and hole are not offensive, but combine them in the sentence 'Go die in a hole' and it becomes offensive. Using Fuck to try and offend someone is wrong, and should be punished like any other attempt to offend someone, but when used as an interjection or as an intensive, there is nothing wrong with it.
Some of the stigma against using Fuck as even an interjection or intensive may come from those with excellent English grammar skills, who may see it as a lazy interjection or intensive where the person who said it could have thought of a more creative word, but that does not actually denote anything actually wrong with the word.

Take into account here that I use the word often IRL when talking with friends, as many do, but if around someone it will offend we refrain from using it. Whilst I do not understand how it can offend some, or why it is offensive, and as such can only barely respect that point of view, I respect the fact that some do find it offensive and will refrain from using it around those people out of general politeness. There is, however, nothing wrong with the word itself, and I see no reason to actually get offended by it.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Ah, comedians always explain it best. Take it away, Tim!

 

[smithy_2045]

It's just another word. The manner in which it's used should make it offensive, not word itself.