Why are people censoring "bad" words?locked

ɐΙ₯O@lemmy.ohaa.xyz to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 215 points –

Whats the point of writing prn, f@ck, sht or anything like that instead of the actual words? You can still read them, its not like they are gone if you replace a letter or two.

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I have a habit born out of having young kids around of cartoonizing more expressive language that leaks over into online conversations. There might be a bit of that going on along side the more censorship style responses put out elsewhere.

Why not just cuss around children and teach them when it's appropriate? I've never understood "shielding" them from something they'll get exposed to with or without you. May as well make it a teaching moment.

I agree with this, but you should teach your kids, not other people's kids. I avoid it around kids because their parents don't want me to do it, but I do cuss in casual conversation.

Because teaching takes time, kids don't learn abstract concepts, like social cues, overnight.

Grandma told a funny joke, this is a lighthearted casual situation.
"Great Fucking Joke Grandma!"

It's not shielding them entirely, it's waiting until they are old (read:smart) enough to have a good chance of knowing when it's OK.

Because there really isn't a place where it's nessecary and thus appropriate. Sometimes it's cathartic, but in general it's used as a fallback for when other words and expression fail. In that regard it's less shielding and more setting an example.

I disagree, there are definitely places where it's necessary and it's always appropriate where it's necessary. It's not a fallback for anything, it's not a failure of the language. It's a feature, not a bug. Probably don't want to do it in formal environments, but even then there are times when it is absolutely the right language to use.

Sorry, it's not true. A proper expletive conveys the precise emotional state and the unwillingness to preserve forced politeness, because one doesn't feel the need to appease others, or because the situation doesn't warrant it.

I'm going to hard disagree, saying cuss words are a "fallback" sounds very elitist. Gives me real "we're better than that" vibes, like not cussing puts you in some higher tier of society.

I swear a fair bit but sometimes I feel like it's a cop-out... a lazy way to add emphasis, and if I think for a minute I can usually find more specific and expressive words.

Calling someone a fucking ass doesn't convey anything of what your point is. In those cases where someone absolutely can't be reasoned with swearing at them isn't going to change the situation, actions might, but words won't.

Another mentioned about it being needed in some cases where the situation doesn't merit politeness. In those cases though what's gained by charged emotional responses if you're going to engage at all? It's wasting energy on things that have no benefit to anyone.

Cursing really only has any meaning because we give the words power. Similar to slurs against various groups, they only have bite because we give them meaning and history. I'll give this challenge, give me an instance where any given situation was benefitted by their use though, outside of mere expression of rage or hate what benefit did it add?

Reminds me of the show β€žthe good placeβ€œ. Thought the replacements there are quite good. Like shirt, fork, bench, ash, deck, cork. The k in fork makes it hit better while β€žfudgeβ€œ just doesn’t scratch that itch when you need to express yourself with β€žfuckβ€œ