Subject:
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Re: Best selection of parts to mess around with
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 26 Nov 1999 19:41:39 GMT
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Viewed:
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543 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Tobias Möller writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Jeremy Sproat writes:
> > I'm equally insulted when someone says "shoot" instead of "shit". It's not
> > the word itself, but the feeling with which it's delivered. In some cases,
> > it can be a casual swaggering of macho and is not insulting, and other times
> > it's the tantrum thrown by the inner child and is to be scorned. In either
> > case, it's just a verbal placeholder for when someone's too lazy to come up
> > with a better word.
>
> Well, then maybe you don´t like me...
> I write four asterisks "****" instead of a bad word, that I don´t like to
> use.
>
> --Tobias
>
> > Similarly, I'm equally insulted when someone says "sh*t" instead of "shit".
> > I mean, wow, "sh*t" is okay? Is there something magical about that asterisk?
> > I'm totally perplexed by the social mores which demand a letter be blanked
> > out, for all but the most scatalogically-ignorant to put back together.
> >
> > I was surprised by a recent TRU commercial on TV, where a little girl keeps
> > saying the phrase "I used the potty". I never thought the TV censors would
> > let such a casual toilet reference be passed around by such a young child.
> > It probably wouldn't have surprised me any more if she had used other
> > vocabulary.
Well, just to put the $.02 in that I never did, I'd say that when writing,
either avoid swears all together, or use 'em. The insult/resentment of reading
a swear is not in the word itself, as Jeremy pointed out, but in the intention.
Hence, saying "How the **** does he do that?" still means the same thing as if
you had sworn. So that will offend people just as much as putting in the swear,
I'd say. Some people would rather write "****", and bleep out swears on TV, but
I think the intention there is (1) to keep the innocent innocent. Hence, if you
don't hear the swear, you won't know it! (a dramatically unrealistic belief,
but hey) and (2) to address those who are offended by swearing, by saying
"well, we didn't actually SAY it!". Again, useless, but in some dream world, I
guess it might help.
In general, if you're putting something out there for the public, DON'T swear.
Say "How in the world does he do that?" or whatever. Find some other way to
express yourself. That's the purpose of language. The English language is full
of ways to express emotions, and if you can't find one other than a swear,
don't say it, cause you'll most likely get flamed. Not necessarily for
swearing, but because of the emotions you're emitting, and because you're
probably not putting them forth in any decent form. Blood begets blood. If
you're angry/upset/whatever, chances are people will point that right back at
you.
On the other hand, swearing doesn't offend me, per se. I really think it's
rather silly that as a society, we purposely avoid certain words. However, the
point is that SOME people DO get offended, so it's better to play it safe and
find some way around the swears, rather than "bleeping" them out or coming out
and saying them.
But if you're in an environment where you know people aren't offended, or if
you're willing to deal with the consequences, go for it. And if you swear on
LUGNET, well... the consequences could very well be more than just people
getting mad at you, depending on Todd's mercy :)
DaveE
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