the "f" word - is it really necessary!

[theblatanttruth]

Like I said I have no problem with it, I'm just sensitive to the fact that some people do.

Why is it different? If you feel you can curse in front of kids, why not show them porn? After all, sex is simply a natural act, and kids are the product of this act, and so it's not ugly at all. It's society's problem, not yours. Right?

Let's use a less shocking analogy. Some people walk around nude in front of their kids. Some people think the human body is natural and beautiful and not something to be ashamed of. Other people think that is just dowrnight weird. Should the nudists not be restrained and simply be nude in front of their kid's friends', or should they be sympathetic to the way society is and put some clothes on?

I argue that it's easiest to put the clothes on and to simply deal with the fact that we in the US tend to be a bit prudish. Unless your goal is to change society. And if that's your goal, you have to be willing to offend lots of people.

What is our goal here? To get this man elected, or to loosen soceity up?

Come on man, you're trying to manufacture a metaphor that is extremely un-compatible with the context of what we're talking about here. We are talking about the logicality of something like a word, "butt" somehow being divinely better than a synonym for said word which is "ass". This applies for any "vulgar" word you want to substitute it for.

Now we can break that down to a cultural taboo instance in such that at some point it suggests, by default, that some power, greater than any of us or our opinions, made the choice for us. EDIT/Insert: And that certainly wasn't God, because these words didn't exist at the time of "God's wills' " inception.

And that's bogus. Period.

 

[mesler]

This is just a tangent thread for the fuck of it.

You are comparing a use of a word in front of people to being naked in front of kids/showing them porn. Apples Oranges.....

Is using a word or saying things in front of someone really all that different than showing them something? They are both forms of expression. There are people in Europe who think we are prudes because we don't like to walk around nude in front of our kids.

You don't think the F-bomb is serious, someone else doesn't think being naked is serious. It's all relative.

 

[mesler]

Come on man, you're trying to manufacture a metaphor that is extremely un-compatible with the context of what we're talking about here. We are talking about the logicality of something like a word, "butt" somehow being divinely better than a synonym for said word which is "ass". This applies for any "vulgar" word you want to substitute it for.

Now we can break that down to a cultural taboo instance in such that at some point it suggests, by default, that some power, greater than any of us or our opinions, made the choice for us. EDIT/Insert: And that certainly wasn't God, because these words didn't exist at the time of "God's wills' " inception.

And that's bogus. Period.

Do you say "fuck" in front of your grandma or any close friends/family that you have that are over 60? If not, why?

 

[Ridiculous]

Is using a word or saying things in front of someone really all that different than showing them something?

Absolutely.

It is all in the intent of the word....

Fuck in and of itself is just a syllable. A word. If you say fuck in front of a kid people might get upset but you aren't going to go to jail. If you tell the kid that you want to fuck them. Well, you probably should go to jail and it doesn't matter what word you use screw, fuck, make love, it doesn't matter it is all equally wrong. There is a difference in intent.

You are drawing no distinction between a word and how it is used by saying "is using a word or saying things in front of someone really all that different than showing them something"

Now if you show a kid porn, it is very much against the law.

There is very much a difference between saying and showing.... But also how it is said is important.

 

[misconstrued]

When I hear the "f" word I don't even blink an eye anymore, but I try to rarely use it. The one thing about Ron Paul is his supporters are made up of a broad spectrum of people from many different walks of life. Way more so than the supporters of other candidates. Some of us may talk like sailors and some of us may be very religious and would never consider using such language. I think we just need to keep an open mind. There is plenty of room for everyone here...

 

[Shiranu]

Agreed on the open mind... but hey, I consider my self deeply religious, and say fuck, an dif any one says im not a good christian... eff them!

 

[Locke_rpr]

I'm not offended by it. There's only one cuss word listed in the Bible and I never use it. Apart from that everything else is culture. Offensive language is only offensive if someone who is around is offended. So I don't use it in public much or around our "graying" citizens, but another thing the baby boomers and the couple generations that followed destroyed was the language. So called, curse words were used so much that I bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the 35 and under crowd who finds it offensive. Many try not to use it because it IS rather uncreative and generally hurts whatever point you are trying to make. Get a group of people my age together when not in public though, and it sounds like an Andrew Dice Clay show.

 

[mconder]

"The strongest f*n reason for the motherf*n people to retain
the right to f*n keep and bear motherf*n arms is, as a lst f*n
resort, to protect themf*nselves against tyranny in motherf*n
government, bitches.
-Thomas Jefferson

I have to admit in this context it is funny, but I have not personally found using f***, s**t, cr*p, or p**p in daily conversation enhances greatly my ability to express myself. They offend some people, so why use them? I have respect for others sensitivities and I would hope they would return that respect.

There is a line in the song America the Beautiful that comes to mind..."redeem thy soul with self control, thine liberty and law." I think we should have some self control in our public discourse. If Ron was a foul mouth fool, I don't think he would have gotten this far. I do however respect your right to express yourself with vulgarities, I also reserve my right to distance myself from you.

 

[Man from La Mancha]

I don't use it much just because it is perceived as uncreative. But it should be considered a compliment. Since most people enjoy fucking and some one says fuck you, one should say fuck you too, because aren't we wishing a wonderful experience on the other person. I could never figure out why the word was meant as a curse.

.

 

[mesler]

"The strongest f*n reason for the motherf*n people to retain
the right to f*n keep and bear motherf*n arms is, as a lst f*n
resort, to protect themf*nselves against tyranny in motherf*n
government, bitches.
-Thomas Jefferson

I have to admit in this context it is funny, but I have not personally found using f***, s**t, cr*p, or p**p in daily conversation enhances greatly my ability to express myself. They offend some people, so why use them? I have respect for others sensitivities and I would hope they would return that respect.

There is a line in the song America the Beautiful that comes to mind..."redeem thy soul with self control, thine liberty and law." I think we should have some self control in our public discourse. If Ron was a foul mouth fool, I don't think he would have gotten this far. I do however respect your right to express yourself with vulgarities, I also reserve my right to distance myself from you.

Libertarians should be more pragmatic and look at it from a free-market perspective. People who find the overuse of the "fuck" word offensive will likely exercise their right to stop associating with us. Problem is, we're trying to get someone elected and this is a bad thing.

 

[Korey Kaczynski]

I wouldn't be surprised if Ron Paul used it after every fox debates, personally.

 

[libertygrl]

hi folks,
i don't think so.......why be so vulgar?
i find it offensive - does anyone else?

i bet dr. paul wouldn't take to kindly to it if he was to come and read posts on the board.

i did an advanced search on it and was surprised how many times people use that
word here.

sunny

I agree. There's no need for vulgarity. But I'm guessing this forum has a rather large college aged crowd so I'm not suprised! Believe me, I'm no prude and I admit to using the word when something really upsets me. But in an open forum like this where there is a diverse number of people including possibly seniors and women and religious types, I think a little respect and decency is in order.

Especially when we need as many people to come together in support of Ron Paul. So, a little self restraint would be appreciated!

 

[Eli]

its just a word. there's always that small group of people that will try to censor the world out of fear of damaging their fragile little ears. If you can't handle people being politically incorrect what can you handle?

 

[sunny]

The right to do a thing, does not mean that it is the right thing to do.

You have the right to say the word, sure, and others have the right to express their distaste for vulgarity. In polite society, doing something that others find offenisive just to demonstrate your right to do so would be considered childish at best, or just plain rude.

There was a time when the word would rarely be heard outside of high school boys trying to impress their friends - kinda sad to see it used so frequently among otherwise high-minded people who are trying to save their country.

i appreciate that response o i, thanks!

 

[sunny]

I agree. There's no need for vulgarity. But I'm guessing this forum has a rather large college aged crowd so I'm not suprised! Believe me, I'm no prude and I admit to using the word when something really upsets me. But in an open forum like this where there is a diverse number of people including possibly seniors and women and religious types, I think a little respect and decency is in order.

Especially when we need as many people to come together in support of Ron Paul. So, a little self restraint would be appreciated!

and this one too, thanks l g!

 

[BarryDonegan]

there's a huge difference between morals and ethics.

swear language are morals like 95% of the time. they are usually meaningless words used to show that you don't really care what people think of you. i myself don't respect morality on the same level as ethics.

the customs of the people are often wicked.

 

[mesler]

I wouldn't be surprised if Ron Paul used it after every fox debates, personally.

lol!

Actually, I'd wager Paul would side with those of us who choose to limit our use of expletives given the fact that our posts are read by a diverse crowd:
"He doesn’t travel alone with women and once dressed down an aide for using the expression “red-light district” in front of a female colleague"

 

[Nefertiti]

there's a huge difference between morals and ethics.

swear language are morals like 95% of the time. they are usually meaningless words used to show that you don't really care what people think of you. i myself don't respect morality on the same level as ethics.

the customs of the people are often wicked.

Barry-The problem is that if you use such language because you don't care what people think of you, then likely they are going to think badly of you, and moreover, think badly of what you are talking about, which, in this case, is Ron Paul.

My 71 year old mother cancelled a credit card the other day because of the way she was dressed down by a customer rep who didn't like her use of the word "damn." She had been having trouble with their automated phone system and when she got a person on the line told her that she was having problems with their "damn system" and instead of trying to help my mother the woman gave her a lecture about the language she was using. So my mother decided to cancel the card. I think my mother was right to do what she did, because the philosophy is supposed to be the customer is always right, but imagine if my mother had been trying to sell this woman on Ron Paul. She would have failed to convince her because of her language.

 

[expatriot]

It is in the dictionary...
... and he was gynecologist

 

[mconder]

It's probably already been said on this exhaustive thread, but I would like to have my teenage kids visit this forum and my kids do not use f*** and are taught that sex is a sacred act, so I'd rather it not be used.