Here's the unadorned truth: I have a potty mouth. I curse. I don't sling creative and inventive invectives, I don't use any special or non-run-of-the-mill curses, and I don't curse at all around children. (Fortunate, since I work with kids. Something inside the curse-machine just shuts off when in their presence except in verrrrrrrrrrrry rare occasions.)
I am not particularly proud of this.
However, because of the underage-shut-off valve, it does not particularly worry me. I haven't spent any time trying to break myself of the habit, and I don't think I'm a bad person because I curse. I do, however, have respect for people who don't curse and who are effective at emphasizing their emotion or their point when speaking without resorting to curses. And yet.
Oddly enough, at the same time, I've lately found times when I respect people or institutions more when they curse. I was speaking to a professional person yesterday in a professional setting and I kind of loved it that he used the word fucking. I was reading New York Magazine yesterday and I kind of loved it that they're willing to print the phrase "counterrevolutionary fucktards." It's soooometimes kind of sexy when a guy uses the word fucking to emphasize his point, if it's something he feels strongly about.
Yeah, so what the fuck am I saying? I'm saying, "I respect you for not cursing, unless I respect you for cursing." Fascinating, huh? Well, shut the fuck up. It's my fucking blog and I can post about whatever fucking navel-gazing self-absorbed observations I feel like posting about.
I only lose respect for you if you say "swear" instead of "curse". Come on, where the fuck did you grow up?
[CWID: Image courtesy of stefanvalent.com Thank you!]
3 comments:
haha That's so true! I remember the first time one of my teachers cursed. It was awesome!
And I say "swear" sometimes. I grew up on the fucking west coast, my friend.
Love you!
Hey, I saw "swear" too. But I grew up in the Midwest, where we can't even talk about swearing without censoring it, let alone actually swearing. We have to say things like "cussing."
The thing for me is whether the swearing-- sorry, cursing -- is casual or deliberate. Like when Jon Stewart curses -- it's so precisely placed that it hits harder. So I'm with you on that. And I curse all the time -- just not out loud.
To me, swearing is something you do while linking pinky fingers with someone. And of course, I never curse. Unless I'm trying to be heard in a room full of Isrealis. Or I'm making a point. Or I'm making a joke. Or I'm amgry. Or I'm manic. Or if I feel like it. Ok, so my favorite word is fuck! Big Deal!
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