I Swear… What Do You Think About Cursing in Public?

Ever since the Sex Pistols said the f-word on a TV chat show back 1976, swearing on telly has been a controversial issue. These days, on this side of the Atlantic at least, pretty much anything goes after the nine o'clock watershed (weirdly, in America, only cable shows are allowed to feature swearing, which seems pretty bizarre considering how violent some of the non-cable crime shows are). In fact, it's just been revealed that when the British digital station Gold aired the final Monty Python live show a few weeks ago, viewers complained that the swearing was cut out!

And anyone who listens to Irish radio knows that while words like "f*ck" may not be used, the word "shit" is uttered - especially when it comes to "bullshit" -  without anyone batting an eye (or ear).

So are we totally cool with everyone f-ing and indeed blinding (whatever that means) these days?

Maybe not. However we might speak in our own homes, many of us watch our language when we're in the office. I work from home these days, but in my experience the word "shit" is fine in an office, but regular use of the f-word would have people looking askance at you.

Bascially, I think swearing is like salt - sometimes it's necessary, but if you overdo it, you're left with an unpalatable mess. We've all encountered people who think that all it takes to be funny is to say rude words at inappropriate times. These people are wrong.

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But at the same time, while I don't march around throwing f-bombs right left and centre, I don't think there's a more effective way of expressing frustration than a gold aul f-bomb profanity. And fans of RuPaul's Drag Race will know that there's no better way to encourage the contestants of a reality show by reminding them "And remember - don't f*ck it up" on a weekly basis.

Similarly, there are circumstances, comic and otherwise, when swearing is not gratuitous and is just part of a situation - like in the Monty Python show. And in The Wire featured an amazing scene in which the only word repeatedly said, in different tones, by two characters investigating a crime scene was 'f*ck'.

And sometimes, excessive swearing is just funny. Like the Unclefukka song in the South Park Movie, which should just have been childish and, well, was childish, but which was also completely hilarious. This can even happen in real life too. My husband's uncle swears a lot. And I really do mean a lot. Once the entire extended family stayed in the same hotel after a funeral, and the next day this uncle, whom I will refer to as Tom to protect his sweary identity, expressed his pleasure at the breakfast in the following way: "These are some good f***ing sausages. I've never f***king had such f***ing good f***ing sausages in my f***ing life." He wasn't angry, or even excited. He was speaking in a perfectly normal tone of voice, and he continued to praise the sausages in this fashion  while my spouse, his siblings and I tried, and failed, not to crack up. He is, by the way, an army officer - do they all swear like that in the army? My father in law is a retired one and he swears a bit himself. Maybe it's just their family.

So what do you think about swearing in public? Do you have a problem with curse words being used in the media? Do you think a little goes a long way? And what sort of language is okay where you work?

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