Use of the f-word

[Rilchiam]

This is not a smart-aleck question; I'm genuinely curious. Arnold questioned the six occurrences of the f-word in this thread, wondering if my OP was a misdirected Pit entry.

I had had a fleeting thought, when I sat down to recount the incident, of Pitting the subject. But I chose MPSIMS on the grounds that the issue was my embarrassment at being caught in such a state, my indignation at having my privacy compromised, and my uncertainty as to whether the incident was a simple mistake, or an attempt at menace. I just happen to use that word a lot. Even, as I said in the thread, when I'm in a positive mood. But especially when I'm at sixes and sevens as I was when I typed the OP. I did, however, think my tone was acceptable for MPSIMS; the replies I got were in a humorous vein.

I've heard people, though I'm not sure they're mods, decry the "And since this is the Pit, @%*, #*&@, %#@&^!*&+!" gag. But I never thought language was confined strictly to the Pit. I'm sure I've seen the f-word in MPSIMS, so at least one use in one thread must be acceptable. (I've tried to conduct a search, but it keeps timing out. Will report back with any relevant cites.)

Is there a cap on how many times one can use the f-word in an MPSIMS post, or thread?

[Arnold Winkelried]

You're asking if we have an exact number of times the word "fuck" is allowed in an MPSIMS post?
No.
But many people find the word "fuck" vulgar and offensive. I don't think it's too much of an imposition to suggest to people that its use be saved for The BBQ Pit.
Example: in your post you say "Mr. Rilch took a moment to ravish me before he left for work..." if you replace it with "Mr. Rilch took a moment to fuck me before he left for work..." I think it sounds crass.

[Rilchiam]

Well, I'd never use the second version, in any fora! Funny thing is, I don't use that word to describe the sex act. Just everything else

I tried numerous times to do a search for that word in MPSIMS, and failed to connect each time. Finally abandoned the effort, thinking it might fall into the category of a board-slowing vanity search. But you're saying it's not banned outright in MPSIMS?

[Arnold Winkelried]

Why don't you use it to describe the sex act? Why would you not use it in that way in any forum? Please explain the difference to me.

[Rilchiam]

I don't use it to describe the sex act because...I don't. I agree that it's crass. So I wouldn't use it that way in any forum because I don't use it that way ever, IRL or online.

As far as using it for emphasis, well, that's the way you get when you were a teenager in the '80s, a college student in the '90s, and live in LA, on the fringe of the film industry. There's no hostility in it; it's just my way, and the way of most people I know, of expressing ourselves.

[Irishman]

"Fuck" is an intensifier, an interjection, an exclamation, and a sign of extreme feeling of whatever sort. Whereas "the sex act" is a personal interaction with emotional involvement and human connection. Thus "fucking" would be engaging in sexual activity without interconnection. (Some dipshit is going to make that a masterbation play on words, but that's not what's meant.)

I don't know if that is Rilchiam's interpretation, but I have known people with that attitude.

[dantheman]

Here's my take. I think that in all of the "normal" fora, the word can be used conversationally on occasion, as in "what the fuck was Mel Gibson thinking?" or "fucking-a! " or something like that. In the Pit, you can use it with actual vitriol, as in "fuck you, Burger King." IOW, you can't use "fuck" in anger anywhere except the Pit.

[Rilchiam]

That's actually pretty good, Irishman! Thank you!

[Duck Duck Goose]

Well, Rilch, FWIW, IMO the thread in question comes off as a MPSIMS thread--until the last two paragraphs. Then it suddenly turns into a Pit thread. An occasional "fuck" in a MPSIMS thread is no biggie, but Pit threads are the ones where you holler helplessly, over and over again, "What the fucking fuck?"

And, I might add, where you generally invoke the Name of the Creator, as in "Jesus Christ!"

[Rilchiam]

Right, DDG. I started off MPSIMS-style, but it started sinking in while I was typing, causing me to segue into Pit mode.

[Achernar]

Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose
you generally invoke the Name of the Creator, as in "Jesus Christ!"

Boy, I don't understand Christianity at all.

[Arnold Winkelried]

Irishman - very well put. I can appreciate the distinction you make.
Rilchiam - it seems that the people in this thread that read your MPSIMS OP agree that it was more appropriate for The BBQ Pit in the last paragraph. From your posts it seems clear that you are one of the people agreeing with that point of view. Please keep that in mind when you post in MPSIMS.
I trust your questions have been answered. (Is the word 'fuck' banned outright? Of course not.)

[White Lightning]

Originally posted by Rilchiam
As far as using it for emphasis, well, that's the way you get ... There's no hostility in it; it's just my way, and the way of most people I know, of expressing ourselves.

Would you do it around kids? No? Welcome to MPSIMS.

I'm not trying to be judgemental, I have a horrible potty mouth, and since I so rarely hang around children, I sometimes do slip up and say something inappropriate. But being on the board makes it pretty easy to self-censor.

[porcupine]

I didn't even notice the word "fuck" in the OP until Arnold pointed it out. Like Rilchiam, I use the word a fair amount conversationally, and I seldom notice it.

[Arnold Winkelried]

porcupine, noooooo! Just when the tide of popular opinion was turning my way!

[Arnold Winkelried]

Originally posted by Irishman
[b]"Fuck" is an intensifier, an interjection, an exclamation, and a sign of extreme feeling of whatever sort. Whereas "the sex act" is a personal interaction with emotional involvement and human connection. Thus "fucking" would be engaging in sexual activity without interconnection.

On second thought: if the word fuck denotes extreme feeling, then having sex with your significant other should warrant the use of the word "fuck". The romantic in me hopes that you (the generic you, not you Irishman or you Rilchiam) have a great deal of love for your significant other.

[japatlgt]

Its a small world after all. Good grief!

[Rilchiam]

Okay, Arnold: I messed up. (Notice my judicious choice of verbs there!) Had I the chance to do it over, I would have posted in MPSIMS without the last two paragraphs. And yes, Mr. Rilch and I do wove each other wots and wots!

[Duck Duck Goose]

EEWWWWWwwwww...

[Rilchiam]

...should have said 'wuv' each other...

[Ringo]

Wove? Is the SDMB going to introduce me to yet another previously unknown (to me) intimate act?

[Rilchiam]

I meant 'wuv'... Although you could say our hearts are interwoven...

[Wikkit]

I also didn't notice the fucks until Arnold pointed them out. I only notice them when they seem out of place, and Rilch doesn't seem to use them in odd spots.

I count 8, if you include the "WTF"s.

Oh, and I usually read the Pit first, so my view may be tainted.

[Enderw24]

An MPSIMS thread that should be in the pit and an ATMB thread that looks like it's heading for MPSIMS.
I think you need to start a "How the fuck do you use the fucking search engine?" thread in the pit and come full circle.

[Irishman]

Now Arnold you've gone and scrambled the meaning of what I said.

1. Fuck is an intensifier, interjection, or exclamation. "That was fucking good." "Fuck an a." "Fuck you." "Fuck, I hate it when that happens." This bears only a happenstance relation to sex acts. It does not convey a romantic or sentimental touch, but rather a desire to offend/shock.

2. Fuck meaning the sex act. This use of the word indicates the physical act without any emotional involvement (except of course the physical pleasure of the act itself).

3. Making love. This is the emotional and/or spiritual act of intwining with your partner, having sex but in a romantic, emotionally connected way. Thus the use of the word "love".

A gross analogy way to think of the difference between 2 and 3. 2 is all about yourself, 3 is all about your partner.