It’s not a word I’d use in front of children or my mother. But it’s a very satisfying word to use.
First time I saw ‘shit’ in a major newspaper was in the Washington Post in 1982.
Some time after Air Florida 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge, the WaPo published the transcript of the cockpit conversation between the captain and the first officer. During the part where they’re still on the ground, the first officer said, “Boy, this is shitty. It’s probably the shittiest snow I’ve ever seen.” That was in the paper, verbatim. And one of those uses of ‘shitty’ was in the header for the transcript, probably the “shittiest snow I’ve ever seen” part.
As swear/curse words go, its pretty mild but I do still consider using it to be a form of swearing.
Due to social mores and the way I was raised, and the society in which I live, yadda yadda yadda, I use it some of the time, but not all of the time. I wouldn’t use it in a meeting at work, for example, even if I thought the peron speaking was full of shit. I’m such a conformist to the ways of society!
“Wouldn’t say shit if I had a mouthful” should have been a poll option.
But it’s a lovely word, and so descriptive.
I’ve wondered at times if the vague and multipurposed words like shit aren’t a thought inhibiting word. Something like orwells newspeak. I’ve been trying to curse less and actually find that my vocabulary and clearness of thought improves when i actually verbalize my real meaning rather than just using catch all curse words. Of course sometimes cursing seems to be the only way to say what I’m trying to say.
Either way, a thought provoking YouTube channel, vsause has posted a great video on cursing. Why Are Bad Words Bad? - YouTube
My grandmother used it all the time. My mother protested so grandma changed it back to the german Scheisse. She also called black people schwarzer. Bleh old people. My favorite is still “bullshit”
I’m fond of “dipshit” when it comes to the variants.
I was the vector who brought “dipshit” to my small home town, as taught me by my big-city cousins. I feel so like a “patient zero.”