# Is telling someone "Fuck you" in a PM a rules violation? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 13, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844 "2016-07-13T19:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/21 "2016-07-15T18:17:27Z")
Riiiiight. Then why have the multiple instances of “Fuck off” gone completely unremarked by anybody, including those they were directed at? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/22 "2016-07-15T18:18:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Riiiiight. Then why have the multiple instances of “Fuck off” gone completely unremarked by anybody, including those they were directed at? Hasnt Miller used this phrase in the pit? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/23 "2016-07-15T18:28:10Z")
Lots of instances in The Pit. Now, a strict reading of the rules might lead you to believe that the offending words aren’t “fuck off,” but “and die.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/24 "2016-07-15T18:30:18Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Hasnt Miller used this phrase in the pit? “Fuck you” is the phrase you asked about. “Fuck off” is a totally different phrase that means something totally different. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/25 "2016-07-15T18:33:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > “Fuck you” is the phrase you asked about. “Fuck off” is a totally different phrase that means something totally different. "fuck you and variants, e.g., go fuck yourself, fuck off and die " ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/26 "2016-07-15T18:40:46Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > "fuck you and variants, e.g., go fuck yourself, fuck off and die " What is and isn’t allowed is right there in the link I provided. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/27 "2016-07-15T18:54:55Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What is and isn’t allowed is right there in the link I provided. and I quoted that. ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/28 "2016-07-15T19:53:49Z")
Miller has always taken a literal interpretation of the rule such that “fuck off” is not the same as “fuck off and die”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/29 "2016-07-15T20:00:11Z")
That’s because **Miller** is a competent Mod who realizes that the rule is chickenshit nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/30 "2016-07-16T23:18:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I wasn’t worried about that in the least. I make my political jabs out in the open in GQ and get warned for them, as Og intended! 😛 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/31 "2016-07-17T00:05:30Z")
What about telling someone > [@](#): > > I suggest you should attempt a physiologically improbable act of self-penetration Because there are some people who really should, you know? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/32 "2016-07-18T18:19:25Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > From the guidelines: > > “Since they are treated as postings, the rules of conduct for private messages are the same as those of the general forums of the Straight Dope Message Board, starting, but not ending, with our most basic rule: Don’t be a jerk.” > > So yes, it would be a violation of board rules and therefore warnable. Man, I could go back and report about a dozen PM’s sitting in my message box from over the last dozen years, from various long time posters, that seem to let their emotions get the best of themselves. Best quotes from over the years: “You don’t know shit, dipwad” “fucking ignorant and sanctimonious piece of shit” “what a little shitstain you are” “Eat shit and fuck off” On a scale of 1 to 10, I give most of these a 3.5 due to lack of creativity. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/33 "2016-07-18T18:45:03Z")
So\* why \*can’t you tell someone “Fuck you” in the Pit? We’re allowed to insult people, to yell and scream at them, to mock them, mock their ideas, verbally assault them personally, lie to them, about them, etc. So why does “Fuck you” cross that imaginary line? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/34 "2016-07-18T19:18:03Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > So\* why \*can’t you tell someone “Fuck you” in the Pit? We’re allowed to insult people, to yell and scream at them, to mock them, mock their ideas, verbally assault them personally, lie to them, about them, etc. So why does “Fuck you” cross that imaginary line? Because \*\*Ed \*\*thinks it drives off advertisers. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/35 "2016-07-18T20:33:20Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Man, I could go back and report about a dozen PM’s sitting in my message box from over the last dozen years, from various long time posters, that seem to let their emotions get the best of themselves. > > Best quotes from over the years: > > “You don’t know shit, dipwad” > “fucking ignorant and sanctimonious piece of shit” > “what a little shitstain you are” > “Eat shit and fuck off” > > On a scale of 1 to 10, I give most of these a 3.5 due to lack of creativity. I’d encourage you to report them if they offend. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/36 "2016-07-18T20:54:10Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Because \*\*Ed \*\*thinks it drives off advertisers. More specifically, it runs afoul of the rules against threats and wishing harm to posters. That’s why “\* fuck you” and “fuck off **and die** ” are not allowed, but plain “fuck off” or “go fuck a cactus” are OK. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844/37 "2016-07-18T21:52:16Z")
I do believe that attempting penetrative sex with a member of the Cactaceae family would be _quite_ harmful to the person so directed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-telling-someone-fuck-you-in-a-pm-a-rules-violation/759844.md?page=1)