# On profanity against non-posters \[\[edited thread title\]\] **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739 "2010-05-25T19:58:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/41 "2010-05-26T22:31:17Z")
What have those ∞\<◊#%\>^\*#%&?$ done now?! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/42 "2010-05-26T22:44:53Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Hey big boy. I never said you were stupid. I am aware however that you are gunning for me. We have a history. Needless to say I think you are a complete … Despite being literally “a day late” to this thread, I have to ask **TFD** , “are you _ **trying** _ to get yourself banned? Or are you just xxxxxxx xxxxxx?” ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/43 "2010-05-26T22:56:55Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Given that I know what I saw and given that you say you have the ability to refer back to posts before editing, I can conclude nothing else but that you lie. > Trust me, in my mind that is the vilest accusation that can be made on this message board. Question to “mods”: Can I say what I actually think about this? Or must I “shut-up”? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/44 "2010-05-26T23:05:26Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Question to “mods”: Can I say what I actually think about this? Or must I “shut-up”? The Pit is the place to address an issue with another poster. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/45 "2010-05-26T23:13:46Z")
Thank you for that clarification. Did I step over the line with item 5) in this post from the thread ‘Why do many people seem to think that the world will end on May 21, 2011’ in the General Questions Board? > [@Why do many people seem to think that the world will end on May 21, 2011?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-people-seem-to-think-that-the-world-will-end-on-may-21-2011/540621/99): > > Uh huh. > > 1. How do you know the world won’t end then? > > 2. Since the deluge took 40 days, many fish would have had time to adjust to the changing salinity. Also, does it say God made no new species after the flood? > > 3. How many people actually believe this? How many of them don’t belief in even more baseless ideas? > > 4. Someone already pointed out that God could change his mind. Is this pre-determined, or like the time Dad told me he would take me to the police station if I didn’t keep my room clean? > > 5. During the first 1 x 10-43 seconds after the Big Bang, I sent a PO to Dell for a new laptop. Still waiting. > > 6. Are you guys talking about the same serpent? Doesn’t seem clear from the text. > > 7. You can’t trust ‘cal’ in Unix for the year 3084, because Unix comes to an end in 2036. Wait, if the world ends in 2011, then John Titor was lying! > > 8. Superman could beat the Hulk in a fight. > > 9. I forget, is it feed a fever, or starve a fever? > > 10. How do they keep the water in water towers from freezing? Wait, I already know that one. > > 11. Why are insects crawling all over me? When did I get a Peacock? Where’s my gun? > > (good thing there’s an edit button, I almost asked a dumb question). ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/46 "2010-05-26T23:22:21Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > …And it occured to me that a potential for abuse by moderators existed… What? You are just noticing _ **now** _ that any time authority exists, it can be abused? Did an abuse actually happen? If not, what’s your complaint? If so, what was it? ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/47 "2010-05-26T23:39:57Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > The Pit is the place to address an issue with another poster. 😃 Right, since I don’t want to deal with the endlessness of a “Pitting”, then, I’ll just let it lie… &)(_&(&%^%^%(\*&&^%^&(_&()\*&&&%^$UYO Oh, I forgot, xxxxx xx xxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xx xxxx!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/48 "2010-05-26T23:43:32Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Right, since I don’t want to deal with the endlessness of a “Pitting”, then, I’ll just let it lie… &)(_&(&%^%^%(\*&&^%^&(_&()\*&&&%^$UYO > Oh, I forgot, xxxxx xx xxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xx xxxx!!! > 😃 To my mind, letting it lie would entail not continuing to post. YMMV. No warning issued, but try to be a nicer person. Seriously. **samclem** Moderating. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/49 "2010-05-27T00:02:49Z")
Sorry guys, can’t help myself. That’s why I’m trying define the line. Should I just hit the little ! in the triangle and report myself? Great Debates Was the U.S. Civil War all about slavery? > [@Was the U.S. Civil War all about slavery?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-u-s-civil-war-all-about-slavery/540432/120): > > Thanks for helping! I appreciate it. > > Guys, am I allowed to create apps to respond on these boards. See I can make one that responds to MOIDALIZE with the string ‘And that was directly based on slavery.’ > > Rats, now I have to ask the moderator another question. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/50 "2010-05-27T00:07:42Z")
> [@ed malin](#): > > Thank you for that clarification. Did I step over the line with item 5) in this post from the thread ‘Why do many people seem to think that the world will end on May 21, 2011’ in the General Questions Board? > [@ed malin](#): > > Sorry guys, can’t help myself. That’s why I’m trying define the line. Should I just hit the little ! in the triangle and report myself? > > Great Debates > Was the U.S. Civil War all about slavery? I’d rather see these on a case-by-case basis. I’m not going to be able to give much of a bright line on that. In the first example, the OP was answered in the first few post. After that, some joking is permitted. Your post #5 certainly isn’t a personal attack, and it’s not against a poster. In context, it’s fine. If it were post number 2, it wouldn’t be appropriate. And it wouldn’t be appropriate to make the thread about your post. But from what I see there, I’m not worried. The second one is not my forum. I’ll defer to the GD moderators. In any case, we’ve gotten away from the personal attacks or profanity rules. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/51 "2010-05-27T00:20:47Z")
Thanks, I get it. Wasn’t considering the early posting thing. I’ll avoid that. Oh, yeah, I did it again on the submarine bomb thread. I mean I had to really in that case. I’m feeling guilty about the potential of helping idiots kill themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/52 "2010-05-27T12:02:26Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > Really? Are we at the point where “xxxx xxx” is offensive and warnworthy? There was no warning here, but yes, I’m okay with warning people for insults even if childish gameplaying is used to cover up the words. If the meaning is clear, it’s still an insult. Otherwise we’re in a situation where posters get to insult each other but the mods have to stay out of it because of the cunning use of xxxx or $#!%. This doesn’t come up very much. Usually if people want to insult each other they want to make sure nobody can misunderstand what they are writing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/53 "2010-05-27T12:25:17Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > To my mind, letting it lie would entail not continuing to post. YMMV. > > No warning issued, but try to be a nicer person. Seriously. > > **samclem** Moderating. Jesus, don’t you know sarcasm when you read it? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/54 "2010-05-27T12:25:45Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There was no warning here, but yes, I’m okay with warning people for insults even if childish gameplaying is used to cover up the words. If the meaning is clear, it’s still an insult. Otherwise we’re in a situation where posters get to insult each other but the mods have to stay out of it because of the cunning use of xxxx or $#!%. This doesn’t come up very much. Usually if people want to insult each other they want to make sure nobody can misunderstand what they are writing. 😉 Furthermore, the Pit rules cover derivatives of those words. And if it wouldn’t be allowed in the Pit, why would be allowed in the more restrictive boards? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/55 "2010-05-27T18:30:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There was no warning here, but yes, I’m okay with warning people for insults even if childish gameplaying is used to cover up the words. If the meaning is clear, it’s still an insult. Otherwise we’re in a situation where posters get to insult each other but the mods have to stay out of it because of the cunning use of xxxx or $#!%. This doesn’t come up very much. Usually if people want to insult each other they want to make sure nobody can misunderstand what they are writing. 😉 You are too generous with the use of the word “cunning”. I see what you are saying but I think you are at the edge of some weird zone of slippery slopes. “Disguised insults” are a common thing in the daily talk of everyone, in and out of the boards. Effin’ A, geebus, sugarplum. You know what people are thinking when they say those yet you could probably even use them in court without getting a raised eyebrow from anyone. For that matter, even a “Yes, sir” can mask a “fuck you”. Would you warn a “yes, sir” because you know that he is the kind of person that says “yes, sir” when he means “fuck you”? I am not, for one second disputing what he meant by “xxxx xxx”. I just think that that is the type of things that you have to just roll your eyes and let go. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/56 "2010-05-27T18:48:40Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > You are too generous with the use of the word “cunning”. I like to give people a little credit when I can. 😉 > [@](#): > > I see what you are saying but I think you are at the edge of some weird zone of slippery slopes. I’m not really worried about it. We’d never warn somebody here for saying something like geebus or effin’ a. Those aren’t insults, they’re minced oaths. > [@](#): > > For that matter, even a “Yes, sir” can mask a “fuck you”. Would you warn a “yes, sir” because you know that he is the kind of person that says “yes, sir” when he means “fuck you”? No, I wouldn’t. None of these are comparable to “xxxx xxx” for “fuck you.” **The Flying Dutchman** hasn’t said he meant anything else; he even edited the post to get the number of xs right. Ironic use of polite language is not something we’re going to moderate because it’s not insulting. It’s a polite way of communicating something impolite. [When I was on the debate team in high school, we were told we could use the phrase “my learned opponent” in a similar manner- and you can see politicians do the same thing.] “xxxx xxx” and “FU” are just different ways of writing the same insult, “fuck you.” “Yes sir” is not, it has a meaning of its own. So it’s not a problem. One or two people have asked us to warn **Shodan** for his “Regards,” signature because he’s acknowledged using it ironically, but even if you know that, it still isn’t an insult. > [@](#): > > I just think that that is the type of things that you have to just roll your eyes and let go. I thought I did that. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/57 "2010-05-27T18:52:59Z")
Fair enough then. xxxxxx. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/58 "2010-05-27T18:54:53Z")
As long as nobody’s xxxxxxxx. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/59 "2010-05-27T19:00:05Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > You are too generous with the use of the word “cunning”. > > I see what you are saying but I think you are at the edge of some weird zone of slippery slopes. “Disguised insults” are a common thing in the daily talk of everyone, in and out of the boards. Effin’ A, geebus, sugarplum. You know what people are thinking when they say those yet you could probably even use them in court without getting a raised eyebrow from anyone. > > For that matter, even a “Yes, sir” can mask a “fuck you”. Would you warn a “yes, sir” because you know that he is the kind of person that says “yes, sir” when he means “fuck you”? > > I am not, for one second disputing what he meant by “xxxx xxx”. I just think that that is the type of things that you have to just roll your eyes and let go. Sugarplum is a masked insult? I live a sheltered life. What is it replacing? ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739/60 "2010-05-27T19:39:21Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Sugarplum is a masked insult? > > I live a sheltered life. > > What is it replacing? Well, it _could_ be a euphemism for shithead. But I’m thinking that some people might use it sarcastically, conveying by their tone that what is normally considered a term of endearment is intended as an insult. And of course online you can’t detect a poster’s tone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-profanity-against-non-posters-edited-thread-title/540739.md?page=4)