# On the Use of Rough Language in the Title **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 26, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809 "2007-02-26T23:19:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/61 "2007-03-01T15:36:07Z")
[QUOTE=Nic2004] Did yo even read the entire post of just what serves your position? [/quote] Yes, I did. I get that you opened the thread to talk about it. That’s exactly what I said, “You and a couple others aren’t bothered yourself, but think that someone out there must be offended, so we should talk about it.” In your very first post, you found a spot for a new “rule”, in your own words, within the sticky. So this whole thread has been discussion of a rule, until your post 56. > [@](#): > > I too wish it could be a matter of self-regulation and mentioned this in my email to C K Dexter Haven. 'kay, good! I’m with you now! I like this alternative to the rule suggested in the OP. > [@](#): > > Perhaps a recommendation/request to use consideration could be the approach. Perhaps a Sticky to this effect with the Mods having the call to suggest a Title change to the OP but it not being a requirement. I didn’t feel the need to quote and reply to your post because I could live with this compromise, and thought that was clear from my post. But to address it more specifically, I’d be less happy with a Mod sticky than with peer pressure. A sticky still feels like a rule and will be viewed as a rule and perhaps even misunderstood to be a rule, giving the mods more work when people start reporting “violations”. As I said, we’ve used social pressure via gentle mocking to virtually eliminate L33T and other “creative” writing styles with no stickies needed. If the will of the people were there, I’d expect to see the same happen to coarse language in thread titles. > [@](#): > > Last edited by Nic2004 : Today at 09:04 AM. Reason: coding corrections Now that’s funny! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/62 "2007-03-01T17:09:51Z")
I think the point of “what exactly would you achieve by banning rough language in thread titles?” is very valid point that needs to be answered before talking about changing a rule. I understand that people don’t want such word popping up on their screen without warning, but would banning words in just titles really stop that? You’re browsing the board and see a perfectly innocent title and click on it, and before you know it you’ve got rude words in a big bad font. The point of thread titles is to be descriptive, as the sticky rules request, the reason for this must be so you can judge if you want to read/participate in that thread or not. Using a differant set of rules for writing thread content and thread titles is counter to the idea of descriptive threads. For the record I see no need to use such language in thread titles when I have other options. But I certainly don’t feel that anyone should be prevented from using whatever words _they_ decide to use. And BTW, it’s natural to believe the things you were raised to believe, but it’s not compulsary. You’re a grown up now and are allowed to change your mind. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/63 "2007-03-01T17:13:36Z")
Nic2004, you can disagree with other people but you can’t insult them while you’re at it, not here. Don’t do that again. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/64 "2007-03-01T17:21:51Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] You haven’t been reading the Pit lately, have you? [/QUOTE] Heh. The thing about here, though, is even in the midst of their red-eyed rage, Dopers are (generally) coherent and intelligent. When they’re shouting obscenities at each other they are doing it creatively and interestingly. It’s not a “YOUR MOTHER!” type of thing. Mostly anyway. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/65 "2007-03-01T18:10:43Z")
[QUOTE=essell] The point of thread titles is to be descriptive, as the sticky rules request, the reason for this must be so you can judge if you want to read/participate in that thread or not. Using a differant set of rules for writing thread content and thread titles is counter to the idea of descriptive threads. [/QUOTE] It would technically be possible to label profanity as we do spoilers for entertainment: **I’m very irritated with my boss (Profanity Inside)** The problem then becomes more work for the mods when the OP doesn’t include profanity (or a warning) and a subsequent post in the thread does. Then it would have to be reported and the thread title modified or the post edited. Which all sounds very tiresome, and I don’t know if it’s even practical on a board with good, but few in number, moderators and a lot of daily posts. Which is why I agree, on a practical level, that’s it’s pretty much all or nothing, as far as protecting our precious bodily fluids - I mean, children - from seeing profanity on a message board of this size. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/66 "2007-03-01T18:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] It would technically be possible to label profanity as we do spoilers for entertainment: **I’m very irritated with my boss (Profanity Inside)** [/QUOTE] But… why? It’s just pixels on a computer screen. I mean, really now. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/67 "2007-03-01T20:30:34Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Nic2004, you can disagree with other people but you can’t insult them while you’re at it, not here. Don’t do that again. [/QUOTE] My sincere apologies to **WhyNot**. I’m sorry. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/68 "2007-03-01T20:36:40Z")
[QUOTE=Nic2004] My sincere apologies to **WhyNot**. I’m sorry. [/QUOTE] My sincere thanks and acceptance. As far as I’m concerned, we’re cool, just both opinionated and stubborn and not shy about expressing ourselves. In other words…we’re Dopers! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/69 "2007-03-01T21:56:19Z")
Another problem, what words would you want banned? Some things are considered foul language in one country and not another. One example that comes to mind is generally considered one of the worst things you can call a woman here in the US but I’ve heard from our UK dopers that its considered very mild over there. I don’t generally use a lot of ‘rough’ language on the boards (even in the pit), but couldn’t support adding a special rule about what words can be in thread titles. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/70 "2007-03-02T03:28:42Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] The problem then becomes more work for the mods when the OP doesn’t include profanity (or a warning) and a subsequent post in the thread does. Then it would have to be reported and the thread title modified or the post edited. [/QUOTE] Yea, here is a great example. From within the popular found wallet from the 70s thread. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8309019&postcount=252](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8309019&postcount=252) Vulgar (to me), yet an interesting anecdote nonetheless. [QUOTE=WhyNot] One poster, **Keweenaw** , finally came in and said that it’s a problem for him (her) personally. [/QUOTE] Ok… Well I never said I was personally offended. **CK** asked - [QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Let’s do it confidentially: if you would prefer that thread titles be limited to G-rated language, please send me an email: [/QUOTE] Which I would, so I did. Upon reflection however I don’t see a practical enforcement method that wouldn’t add headaches for Mod workload. A word censor list, even if could be applied only to thread titles in vbulletin, would still be cleverly bypassed. It would still need mod monitoring. I don’t think this would be an efficient use of their time. So I would _prefer_ it, but I can live without it. (yes how very generous of me; I know) I’d also prefer the ‘New Posts’ button not show me Pitt threads either, but it’s unlikely I’ll make a thread in ATMB about it. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/71 "2007-03-02T03:45:37Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Nic2004, you can disagree with other people but you can’t insult them while you’re at it, not here. Don’t do that again. [/QUOTE] I was wrong in my statement and have made my apology. However, this strikes me as a similar limitation on speech to what I have requested. I used language that is not permitted _in this Forum_ and was called on it. Is it a form of censorship. Yea. Is it useful and necessary to have a Board that is polite and intelligent. Yes. As far as the fears of a list of banned words I say “Don’t be a Jerk” is far more vague than what I suggest. Yet it is beneficial to all who post here and contested by none. Additionally, I have seen occasions where people have edited out rough language in their posts saying “just noticed the Forum I’m posting in”. Is it a rule that you can only cuss in the Pit or just that you can’t cuss at an individual? Either way, this is another form of the censorship most of those opposing have stated as a fear. Yet no one suggests a free-for-all without guidelines. My own mistake is a fine example of useful censorship and Mod enforcement without any fuss or muss and the Board is a better place for it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/72 "2007-03-02T04:09:01Z")
No, you can fucking cuss in any forum–although doing so gratuitously and in excess is likely to get you in some trouble. You just can’t personally insult another poster outside of the Pit. It’s not really censorship; I’m perfectly free to tell you I think this is a stupid idea. What I can’t do is tell you that YOU are stupid for suggesting it.\* \*I don’t think you’re stupid for suggesting it; this is only an example. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/73 "2007-03-02T04:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] No, you can fucking cuss in any forum–although doing so gratuitously and in excess is likely to get you in some trouble. You just can’t personally insult another poster outside of the Pit. It’s not really censorship; I’m perfectly free to tell you I think this is a stupid idea. What I can’t do is tell you that YOU are stupid for suggesting it.\* \*I don’t think you’re stupid for suggesting it; this is only an example. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I think we’re entering that grey area where it is up to that particular mod in that particular situation. For example if **DoperA** starts a thread in IMHO\* asking if he/she should invite both of his/her recently divorded parents to the same Easter party, then it could be considered insulting if **DoperB** states that “I think this is a stupid idea.” - Yes I realize “in IMHO” is redundant. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/74 "2007-03-02T04:32:01Z")
Possibly. Although I think that’s more a violation of the general “Don’t Be a Jerk” policy than anything else. As you say, a grey area; my point was there’s no specific rule about it, the way there is about direct personal insults. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/75 "2007-03-02T04:35:13Z")
Hmm. You know, I’ve posted cussin’ headers in starting Pit threads, and somehow failed entirely to realize that people might see 'em who’d prefer not to have such words foisted on their unwilling eyeballs. So I wish to apologize, and I promise more inventive invective in future. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/76 "2007-03-02T14:34:11Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] No, you can fucking cuss in any forum–although doing so gratuitously and in excess is likely to get you in some trouble. You just can’t personally insult another poster outside of the Pit. It’s not really censorship; I’m perfectly free to tell you I think this is a stupid idea. What I can’t do is tell you that YOU are stupid for suggesting it.\* \*I don’t think you’re stupid for suggesting it; this is only an example. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Thank you for clearing that up for me. For a moment you had me doubting if I measured up in your eyes. This is, however, what I’m referring to in this thread. This is self-regulation with a gentle reminder on occasion. **Beware of Doug** - Thanks for your post. I appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/77 "2007-03-02T14:42:26Z")
[QUOTE=Nic2004] TThis is, however, what I’m referring to in this thread. This is self-regulation with a gentle reminder on occasion. [/QUOTE] But, that happens anyway. You go look in any non-Pit forum and tell me how many titles contain “rough” language and how many pages you had to go through to find them. I really don’t see it as a problem which needs to be addressed by the staff. They have better things to do with their time. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/78 "2007-03-02T15:58:31Z")
I’ve put an announcement in all forums, but meanwhile we still only have four emails from people thinking that a change would be good. Please do NOT email me if you oppose change. The first layer of investigation is: are there a significant number of members who would like this change. If (as I suspect) the answer is no, then we don’t need to worry about the second step. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/79 "2007-03-03T14:18:14Z")
[QUOTE=bigbabysweets2000] Yes I realize “in IMHO” is redundant. [/QUOTE] No, it’s not. The forum name is In My Humble Opinion, not My Humble Opinion. “In IMHO” is as valid a usage as “In MPSIMS.” ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809/80 "2007-03-03T20:52:21Z")
At this point, we’ve had enough people requesting a change that I’ve brought the matter up for Moderator discussion. If you have any valuable new insights, we’d like to hear them. If you just want to rehash the usual arguments, that’s fine, of course, but we know those. If you have a thought or situation, for or agin, that you think we might not have considered, please post or (better) email me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-rough-language-in-the-title/393809.md?page=5)