Many valid points have been raised here. I’ll try to speak to a few of them.
No. I never ask them to cover up when he and I go there But seriously, I may go there but can appreciate how painting pictures of the dancers on the outside wall for all to see is inconsiderate. I need not object per my own tastes to understand the politeness of better judgement.
True. But I can elect not to open a thread based on the Forum or the Poster to minimize this entering my home. I can’t, on the other hand, keep from seeing titles like the one pointed out by Doctor Who. This is a perfect example. I am far enough past my days in High School to find such things excitingly naughty.
I totally agree and feel that if someone wishes to express anger or disgust or whatever and needs to use harsh words then more power to ya. I just feel it is good manners and more considerate to consider others for this wee little part of your post. Save it for the body of the message is what I’m asking. You can’t yell FIRE in a theater, HighJack on a plane or threaten the POTUS. I would never seek to impinge on the right to free speech in our threads and don’t buy into the “Slippery slope” of starting down the road to censorship. This is an intelligent group of people. I feel that most can understand the difference.
I’ve heard this for years from crude and thoughtless people that need to chain smoke in a restaurant with others trying to eat, talk in a movie where others are trying to listen, cuss on a bus or in a public place because “It’s their right”.
Exactly. If it’s not dead, it is at least only mostly dead.
The stronger argument, I think, is the “Workplace-safe” argument. If your boss is walking by and sees the word “Fuck” in bold face, larger font, on the screen, it may attract attention. The forum screen where thread titles are available is pretty noticable. Presumably, the same word just typed in as part of text would be unnoticed.
Moderator attitude has always been that this is not a site for children, and that we don’t want to limit language. However, if there are posters who are offended by crude language and don’t go to a forum on account of seeing it in the titles, we could think about it. My own guess is that we don’t have many posters who care, but I’m willing to take a poll. Let’s do it confidentially: if you would prefer that thread titles be limited to G-rated language, please send me an email: ckdexthavn@aol.com . Be sure your email has a subject line like “Thread titles” (emails with subject lines “Buy viagara!” tend to get deleted without being read) and be sure to tell me WHY.
As I say, I think a case could possibly be made for workplace-safe language.
Let’s see what the numbers are. Nic2004 has made it clear that she/he personally doesn’t care but it worried about posters who might. If no one cares, the issue becomes moot. And mute.
Most workplaces have internet usage policies which forbid the use of web access for personal use. My feeling is that if you’re browsing from work, and your employer has a such a policy in place, you’re on your own. MHO, only, of course.
I don’t use offensive words much, because I don’t see the point. However, sometimes you are actually talking about the word as such. So, would we be able to use thread titles like, “What is the origin of ‘fuck’?” or “Someone called me a nigger today”? In my opinion, titles like tyhat ought to be perfectly acceptable.
I hardly think that titties painted large on the side of a public building are the same thing as your choice to knowingly visit a Web site with adult language in the presence of your children. That’s YOUR judgment. We’re not the ones exposing your kids to bad language in the privacy of your own home; YOU are.
“Entering your home”? It’s not being piped in against your will. You’re aware of the content of the site.
Pardon me, but I don’t appreciate the comparison. These are all examples of rude behavior being inflicted on a captive audience. I hesitate to repeat myself yet again, but you don’t HAVE to surf the Dope in the presence of your kids if you feel that its content is inappropriate for them. Do you watch R-rated movies with the kidlets on your lap? Didn’t think so.
As nice as I suppose it might be if we were all so eloquent we could express our anger with a florid tangle of descriptive, creative phrases, but sometimes a “you motherfuckers” is really the only phrase that properly captures the moment.
One great thing about the SDMB is that it’s always been the best place on the Internet for quality discussion, allowing its members to talk about just about everything under the sky, as long as we’re not jerks about it. There are discussions about all types of sex, of people death, politics, and just about every corner of the human experience. A rule against swear words would be at best bizarre and arbitrary for a board that should be well-past such hangups. We’re all grownups, here.
I rarely use bad language in my thread titles. But I certainly won’t censor myself for someone else’s children.
You say this is a problem because your children may see it, I say I come here specifically to get away from children and the child-like behavior over the rest of the boards.
This kind of thing really ticks me off. I will not turn my life G to respect other people’s kids. They are YOUR problem, YOU had them, YOU raise them. I am voluntarily childless.
Hmm. A poll soliciting a single opinion. I’ll bet I can predict the results of the poll. 100% percent of respondents will be found to be in favor of limiting thread titles to G-rated language. Sounds like an FCC operation.
I came home with the word “fuck” in my vocabulary at age 4. My parents, after a few seconds of amusement and mild panic, gently explained that the word was not polite and suggested I not use it again. I was 14 when I said it again, and by then I fully understood what it meant.
This is in part why I don’t understand the need to “protect” children from adult language. Kids are going to pick up swear words eventually, and I think it’s far better for parents to teach kids why they shouldn’t say those words, rather than shield them from it and not give them guidelines for proper use. It’s silly to act like it’s a big deal. It’s just a word; it won’t beat them up or steal their money. It probably takes more energy to continuously “protect” children from things than it does to teach them what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
And seriously, if you’re concerned about kids seeing bad words on the SDf’nMB, you may as well disconnect your internet connection now. It gets much, much worse than this.
Yes, but if there are 5 respondents, out of however many thousand members there are, even if you’re only counting active members I think we can safely call that a small percentage of the membership. Granted, it’s still a self-selecting poll, but I think it might have some merit.
Agreed. As I said from the beginning, I only seek to put forth a item for consideration. As for the kids thing, I think there may be many adults here that can do without the adolescent need for the shock value sought by those same members of other boards often criticized here.
As to expressing the appropriate amount of anger, sometimes a good MOTHERFUCKER can’t be replaced by anything else. But in a title it might suffice to say M*&$%#F*&#$R out of a sense of courtesy to those whose that might be repelled by that kind of vitriol and would otherwise avoid the Thread.
I accept the opinion of the Millions.
I tried to add this to the Post via Edit but the connection was too slow.
BTW, I am a Biker in the Old School concept of the term and those who know me would laugh at the idea of me being sensitive to rough language. The point is, I don’t have to be offended to consider the effect on others. I would also not consider the use of terms offensive to certain groups, like Christians, Jews, African-Americans, Vertically Challenged, in a Title that they may wish to avoid.
And it seems nonsensical to censor thread titles but not the thread contents; you never know when a thread titled “I’m mad at my family” will open with “fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck baked beans fuck fuck fuck…”. The only sensible options are: ban universally*, or don’t ban at all.
And, as one who conscienciously avoids swearing in the company of others, I still think this is an inapproriate rule. Nobody is forcing you to come here, and if you choose to bring this web site into your house and parade it in front of your children, that is your choice. Nothing is being forced on the theoritical parent. The proposed exchange, however, is to force something one everyone else. This is not something a polite person does. You do not go into somebody else’s house and tell them not to swear.
*and even if the ban should somehow pass, the pit should definitely be exempted from such foolishness.
But seriously, I may go there but can appreciate how painting pictures of the dancers on the outside wall for all to see is inconsiderate. I need not object per my own tastes to understand the politeness of better judgement.
