# Question about Pit language rules **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 14, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934 "2017-06-14T14:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/1 "2017-06-14T14:38:23Z")
Something I’ve been wondering about. Why is “Fuck off” allowed in the pit, but not the other forms as listed in the pinned thread about restricted language? Or why is “Go fuck a cactus” allowed but “Go fuck yourself” isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/2 "2017-06-14T14:47:31Z")
From a previous thread: > [@Telling someone in The Pit to fuck off.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-in-the-pit-to-fuck-off/736517/17): > > I interpret the phrases included in the language sticky as narrowly as possible. The specific phrase mentioned there is “fuck off _and die_,” not just “fuck off,” so I tend to give it a pass. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/3 "2017-06-14T15:03:00Z")
Well, the question is more of “why are only THOSE language constructs in the language sticky” not why do the moderators follow the language sticky. What’s so special about “Go fuck yourself” that makes it off limits when “Go fuck a cactus” isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/4 "2017-06-14T15:23:01Z")
Ed Zotti didn’t think to add “go fuck a cactus” to his list of banned words. I assume he foolishly thought his “and variants” would cover the bases and he either isn’t aware of, doesn’t care about or has given up the battle on the enforcement of the banned words lists. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/5 "2017-06-14T15:29:41Z")
Well, I was sort of maybe hoping you could, you know, ASK him why? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/6 "2017-06-14T15:35:40Z")
[I imagine there’s something in here about it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508033) ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/7 "2017-06-14T15:41:53Z")
Well, in that thread, this is mentioned: 1. No abusive remarks directed at other posters. Basically this means you can’t tell another poster to fuck off (or similar). Creative insults on the other hand are welcome as always. Seems to cover the phrase “fuck off” pretty closely. ---
**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:** [June 14, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/8 "2017-06-14T16:33:07Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > [I imagine there’s something in here about it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508033) That was updated a week later with a [more specific list](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10894824#post10894824). Yes, Miller chooses to ignore the “e.g.” in the list, but he enforces the rules so I guess he gets to interpret them as he wants. If you want to rationalize it, “fuck off” is just an insult and therefore OK. “Fuck you” is effectively telling you to rape yourself, and wishing rape on a poster is obviously out of bounds. Likewise, “fuck off and die” wishes death on a poster. “Go fuck a cactus” might seem like it wishes harm on the poster, but presumably it doesn’t _have_ to be a painful experience (plenty of foreplay, perhaps?) and is therefore OK. I somehow doubt this was Ed’s intent, but it lets me sleep at night. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/9 "2017-06-14T16:53:59Z")
Well, it depends on whether you do it human style, or cactus style, doesn’t it? Because fucking a cactus could also entail jacking off, then letting a hummingbird carry your semen to the cactus’ flowers, which wouldn’t be painful at all to the cactus-fucker. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/10 "2017-06-14T17:05:27Z")
That post implies a worrying amount of thought put into the phrase “fuck a cactus” :eek: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/11 "2017-06-14T17:07:34Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > That was updated a week later with a [more specific list](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10894824#post10894824). Yes, Miller chooses to ignore the “e.g.” in the list, but he enforces the rules so I guess he gets to interpret them as he wants. > > If you want to rationalize it, “fuck off” is just an insult and therefore OK. “Fuck you” is effectively telling you to rape yourself, and wishing rape on a poster is obviously out of bounds. Likewise, “fuck off and die” wishes death on a poster. “Go fuck a cactus” might seem like it wishes harm on the poster, but presumably it doesn’t _have_ to be a painful experience (plenty of foreplay, perhaps?) and is therefore OK. > > I somehow doubt this was Ed’s intent, but it lets me sleep at night. How can someone rape themselves? What about “Masturbate you!”? 🙂 I’m not losing sleep over it, I was just curious what the thought process was between allowing “Fuck off” and “Go fuck a cactus” but not “Fuck you” or “Go fuck yourself” ---
**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:** [June 14, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/12 "2017-06-14T17:13:00Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I’m not losing sleep over it, I was just curious what the thought process was between allowing “Fuck off” and “Go fuck a cactus” but not “Fuck you” or “Go fuck yourself” You have two options. Don’t think about it too much, or follow **Chronos’** approach and think about it _way_ too much. (By the way, I think his scenario is how unicorns are created). ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/13 "2017-06-14T17:18:34Z")
I think there might be a 3rd option. Ask a question about the SDMB in the forum titled “About This Message Board” and then check back occasionally during breaks at work to see if there are any more posts and/or answers 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/14 "2017-06-14T17:34:27Z")
> [@Matt Walsh: Climate alarmists, I can’t take you seriously until you start living like the Amish](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-walsh-climate-alarmists-i-can-t-take-you-seriously-until-you-start-living-like-the-amish/785702/202): > > “Go fuck a cactus” is just “fuck off” with a bit of extra invective. As it stops short of wishing death on anyone (i.e.: “fuck off and die”) it is allowed. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/15 "2017-06-14T22:55:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, it depends on whether you do it human style, or cactus style, doesn’t it? Because fucking a cactus could also entail jacking off, then letting a hummingbird carry your semen to the cactus’ flowers, which wouldn’t be painful at all to the cactus-fucker. Says you. Do you REALLY want a hummingbird pecker messing with your sperm? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/16 "2017-06-15T02:45:29Z")
Not as much fun as a swallow Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/17 "2017-06-15T13:50:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, it depends on whether you do it human style, or cactus style, doesn’t it? Because fucking a cactus could also entail jacking off, then letting a hummingbird carry your semen to the cactus’ flowers, which wouldn’t be painful at all to the cactus-fucker. Technically, what you describe is “inseminating” or “pollenating” a cactus. We don’t generally say “The be fucks the flower and that’s where flower babies come from”. “Fuck” implies the physical act of intercourse, as in “McGreggor said fuck ewe!”, which means the sheep should be really scared. [sub]Pedantry, that’s what my doctorate is in :)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/18 "2017-06-15T17:40:16Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Something I’ve been wondering about. Why is “Fuck off” allowed in the pit, but not the other forms as listed in the pinned thread about restricted language? Or why is “Go fuck a cactus” allowed but “Go fuck yourself” isn’t? “Fuck off” is allowed in the Pit but not other forums because insults are restricted to the Pit. As for the specific list of what’s banned in the Pit, that came about as an attempt to tame some of the strongest, most visible aspects of board language as an attempt to appease the corporate overlords. Something to the effect of not having threads titled “Go Fuck Yourself and Die, You Motherfucking Piece of Shit!”, showing up on the forum thread list. As for why the list of prohibited variants is strictly interpreted, there was a lot of unhappiness by some of the board membership about curtailing freedom of expression, and the moderators were made enforcers of a rule they didn’t necessarily want. So they choose to interpret the list as strictly add possible. As for why nobody wants to ask Ed about it now, we’d rather not have Ed expand the list. Better to just let things lie. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/19 "2017-06-15T18:35:31Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > “Fuck off” is allowed in the Pit but not other forums because insults are restricted to the Pit Thanks, but that’s not what I asked. I said “forms” No worries though 🙂 > [@](#): > > As for why nobody wants to ask Ed about it now, we’d rather not have Ed expand the list. Better to just let things lie. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934/20 "2017-06-15T19:20:04Z")
My theory is that **Miller** doesn’t really like having to mod “Fuck you” posts. He does so begrudgingly because that’s his job. The other “Fuck you” variants, not so much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pit-language-rules/788934.md?page=2)