Here’s one for Sequential Threads: I notice that right now this thread is directly above When is the last time you told someone “Fuck you”?
I’ve been tempted to say “If you think swearing isn’t a thing then fuck you.” 
Humans are able to tell the difference. You may want to think you are above it but unless you are a robot you are not. I happen to be like you in that it is nearly impossible to offend me. Anger, sure. Annoy, everyday. But not offend. However as a functioning human I am able to tell which words are appropriate in what context even though I am not offended.
The property that requires them to be in a separate category is what us humans call a “definition.”
And no, you are not.
It’s another example of people making shit up to be offended about.
Humans, being clever, created these fabulous little tools to allow us to communicate with each other, aka “words” and “language.” THEN some of 'em decide that no one is allowed to use certain of these tools that we made, because… why?
They’re “offensive.” Why are they offensive? They’re “dirty.” Why are they dirty?
When the reasoning essentially comes down to “because I said so,” you know there’s no good reasoning behind it.
The reasoning is arbitrary, and because of that, AFAIC, there’s not much weight behind the idea that certain words are a less legitimate form of communication than others. All words serve a purpose, and I can’t see it as a “sin” (or whatever) to use them for that purpose.
Sometimes you make love, and sometimes you fuck. Both communicate two clear and very distinct ideas, and I think it’s a loss to assert that we’re “not allowed” to communicate one of those ideas. Words are not moral/immoral things. They are tools for communication. Used skillfully, they are powerful. But there’s no inherent need to throw certain tools out of the toolbox because you use them only for certain jobs that may (or may not) only come up infrequently.
I’d be more offended by the intent to insult than the words. The intent is carried more clearly by tone, anyway. There are times when I’ve been called a bitch when it was a clear compliment. And I’ve been insulted by folks who never used a four-letter word.
Now if you want to decry the loss of the skillful and creative insult (ala Shakespeare), I’m right there with ya. 
Not exactly arbitrary. Like all language it evolves over time. Say “Odd’s bodkins” to someone and I’m sure you’ll get funny looks but no one will take offense. The language has evolved and left that behind. But as members of a particular society with any kind of self awarness or common sense it should be easy to figure out when certain types of language are OK to use. And I don’t mean just swear words. Slang is not appropriate in certain circumstances. Jargon is not appropriate in certain circumstances. Swear words are not appropriate in certain circumstances. If you think otherwise you are either being purposely obtuse or totally clueless.
Its not about offense. Its about using the appropriate language at the right time.
I’d go a bit further than that, but since we are not in the appropriate forum, I will agree with the above.
Fucking Regards,
Shodan
Interesting observation, but if there is any “inherent” unpleasantness, I would suspect it of being social programming. We’re taught that these words are bad, and not to use them, or only use them for “cursing”, and so we create the power these words carry in ourselves.
I don’t believe that shit, for instance, was specifically created to be a swear word. Rather, I believe that people used existing words to express their displeasure, and other people decided that those words were somehow “filthy” because of the idea they conveyed and probably the manner they were used. And then other words were used to replace the ones that had become swear words so that people could avoid using swear words in non-swear word situations. Thus we get “poop” because heaven forbid we teach our kids about shit. (It’s the same stuff, why is one word safe for children’s ears, the other not?)
What is a matter for consideration is why specific topics are declared “swear words”. For instance, fuck and cunt and other sex words (even “sex” itself is frowned upon to be mentioned in front of kids), but kill words (murder, assassinate, slay, slaughter) are totally acceptable topics.
I’m not disputing that. I’m disputing the idea that swear words are “bad,” “dirty,” “offensive,” or “wrong.” And regardless how you feel, there are people who believe that they are. There are people who believe that children should not use or hear them, they’re so “bad.” No one covers the kids’ ears when mathematics jargon is flying around the room.
I think this is a bit disingenuous. If it’s not about offense, then why do people get offended by them? If you think people don’t get offended (some of 'em, anyway), and that this offense is not the primary reason why these words are considered “inappropriate,” then you are being purposely obtuse.
I think it’s a dominance ploy. It’s not about offense, exactly, but out of using offense as a means of leverage, to make other people do what you want. It’s a form of social ordering, of putting oneself above another person. Sorting the pecking order. It’s one of those “ape” things we haven’t outgrown yet.
Which sounds an awful lot like…
Wrong. If you came to me for a job interview and started off with “How’s your cock?” I would not be offended. But I would instantly understand you are an idiot who has no place working there. I speak different in front of my mother than I do with my army buddies. It has nothing to do with dominance. It is about appropriateness in certain situations. What is appropriate evolves over time. Some people are easily offended. Others like me are very hard to offend. But only a a clueless moron is unaware of the norms of their society or ignores them to be an asshole.
Or you can be like a certain poster who is no longer reading this thread who thinks that swear words don’t exist because he says so.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? Talking about sex in a job interview in inappropriate, regardless whether one uses the word “cock” or “penis.” It’s not the word, it’s the topic.
Also, post 27, to address (again) the rest of your argument.
There is a subset of words that are offensive to a subset of the population in at least some circumstances. The shorter way to say that is “swear words”.
No I was making a joke. But if you unable to tell that then substitute saying, “How the fuck are you?” instead of “Good morning” at the start of the interview. Again I won’t be offended. It’s something I might even say to an army buddy. But you won’t be getting the job.
“Bless your heart.”
shrug Okay. Post 27.
Post 36.
Whether we agree on what words are swear words or not, it has been proven that swear words do affect us psychologically, especially in controlling pain or expressing anger, whereas words which we do not perceive as swear words like “Dangit” “Shucks” etc, do not have these properties.
For example http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/cursing-and-pain.htm
So swearing is in fact a thing, a very useful thing.
If you have no interest in responding to my points, why was this even necessary? You can just let it go.
Agree. Useful, which is all the more reason why it’s not bad.
You may think you have made points but you haven’t. Are you saying there shouldn’t be anything like a swear word? There always has been since the beginning of language. So I’m really not sure what you are trying to say. Some people are offended by certain words. Some are not. Some people are offended by ideas or concepts. Some are not. But anyone with any kind of self awareness understands there times when certain language is appropriate and times when certain language is inappropriate. And some types of language that is not always appropriate are swear words. Even if you think that no one should be offended by anything anytime. So is that what you are trying to say? No one should ever be offended or care when you curse regardless of your audience or environment?