We had the RoboCensor on for a couple days when we were first testing the board early last year. We switched it off because:
(1) Having ****ing stars all over the place looked like ****.
(2) I discovered, somewhat to my embarrassment, that the default list of bad words didn’t include cocksucker.
(3) We (correctly) anticipated that the ability of the TMs to dream up creative vulgarities would far exceed our ability to keep up, and indeed would spur them to greater heights.
(4) Sometimes a man just feels the need to say “eat ****,” **** it, and the ****ing MB shouldn’t get in his way. However, moderation in all things.
I recieved this by mail today from a very good friend of mine who works for a large internet security co.This memo was sent around to everybody on the office. This is 100% true .
Subject: Language in the Office
>
> Hello,
>
> The extract below holds a strong message behind the humour. The HR
> department and managers should lead by example on this one.
>
> Thanks
>
> CP
>
>
>
> It has been brought to management’s attention that individuals
> >throughout the company have been using foul language during the
course of
> >normal conversation with their co-workers. Due to complaints
received
> from
> >employees who may be easily offended, this type of language will no longer be tolerated.
We do however, realise the critical importance of being able to accurately express your feelings when communicating with co-workers.
Therefore, a list of “TRY SAYING” new phrases has been provided so that the proper exchange of ideas and information can continue
in an effective manner, without risk the of offending our more sensitive employees.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Perhaps I can work late.
> >INSTEAD OF: And when the fuck do you expect me to do this?
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I’m certain that isn’t feasible.
> >INSTEAD OF: No fucking way
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Really?
> >INSTEAD OF: You’ve got to be shitting me!
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Perhaps you should check with…
> >INSTEAD OF: Tell someone who gives a shit.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Of course I’m concerned.
> >INSTEAD OF: Ask me if I give a shit.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I wasn’t involved in the project.
> >INSTEAD OF: It’s not my fucking problem.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: That’s interesting.
> >INSTEAD OF: What the fuck?
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I’m not sure this can be implemented.
> >INSTEAD OF: This shit won’t work.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I’ll try to schedule that.
> >INSTEAD OF: Why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Are you sure this is a problem?
> >INSTEAD OF: Who the hell cares?
> >
> >TRY SAYING: He’s not familiar with the issues.
> >INSTEAD OF: He’s got his head up his ass.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Excuse me, sir?
> >INSTEAD OF: Eat shit and die.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: So you weren’t happy with it?
> >INSTEAD OF: Kiss my ass.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I’m a bit overloaded at the moment.
> >INSTEAD OF: Fuck it, I’m on salary.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I don’t think you understand.
> >INSTEAD OF: Shove it up your ass.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I love a challenge.
> >INSTEAD OF: This job sucks.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I see.
> >INSTEAD OF: Blow me.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: Yes, we really should discuss it.
> >INSTEAD OF: Another fucking meeting!
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I don’t think this will be a problem.
> >INSTEAD OF: I really don’t give a shit.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: He’s somewhat insensitive.
> >INSTEAD OF: He’s a prick.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: She’s an aggressive go-getter.
> >INSTEAD OF: She’s a ball-busting bitch.
> >
> >TRY SAYING: I think you could use more training.
> >INSTEAD OF: You don’t know what the fuck you’re doing.
> >
>
This reminds me of something. On a message board for young girls, this one poster got upset that the board kept censoring her name, Pussycat. Yeah, sounds great.
I taught English for a while in a Private Religious High School. Without fail, the issue of “bad words” came up at least once every year in every class I taught.
I object to the very idea that some words are “bad.” At the risk of sounding like I am over-simplifying things:
words are not bad or good - they are sounds to which we ascribe meaning and emotional value.
I didn’t know that until today. When the issue came up in my classroom, I explained (what I thought was) the straight dope to my students - that, in the Puritan Colonies, adulterers were often placed in the stocks for Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Oftentimes, the crime’s name was abbreviated, and the word was born.
In any case, my story is a good one, even if it isn’t true. I explained to my students that, even though I don’t believe in “bad” words, I do believe in powerful ones. Words carry weight, and some words are weightier than others. Just as a sledgehammer is the wrong tool to use to tack up paneling, “fuck” is often too powerful a word to use in most company.
This lesson always led to a notable decrease in my students’ use of “profanity” both in their writing and thier speech.
You people should be ashamed of yourselves! There are KINDERGARTENERS who read this message board! Children should not be exposed to such filthy language until they are old enough to understand the historical background behind each epithet, and to make a rational decision FOR THEMSELVES as to which pejoratives they choose.
And as long as I have you here, I’d like to say that I think some of your topics are ABSOLUTELY FILTHY, oral sex, and defecation, and homosexuality–this is a FAMILY message board, what’s the matter with you people?
Well, I’m writing to my congressman, AND to Tipper Gore. Her husband invented the Internet, you know. You people had better watch out…
[Devil’s Advocate hat OFF]
Whew. What a headache. Please don’t ever ask me to do that again, OK?
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!” - the White Queen
There seems to be some misunderstanding about the acceptability of obscenities in the Great Debates forum. As a general rule, we do not censure posters for simple obscenities; IIRC, the only time I warned someone for swearing was when Otto somehow mananged to fit 14 variants of “fuck” in an 11-word sentence (OK, maybe I don’t recall that correctly. But I was astounded–and even somewhat admiring–at how many different ways he could use the word “fuck”). The occasional “fuck”, “shit”, “piss” or “damn” is allowed. We do wish to avoid abuse of this freedom; posting things like “those assbiting crotchsniffing motherfucking yakfelching Republicans should be fucked up the ass with a 20 inch dildo” might inspire us mods to make comment. I think I can trust the formidable gray matter of our posters here to keep the swearing in GD at a reasonable level.
One thing we do crack down on is direct personal insults. “Go fuck yourself” is not acceptable here; neither is “you moron” or “you brain-dead idiot”, etc. Using obscenities in an insult adds to the offense, but that is more because obscene insults are generally worse than non-obscene ones than because of the obscenity per se.
We (admins and mods) don’t want the filter. As Ed noted, it was decided against back at the beginning of this year. We have not had any complaints (that I recall) about simple “dirty words”. The first request for reconsidering using a filter was put forth by Satan in the OP.
[Moderator Note: if this becomes a broader based discussion about censorship of dirty words in general, it stays in GD. However, debating filter usage on this message board belongs in ATMB. Yes, there are less people there, but it would be the proper forum, and anyone who sees that the topic in GD was closed and moved is probably bright enough to figure out how to get to ATMB.]
[quote]
IIRC, the only time I warned someone for swearing was when Otto somehow mananged to fit 14 variants of “fuck” in an 11-word sentence (OK, maybe I don’t recall that correctly. But I was astounded–and even somewhat admiring–at how many different ways he could use the word “fuck”).[/quote}
:::sniff::: What a sweet thing to say! And on my birthday!
Let’s face it, folks, even the holier-than-thou at the LBMB figured out how to get around the filter there. It wouldn’t take much for our superior SDMB users to easily blow it off.
In the olden days of FidoNet, I participated in (and eventually moderated) the POLTICS conference. One guy there repeatedly used direct insults and was warned by the moderator.
One time he called another user a “pig f****r” and was suspended. He acted all innocent and claimed he had just called the guy a “pig farmer” and couldn’t understand why he was suspended! The mod pointed out that if “farmer” was his intent, he wouldn’t have *'d out all the other letters. Score one for the mod. There, as here, it wasn’t the profanity that was the problem, it was the direct insult.
YES, as a matter of fact, my 5-year-old just the other day asked me, “Mommy, what’s ‘felching’?”
AND my 9-year-old has been reading the “Ask the Gay Guy” thread, and he wants to know if Daddy is a “top” or a “bottom”.
I’ve already sent Tipper an e-mail. SHE knows how to get things done–why, she got all those dirty CDs removed from Wal-Mart, didn’t she? You people are next…
[Devil’s Advocate Hat OFF]
I know, it gives me a headache, but it’s kinda fun, ya know?
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!” - the White Queen
But I was astounded–and even somewhat admiring–at how many different ways he could use the word “fuck”). The occasional “fuck”, “shit”, “piss” or “damn” is allowed. We do wish to avoid abuse of this freedom; posting things like “those assbiting crotchsniffing motherfucking yakfelching Republicans should be fucked up the ass with a 20 inch dildo” might inspire us mods to make comment. I think I can trust the formidable gray matter of our posters here to keep the swearing in GD at a reasonable level.
