F*$% This!

By: Violette Low

I have been observing my surroundings for the past few weeks regarding the speech patterns of
people around me and how one carry a conversation with those around them. I noticed that
some were proudly foul-mouthed, while some were adamantly against swearing. When asked
what their opinions on the topic were, they replied:

I think its cool to swear and its also cool to not swear. I dont see any wrong with either
choice, said Claire Low, final year undergraduate student.

Vincent Lim, a high school student agreed and he continued saying, Swearing is fine as long as
you do it moderately and mindfully.

I perceive that individuals who use profanities are kind of rude. They should be a bit more
creative with their language choice. rebutted Kate Chin, a 2nd-year college student.

So it seems that the issue of swearing evidentially evokes mixed reactions. Different
personalities seem to have distinct takes on it. For some, cursing is an emotive reaction. One
might curse to convey certain emotions such as glee, disappointment or frustration. Some also
agree that they cuss as a cathartic release and that they usually use such strong language in the
heat of the moment. Nothing like a cry of God f*cking damn it after finding out you have
embarrassingly tripped while walking, am I right?

On the other hand, some regard profanes as vulgar, intolerable and blandly offensive. There
are many ways to express our anger and dissatisfaction, we can find more effective and
educated ways to convey such emotions. Therefore, I find it unnecessary for one to swear, said
Adelina Adla, a senior professional educator of 22 years. With so many conflicting opinions on
the use of indecent words in daily conversations, a question still remains - is swearing really
that bad?

In a recent 2016 survey of 1,542 American workers by Wrike (a project management software
company), it was concluded that 57% of respondents admit to swearing in the workplace.
However, a research conducted by the University of East Anglia deduced that the use of curse
words in an organization is said to be quite effective when it comes to boosting group solidarity
and serves also as a stress relief mechanism to employees.

Besides, according to author Michael Adams, he noted that "Swearing has many useful social
functions including bring[ing] us together. Theres an intimacy to cursing, precisely because
you know that youre not supposed to do it.", in his newest 2016 book In Praise of Profanity.
Since some associate people who swear as more honest and transparent, they believe that
cursing openly is a natural step in making deep and meaningful human connections. This is
because, naturally when you feel a bond with someone, minding your language would be in the
back of your head when having a casual conversation.

Then again, words are sharper than swords, what more those offensive ones? There is still a
rather prominent negative social perception held by the public on how swearing in a social
setting makes one look foolish and immoral. A CareerBuilder survey found that 81% of
employers think cussing is unprofessional and that it shows ones immaturity, a lack of
self-control and even makes the employee appear less intelligent. "Using foul words or
questionable language is not only a bad habit, but in most places of business, it's still
considered unprofessional and can even land you in Human Resources for a little chat," said
Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, author of Dont Burp in the Boardroom and modern-day expert on
etiquette and civility.

Especially in the eastern side of the globe, spurting obscene words in public what more in the
office is considered highly disrespectful as our cultures are more on the conservative side.
Many still define swearing as a horrible habit, and that it should cease to exist as it brings out
the bad in humanity.

I was raised to think cursing makes one less smart and that I should stray away from it.
reminisced Chin on her childhood values.

However, isnt equating ones choice of words with their brightness rather than a justifiable IQ
test, a dull move? In fact, some of the worlds most respected and smartest people swear.
Heck, even Oprah Winfrey dropped the f-bomb numerous times on her much adored "Oprah
Winfrey Show" years ago! Researchers at Marist College in New York determined that a big
vocabulary of curse words is actually a sign of higher rhetorical skill, and those that can name
many swear words in one minute tend to have a larger overall vocabulary. In addition, the
study found that avid swearers were also very likely to score higher on IQ tests.

Of course, if one were to discuss the topic of swearing, you have sinned if you were to leave
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay out of the dialogue. Ramsay is known to be notoriously
potty-mouthed and cursed 243 times on his own TV show, Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares.
With such overuse of expletives, Ramsay was in hot soup as he was urged to be fired by
Channel 4 due to complaints filed by program viewers. Nevertheless, The swearing is a
genuine expression of Gordons passion and frustration at that moment of time. said his
spokesperson while dismissing the issue and of course Ramsay managed to keep his job.
However, if renowned local chef, Chef Wan were to curse during a national broadcast, his
career would definitely suffer a bitter aftertaste.

All I am trying to say is profanities are neutral because they can be of both "good" and "bad"
intentions. In my opinion, it is alright to swear, as there isn't anything inherently wrong when it
comes to doing so. It's just a way to express ones genuine feelings or emotions. Sure, cursing
can be a "bad" intent, as well as with good or neutral intent to express a point in a conversation
more profoundly. However, it all dwells down to the context of your swearings, whether it is
offensive or not. So, curse away by all means, but of course, do it responsibly.