Theory of Profanity
I'm blogging off Julie (Samurai Knitter) today - this started out as a comment, and as I typed, I realized it was so long it might as well be a blog post.
My Theory of Profanity is a little different. I guess it boils down to "Words Have Power," and some words, particularly profanity, acquire more power the less you use them.
I am generally known as a person who doesn't swear, but that's not really true. I don't swear much on my blog, but I'm a person who fixes broken stuff: believe me, nothing gets a stuck bolt unstuck like a fiery blue streak of profanity.
I've said in various places that I swear so seldom, when I do, lightning flashes, the earth trembles, and large men cringe.
My theory is, in order to have power, the words need to build up a charge. If I used them all the time, it would get zapped away in little static-sparks. The long in-between times when I'm not swearing let them build up some hefty voltage. Then when I do - ZAP!
Labels: lifetheuniverseandeverything
posted by Alwen | 4:19 PM
6 Comments:
Heehee.
For me, it's raising my voice. I shout, and everyone freezes.
I agree to an extent with both of you. My husband thinks I curse all the time, but it's really only when I am frustrated and pretty much only when I am home. People at work don't think I even know what they are. For me it's all about what I see as being an appropriate place and time to use profanity.
Alwen, my mom shared your theory of profanity. When she swore, yikes. We knew we'd crossed the line several times over.
Me, sigh, I'm still a potty mouth, and my husband's no better, and it's gotten to the point where I'll say something and then immediately follow it with "DON'T REPEAT THAT!"
And with three kids, I'm often yelling just to be heard. I *never* yelled when I had just one kid.
I am not much of a profanity user either and so when I do, people pay attention. The same way with shouting. If I raise my voice, people listen. It works for me.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can break my heart.
That's an excellent theory! I tell the girls that (especially now that older daughter is entering high school, where swearing appears to be a rite of passage) - save it for when you really, really need it. It means more that way!
i like the less is more theory. In my private life I can be a bit potty; at the pub, sure. But in broader society, I tend to save it for when it needs to come out.
Words re power.
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