Anyone who reads this site with even a modicum of frequency knows my penchant for cursing. Turns out I'm not alone.

I stumbled upon this story in yesterday's Los Angeles Times. In short, it cites a new poll that found a resounding 64% of us use "fuck" -- the undisputed king of all "bad words" -- and that 74% of us encounter that word in public (which makes me wonder if that 10% differential is made of people who just say it alone, to themselves, at home. Like me.).

What the story does not address is WHY people swear. I remember hearing some psychologist boob on the radio talk about how using foul, socially unacceptable words makes people feel powerful because they're shocking peoples' delicate little ears. I suppose that could be true, but my theory is that I swear because I'm not patient enough to find the proper terms.

If I say "My fucking balls hurt because that motherfucker just stole my Pop Tart", I'm expressing pain and sorrow and anger. Those feelings need to be expressed so I can begin to heal. I don't have time to search my inner thesaurus for more socially appropriate terms. I need to heal, and I mean right fucking now!

Aside from that -- and I think this is pretty obvious -- I really, really like to use dirty words. Something about it just makes me feel good. Maybe that's a sign of weakness. Maybe it's an indication that I have serious psychological issues to work through. Either way, it doesn't matter.

I will close with a message to the alleged 36% of you who DO NOT use "fuck" in your day-to-day banter: SUCK IT, YOU FUCKING LOSERS! SUCK IT ALL DAY LONG!

Comments

I guess "oh, snap" was just a youthful aberration, huh?

As someone whose mom discovered her blog last week and had the gall to label me as "unladylike" and a "trash talker" for using the word "ass" once in my journal, I rather enjoyed this post.

"Cussing is a sign of lesser intelligence."

I know this because I have been told this repeatedly. I then go on to explain Fermat's Last Theorem to them and tell 'em to fuck off. That usually resolves any complaints or confusion.

I fucking love your fucking blog! You seriously fucking rock!

*Can you tell I curse like a sailor?*

I never cuss. It's not cool.

I almost got kicked out of kindergarten for cussing. Top that one, fuckers!

Depending on where you live...you either curse or you cuss. I don't cuss. I curse. I swear like a mother fuckin' sailor. And most of all, I talk filthy when in the sack with my husband. I am a nurse. I know not to say "how the fuck are ya, you old bastard" to my patients. But, I will say "what the fuck were you thinking" to my friends/family and kids when warranted.

Fuck you.

CP.

I am a closet cusser...but occasionally let one slip in front of the kids..."FUCK OFF" might be one of those that the kiddos eventually adopt, I am sure they are confused as to the meaning though. I usually use to curse at people who aren't even there...like "fuck off" so and so for not giving me the right paperwork, that I explicitly told you I needed...etcetc. I NEVER swear in public. OH and I don't buy that 36% of people never swear...fuckers. Hehe.

K.

i don't really swear much in public. "what the fuck?" is about as bad as i get in front of my significant other. however, i say "crap" all the time, and i've noticed that some of my friends look uncomfortable when i use that word.

is crap, used as an exclamation, considered profanity?

Oh, fuck 'em and feed 'em fish heads, I always say. No, really, I always say that.

My husband saves his use of the word fuck for very special occasions, like when he smashes his thumb with a hammer. But when he does say it, he makes it sound good.

I curse, but mostly just in my head now that the kids are here. However, when the dear little angels were ARRIVING, I had many, many choice words. Apparently I shouted, to one nurse, "Who the fuck gives a woman in labour fish chowder for lunch? What bitch thought THAT would be pretty? You like the fucking pink puke? You want more, bitch?" etc. Sigh.

26% are either lying or living at the fucking compound in Utah. Who the fuck are they trying to fool? Just like he book "Everybody Poops",most everybody at some time says it or at the very least hears it. They all want to say it. At any public place from schools and parks to a restaurant, the F-bombs are flying. Hell I think my dog shouts fuuk fuuk insted of woof woof. Fuck is the most versitale word in the english language, and a favorite of mine. While I think there are certainly times when it is inappropiate and disrespectful, stop by my house anytime and shoot the shit just for the fuck of it. Fuckity fuck to all!

lol. I've found myself swearing a lot less outside of my country, but when I do, most people don't notice it. The people here don't curse - at least, not that I can tell - and they just assume that English words are 'proper'. So, 'fuck, that fucking hurt' is to them, as though I'm saying 'ouch'. It's weird.

For some peculiar reason, I cannot bring myself to write the "F" word. I have no problem saying it, however.
A few years ago, I was teaching a class of what my urban school district deemed "incorrigibles." I had to teach them parts of speech, and shelved the dry, pedantic crap from the approved text as irrelevant to the kids' lives. Parsing the sentence, "Sally gasped in awe as she surveyed the daffodils swaying in the gentle spring breeze." was not going to resonate with these kids. So I taught them the various ways "F" could be used, with the usual caveats as to appropriateness.
Last year, I was at the mall with my family and one of those kids hollered across the food court, "Hey, Mrs. H! I still remember your lesson on F--ing!"
Man, I was so proud.

I certainly cuss more now that when my kids were little. For instance: On the way home from daycare one day, my youngest son (now nearly 18 and needs to join 'Cusser's Anon'),who was about 3 said "Mommy, Jacob said the "S" word today".

"Oh my", I replied. "That's not very nice".

He said "Can I say it to you?"

I hesitated and said "Okay, just this one time".

"Mommy, he said SHUTUP!"

http://www.funny-spot.com/html/Use-of-F-Word.html

Now why don't you all go the fuck outside and play hide and go fuck yourselves.

Greatest word out there. Ever so versatile

lookit, i don't drink (excessively), i don't smoke, i'm no crack ho and i don't have a sexual addiction. can i please just have my fucking swearing? by way of letting off a little bit of the steam that develops over, like, you know, time? sheesh.

i mean, fuck!

Check out this URL. It just says it all. I got a kick out of it at work one night.

http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/history.htm

KP

My 4 year old autistic sn says "futt" thank goodness foe his speech impediment, do you suppose people know what he is really saying and where he heard it first?

a-fucking-men can I get a hala-fucking-lujah

.. I read a quote somewhere once... something like...

"Foul language is just a crutch for inarticulate motherfuckers"...

..heh heh... fucking-a, man...

I prefer the short forms, such as:

WTF?
OMG, WTF?
WTFIGOH?
OMGLASERBEAMSPEWPEWPEW!!!

I am the queen of fuck.

(whoa ... that sounded better than I intended ... uhh ... *ahem*)

Anyway it's my fave, I even have a warning on my blog. As far as I'm concerned it's a good, plain, Anglo Saxon word.

I am the mother of four (hopefullysoontobemore) children and they know what's what. My oldest, who just turned four, will remind me that:"Fuck is a bad word, Momma" with a very disapproving frown.

-Blue

I got banned from our community pool for an entire summer cuz I flipped off the lifeguard and mouthed the words "Fuck you" at her. I was 10. My mom then proceded to wash my mouth out with dishsoap...I tasted soap for days!
That said..I grew up in fuckin Joisey...where the word is taught as an adjective, noun, verb and whatever-fuckin-else works! :) So keep it comin' mutha fucka...and may the force of foul languge be with you...

fucking right on man!!

I've been trying not to swear as much since I used to have the mouth of a sailor, but it's still fun to drop an f-bomb every now and then just to suprise my husband. His eyes get all big like I just told him I murder puppies and then he says "language!" even though he swears all the time. Don't know why the double standard, but it is fun to shock him when I can.

I'm totally sucking it in public.

My inner monologue, however, isn't.

Swearing for me is like a speech buffer.

When the words that are coming out of my mouth catch up to my thoughts and I need to stall for time while I compile the rest of my sentence nothing works better than a little "fuckin.." in the middle. I like to use it in place of "Uhh". For instance, "The sky was an incredible shade of fuckin'...indigo" or "Grandma, you make the best fuckin'...doilies around!"

As far as the other 36% goes. Maybe these are the same people that think their shit doesn't stink.

I stumbled upon your blog by accident and I am SO GLAD I DID! I was laughing my ass off. I, unfortunately, love to swear. I say unfortunately because I have a toddler at home and she repeats EVERYTHING. Really! Besides the fact that cursing is not so ladylike. Well fuck that! I love it, it makes me feel powerful. Great job and I will make sure to come back and visit often.

Fuck is the best word in the language...so adapatable to any situation. I think George Carlin suggested that curse words were great because they were fun to say...the heavy "k" sound. Cluster-fuck bitch fuckin' cock snatch shit-fuckity fuck. See?

Good information to know. I say fuck because I hate God, and I know it pisses her/him off.

Here's a little story for you. You're welcome!

One day when my older brothers were very little, one of them came to my Dad during a party to tattle on the other:

Bro #1: Dad, Bro #2 just said THE F WORD!

Dad: Really? Well, tell him to come in here.

Bros #1 & #2 come into the livingroom where my parents were entertaining.

Dad: So, Bro #2, I hear you have a new word in your vocabulary. Why don't you go ahead and share it with everyone?

Bro #2 practically crying: No....

Dad: Please, go ahead, you must be proud of it, say it for everyone.

Bro #2: really crying now

Dad: Go on, SAY IT.

Bro #2: Fart.

FUCK YEAH!!!

I made it a personal mission yesterday to use the word FUCK as often as possible, which was made quite easy by the fact that I spent the evening enjoying repeated karaoke performances by an immigrant named Chin who I swear to fucking GOD is the next William Hung.

I think I shocked some delicate ears (namely my own) when the phrase, "I WANNA FUCK YOUR BRAINS OUT, CHIN!" came spewing out of my mouth. More than once.

Spoonleg, once again, YOU are my idol!

me has to remind me15 yr old son ,(( about 100X times a days )) that me is still his mum an whether me uses it or not make no difference.........if me ears can hear it it not something me wants to hear comin outta his mouth...........me also reminds him he occasionally kisses his mum with that mouth........LOL

newfieswoman

I disagree. "Cunt" is the untouchable king of offensive words.

You should check out Wikipedia's entry on "shit." It's really a fascinating read. I haven't looked at their entry on "fuck," but it's probably similar. The "shit" entry talks about how it can mean good (that's the shit) or bad things (this tastes like shit), depending on the context. Imagine learning English as a second language and having to learn when shit is good and when it's bad!