To people who choose not to swear (for non-religious reasons), what is your motivation to be that way ?

eightpix , 22 hours ago

It was a cycle for me:

Not swearing led to swearing.

Swearing led to learning to swear in other languages.

Learning to swear in other languages served me well as I moved out of North America to teach.

Being out of North American led to me being more humble and less the brash North American. Also, I spent a lot of time with children.

Being less brash and speaking in other languages led me to think more about what I say before saying it.

Thinking about my speech led to downgrading swearing to make a point. I’ll swear, depending on the audience.

Specifically — like L-Boogie said — “I’ll add a MFer so you ign’ant ****s hear me.” (Fugees, The Score, “Zealots”) If I’m cursing, it’s prolly because there’s some ignorance in my area.

I admit, sometimes it’s mine.

Also, the irony is not lost on me that L fell off not too long after this rhyme. Celebrity culture can be a scene full of ignorance. I don’t blame her. I blame the industry.

ClusterBomb , 23 hours ago

I wish I could stop. I bannished a lot of words from my language because they are insults which come from oppressive language sucheas words to insult sex workers or homosexuals. Of course, most of people don’t use them with homophobic motives but the fact that they are insults is really bad imo.

Phen , 22 hours ago

Just never saw the need for it.

BlastboomStrice , 1 hour ago

I ~never did and I think it’s a combination of various reasons:

1. I’m kinda shy (internally I might use a more offensive language, but I might even censor that too). And the fact that I’m not using such language for so long makes it more awkward to use it now.
2. In my family we probably use less vulgar laguange than the typical one, so I wasnt exposed that much on it (on the contrary, I was exposed to way more uncensored content on the internet and that may be why some vulgar phrases in English seem more natural/normal, while the same ones translated in Greek (my mother language) seem more offensive.
3. Many times I find it unecessary. I think they’re better used when you’re angry and help you let some steam out, rather than using them in a calm conversation with friends for example (though when others people use them even on me in a friendly way I kinda seem to like it for some reason? I might think we’re close so they feel confident to talk to ke that way?)
4. Maybe it’s just one of my quirks, lol. I might just do it, for not much reason.
5. I find many (not all!) of the vulgar phrases to discriminate minorities and people in general. I really dont want to use such words. I dont want to cause harm to innocent people just because I got angry.

I could probably think more if I spent more time thinking, hm

Did the decision bring any change to your life ?

As I said, I dont think I ever used such language, so I dont think there’s a change to talk about. Just some people might notice it and possibly comment about it (usually in good faith?)

Do you feel the decision stopped you from expressing something at some point ?

Kinda yes, sometimes I’m in a bad situation and kinda want to, but I dont want those conditions to “break” me. This might not make much sense tho.🤷