> > Swearing's no big deal. It's just a way of blowing off steam. People need to stop being sensitive & just let it roll off their back. It doesn't matter. This nation guarantees freedom for everyone, not just those who don't want to be offended.
>
> I'm mostly just replying to this for the sake of being argumentative, but here are my thoughts on the matter.
>
> I choose not to swear because most swears carry a meaning behind them that people don't often think about. But that's just a minor point. The more important thing to me is that it is a cultural thing. Sure, you can say that it is "just blowing off steam", but our culture (assuming you are North Americain) has given it more impact than that. For example, if I went to work and swore up a blue streak during a meeting with a major client company, nobody would just shrug it off as "just blowing off" steam. I feel that a courtesy I would extend to a business associate is one that I should /certainly/ extend to a friend, or even a stranger I encounter in day-to-day life. As long as our culture frowns upon the use of certain words, I will avoid using them for any reason. Besides, I have plenty of ways to blow off steam without swearing... One of my favorites is "krunk". (Has anyone here watched enough Conan O'Brian to know what that is?)
>
> That's my spiel. I could say more, but I'm sick right now, and don't want to.
>
> Don "The Monkey'cough, cough'man" Jackson

I didn't swear for a long time. I was always a "good" girl. You all know the type. Anyway, I don't know when I started swearing. And I don't swear at everyone. I'm not a freak. And I usually don't swear at people in order to insult them unless they 1)Have just been really, REALLY inconsiderate to me or another person or 2)They swore at me first(call me juvenile, I'm 16, I'm allowed). Mostly I swear when I'm frustrated. Never in public, if I can help it. Only when I'm at home. No one at my house cares about it, and we tend to give eachother affectionate swear word nicknames. I won't go into that...
I have a few funny stories about swearing. Good tip, pay attention to the people who enter your house. They could be Catholic charity workers...
Ahem.
Anyway, I grew up thinking you only swore if you were rude or had a small vocabulary. Neither describes me I don't think. I just feel swearing is a good way to express really awful feelings, and I never waste a swear on something unless it's really awful. I mean, if you have swear words to express deep frustration and anguish, why use something which will make you sound silly?(ex. If you say Shoot, after hitting your finger with a hammer people will laugh twice as hard as if you just hit your finger :P). I feel swearing is okay, in moderation. Just don't walk around calling everyone a "Bleepedy Bleep"

Mel"When I can't swear I usually say bleep, not a weird made up word ;P"anie