Why does profanity get such a bad rap?Note: I swore off swearing for a good year with a pretty good average. I rediscovered its usefulness during this plague.
A simple online search turned up what I suspected. Profanity are words used to describe honest, raw emotion (e.g. frustration, anger, grief, fear, etc).
Profanity is quite vulnerable when you think about it. Feeling threatened in some way tends to trigger it.
Why is this kind of language discouraged in general?
IMO, because its a threat to the ego. If you direct it at someone they might feel disrespected or even “offended”.
Cussing, swearing, whatever the fuck you call it, shows emotion in an intense raw form few people allow themselves to honestly feel, deal and heal.
Swearing can be cathartic for releasing emotional energy.
I wouldn’t say people who curse a lot are unrefined. What they likely lack is an embrace of the social norm requiring you to spare feelings at the expense of honesty.
Reflecting upon what comes up for you when you swear or are sworn at can be a valuable teacher for you.
