Curse words, also known as profanity or obscenities, are words or expressions that are considered offensive, vulgar, or blasphemous in certain contexts or cultures. These words often contain strong language or taboo subjects and are generally used to express strong emotions, anger, frustration, or aggression. In many cultures, curse words are seen as inappropriate and impolite and are therefore not commonly used in formal settings or public discourse. Curse words can vary greatly between different languages and cultures, with some words being considered highly offensive in one language but having little to no impact in another. Different societies also have different degrees of tolerance for curse words, and what may be seen as acceptable in one community could be seen as highly inappropriate in another. The use of curse words is often considered a form of social taboo and is subject to social norms and expectations.
So as I was trying to grow my following and business, I decided to lean into that. I’ll be honest, I was writing curse words just to get a laugh out of people.
And there did seem to be an element of the absurd in attempting to ban the mention of foods that persons of some religions or cultures may not indulge in, which could exclude mentioning not just pork and shellfish but just about everything edible except tofu and sprouts and don t forget the children who are allergic to peanuts. And there did seem to be an element of the absurd in attempting to ban the mention of foods that persons of some religions or cultures may not indulge in, which could exclude mentioning not just pork and shellfish but just about everything edible except tofu and sprouts and don t forget the children who are allergic to peanuts.
The use of curse words is often considered a form of social taboo and is subject to social norms and expectations. Some argue that cursing can be a way of expressing authenticity or even humor, while others view it as evidence of a lack of vocabulary or inability to express oneself effectively without resorting to offensive language. It is important to note that the use of curse words can have consequences, both personally and professionally.
Pens and Pencils Down: New York City's "Banned Words" Controversy
Last week, the New York City Department of Education stirred up controversy by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) listing fifty words to avoid on the standardized tests used by the city's schools. These were not the dirty words that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that George Carlin could not say on the air, but innocuous ones like dinosaurs, birthdays, aliens from outer space, rap, and rock 'n' roll. A school spokesman told the New York Post that the words could "evoke unpleasant emotions in the students."
I am a product of the New York City schools, and I even taught in them for a couple of years. So I'm well aware of the unpleasant emotions inspired by the standardized tests I had to take as a student at P.S. 150 and by the trips I had to make to the Board of Education headquarters at 110 Livingston Street as a school employee (there they tested, interrogated, even fingerprinted me before I could get my teaching license). I was glad to hear that the city was finally trying to do something to make school more pleasant.
The RFP did not explain what unpleasant emotions might be inspired by dinosaurs, space aliens, or birthdays. In elementary school we often took class trips to see the dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History, and I don't remember anybody crying on those trips or being frightened by shows about life on other worlds at the Planetarium next door. Of course this was the 1950s, and in our school we were all Jewish or Catholic, except for an occasional Lutheran—I guess the creationists who might object to dinosaurs and ET had yet to evolve. We were always being told that we behaved so poorly on the trip that no class would ever be allowed to go to the museum again, and I guess a ban on dinosaurs would have made that official. As for birthdays, which were to be banned ostensibly because Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate them, I do remember the unpleasant emotion of choking on a birthday cupcake at a class party in second grade. I wouldn't have missed school birthdays, but what about Washington's Birthday and Lincoln's Birthday? Or is that why we now have Presidents Day?
There were also plans for a partial ban on computers, and a total ban on rock 'n' roll. The schools in New York are big on computers, but tests weren't supposed to mention home computers because students who don't have them will feel left out. I imagine, though, that seeing computers in their classrooms more strongly reminds students who don't have one at home that they don't have one at home, leading to more unpleasant emotions. Plus, the official position of many school principals in the 1950s was that rock 'n' roll was highly unpleasant, if not downright immoral, so we were never going to be tested on that.
Critics noted that education involves not suppressing unpleasant emotions, but leading students out of their comfort zone and challenging them to think critically about everything. Commentators also ridiculed the Department of Education's list of banned words as a case of political correctness gone out of control. And there did seem to be an element of the absurd in attempting to ban the mention of foods that "persons of some religions or cultures may not indulge in," which could exclude mentioning not just pork and shellfish but just about everything edible except tofu and sprouts (and don't forget the children who are allergic to peanuts). But since the list also would have forbidden any mention of bodily functions, that suggested a blanket test ban on any kind of eating or digestion. Might as well play it safe and ban all tests dealing with any aspect of biology.
But if the goal of the word ban was to prevent unpleasant emotions that could impact student test performance, then I for one would have liked to see the list of banned words expanded. Words like hypotenuse and logarithm ought to go, along with atomic number, specific gravity, and adsorption. Banned as well: synecdoche, dactylic hexameter, and ablative absolute. In fact, to really reduce unpleasant emotions, schools should stop giving standardized tests altogether. Standardized tests produce high levels of anxiety, which is definitely an unpleasant emotion, and they don't measure anything except students' ability to take standardized tests. Think how pleasant school could be if tests, not words, were banned, and students never had to hear that unpleasantly emotive phrase, "pens and pencils down," again.
Finally, after a week of merciless ridicule from the media, New York's Department of Education ditched its banned word list. The DoE's Chief Academic Officer, Shael Polakow-Suransky, announced:
After reconsidering our message to test publishers and the reaction from parents, we will revise our guidance and eliminate the list of words to avoid on tests.
The City indicated it would still ask test developers to consider student sensitivities as they created tests, but I still think it would be better to permit the words but ban the tests.
A very astute Instagram follower said it this way: I don't use it "at people."
In many professional settings, the use of curse words is frowned upon and could lead to negative evaluations or even disciplinary action. Additionally, curse words can be hurtful and offensive to others, particularly if used in a derogatory or demeaning manner. In conclusion, curse words are words or expressions that are considered offensive or vulgar and are often used to express strong emotions or frustration. They vary greatly across languages and cultures and are subject to social norms and expectations. While they may have their place in certain social contexts, it is important to be mindful of their potential consequences and the impact they can have on others..
Reviews for "Cursing Around Children: Understanding the Impact of Hearing Curse Words on Young Minds"
- John - 2 stars - I have no idea how this book got so many positive reviews. I found it to be incredibly boring and unoriginal. The characters were one-dimensional and I couldn't relate to any of them. The plot was predictable and I felt like I was just going through the motions while reading it. Overall, I was extremely disappointed and would not recommend "Cursw word pebs" to anyone looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
- Sarah - 1 star - This book was simply awful. The writing was amateurish and full of cliches. The dialogue was cringe-worthy and the characters were completely unlikable. I found myself rolling my eyes at every page, unable to believe that someone actually thought this was a good story. I couldn't even finish it, it was that bad. Save yourself the trouble and skip "Cursw word pebs".
- Mark - 2 stars - I don't understand the hype around "Cursw word pebs". The storyline was weak and uninteresting. The pacing was off, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and confusing action scenes. The author seemed more focused on trying to shock the reader with excessive profanity rather than creating a compelling narrative. I was left feeling unsatisfied and confused by the end. I regret wasting my time and money on this book.