An Historical Downpour is a new featurette of Rain. It won’t be common, but once in a while I will feature something I wrote on a different blog under a penname. I hope you enjoy.
Originally posted as “Licking the toilet” at 10:06AM on April 16, 2004.
Why do people feel the need to swear in online public forums? It’s not like it makes them seem “cool” like when we were all nine, and using the F-word was as exciting as stealing a cigarette from a parent or uncle and choking ourselves to death with it while huddled down by the parks and rec. shed.
Lots of us are adults now, and many of us know full well that this sort of language has a time and a place. We don’t swear when Mr. Jenkins the VP of operations visits from head office. And a lot of us still respect our parents enough not to swear in front of them.
Don’t misunderstand me, in person I swear a lot. I’ve been told I have a heck of a mouth on me, and there’s not a marine out there I can’t keep up with when it comes to creative cussing. I know. I’ve been drinking with my cousin and his buddies, and they ARE marines. But it only happens in situations where it is appropriate.
To me, public online forums are not places for profanity. These are places frequented by children. While it may be true that these children already know the words (mine certainly do), its also likely that their parents won’t approve of a place that allows free use of profane language.
There’s an old adage that applies here:
“If you have to swear to get your point across, you probably don’t have a point.”
Yes children know the words, but that doesn’t mean we should help them think that it is OK to use them all the time.