Censorship

[Agum]

Got a topic to discuss today.. is there any point in censorship? E.g. most (professional) forums censor words like f*ck, b*tch, etc. To think about it it doesn't really make sense. I mean everybody knows these words and everybody knows what they mean.. to take it offensive or not would depend on personal use and their mind. I could say "Hey you're smart" and there could be some guy who takes it offensively.

The same happens in schools or any other public places. What's the point of restricting students to say those words when every other students know it and say it somewhere else anyway, because it sounds rude? There are other words that sound harsh also but they are fine, like "You're stupid", etc. I still don't understand why, especially "f*ck", is not allowed in most places.

I also don't get why the sense of "unprofessionalism" exists whenever these words appear on a web site. It probably is because it is planted in our minds that these words are just not okay? What is the root reason then? When we want to describe for example how our product is really cheap, why would slogans like "Our product is f*cking cheap!" sound unprofessional and unreliable? Why then "Our product is really cheap!" would be acceptable? Why is "f*cking" any different than "really"?

[Coolin]

How are we supposed to argue with society?

[KapTinKiRk]

Like you said, it is rooted in our minds that those words are rude, wrong, harsh, dirty, filthy, etc.

It would take quite some time and a whole other generation to make everyone believe that those words are "ok". It can happen though, like for example in the past words like '---' were bleeped out of TV shows and was seen as a disgusting curse word. And now it is more common to say --- (although it is still viewed as a drty curse word by some people).

[Koolguy]

No bad words, bad thoughts, bad intentions... over 400 000 words in the english language and only ten of them are considered bad.

[Robert]

Saying those words make you look very unprofessional. That's basically why no one wants you to say it. Also, I'm a Roman-Catholic and it's not really a sin but it is some people when you say those words.

[Rodie]

It's interesting to note that the f*ck is actually an acronym that dates back to old times. It stands for "fortification under consent of the king". Basically you used to have to have the king's permission to get it on.

I might be totally wrong, but I'm just going by what my 10th grade literature teacher told us (yes, a public school teacher taught us this ;) ) Up front, that's not a very bad word. I've no idea how its taken on the offensive nature it has today though.

But also keep in mind that *not* everyone knows what these words mean. I sure as heck didn't know what "the f word" was when I was a lot younger. I sure as heck wouldn't want to explain something like that to a really young child.

But I think f bombs are the modern-day equivilent of what "damn" and "hell" were in the 40's and 50's. Back then those words were bad, but everybody used 'em.

I've also noticed that MTV isn't censoring a lot of stuff now. Anybody ever see that program called scared straight or whatever? Wow. That made Eminem's album look G-rated.

[Mandrake]

I've heard it stood for "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (where Van Halen got their album name... It was the charge for adultery.

[Nick]

Originally posted by robert
Saying those words make you look very unprofessional. That's basically why no one wants you to say it. Also, I'm a Roman-Catholic and it's not really a sin but it is some people when you say those words.

Perfect example of it being rooted in someone's mind. Is it bad because it's a bad word? No. It's bad becaue people have told you that it's bad. Ever heard the phrase 'Don't judge a book by its cover?' When you say that someone is unprofessional(sp?) because they said "Ah, **** it!" you're being judgemental, and if people tell you anything THAT should be what they tell you: Don't be ****ing judgemental! ;)

[KapTinKiRk]

Originally posted by Rodie
I've also noticed that MTV isn't censoring a lot of stuff now. Anybody ever see that program called scared straight or whatever? Wow. That made Eminem's album look G-rated.

I think because it was semi-educational, they were able to show it uncensored. Same thing with the 'True Life: I'm getting breast implants' which just started showing, and they do not censor the womens breasts.

[Koolguy]

The obscenity **** is a very old word, first recorded in English in the 15th century. Age has not dimmed its shock value, even though it is seen in print much more often now than in the past. Its first known occurrence, in a poem entitled “Flen flyys” written sometime before 1500, is in code, illustrating the unacceptability of the word even then. The poem, composed in a mixture of Latin and English, satirizes the Carmelite friars of Cambridge, England, with the title taken from the first words of the poem, “Flen, flyys, and freris,” that is, “fleas, flies, and friars.” The line that contains **** reads “Non sunt in coeli, quia gxddbov xxkxzt pg ifmk.” The Latin words “Non sunt in coeli, quia” mean “they [the friars] are not in heaven, since.” The code “gxddbov xxkxzt pg ifmk” is easily broken by simply writing the preceding letter in the alphabet. As we decode, we must watch for differences in the alphabet and in spelling between then and now. For g write f; for x, v (used for u and v); d, c; b, a; o, n; v, t; xx, vv (which equals w); k, i; x, v; z, y; t, s; p, o; g, f; i, h; f, e; m, l; and for k, i. This yields “fvccant [a fake Latin form] vvivys of heli.” The whole thus reads in translation: “They are not in heaven because they **** wives of Ely [a town near Cambridge].”

[}:8) Supermoo]

Originally posted by KapTinKiRk
I think because it was semi-educational, they were able to show it uncensored. Same thing with the 'True Life: I'm getting breast implants' which just started showing, and they do not censor the womens breasts.

Hmmm... very educational I'm sure! :p