Warning! I hope anyone can enjoy most of my site. I do feel that written profanity is a little harsher than spoken, but this entry is about profanity and may require some. I can’t bring myself to write “frick” or “f-word” beyond this sentence.

A poll about profanity is bound to inspire lots of jokes and a fair amount of swearing.

I don’t remember my mother or father swearing much. My Mom said “damn” when she was really frustrated — I find myself doing the same thing and long considered that the most powerful curse.

I remember the first time I said “fuck” in front of my Mom (I was about 16). She covered her ears, winced as if struck and cried, “oh, my virgin ears!” I don’t think she ever got comfortable hearing it.

One thing that stung in comments with the survey was the claim that swearing indicates a limited vocabulary. Well, fuck that! Even allowing for some self-delusion and ego-inflation, I’m a pretty fucking articulate guy — no shit! And I don’t need a god-damn thesaurus, thank you very much. I enjoy expressing myself in many ways, some subtle, some coarse. I wonder what those who think “it’s the vocabulary, stupid!” think of the ubiquitous cool — enjoyed by all ages — one of the few exclamations I use more than “fuck.”

I’m really surprised that age predicts swearing, or more specifically, that 35 is the dividing line between foul and fair. Remember the Simpson’s Geriatric Profanity Disorder. I’m over 50 and I’m certain I say fuck many times a day, as do my wife and many of our friends (though I never write it as much as I have here). It’s just what we say. What the fuck happened to our peers — how did so many people grow up to become their own grandparents?

The Bill Bennetts and like-minded puritans will see this as further evidence of the decline of civilization. Obscenity may be a symptom, but so is burning abortion clinics and shooting doctors or judges. Evil sometimes wears nice clothes and a smile.

I’m not saying the world is a better place because of swearing. The real issue is one of anger and potential violence, which has risen immensely in my lifetime. I’d rather get cursed at than shot at. “Jerk!,” screamed at you may actually be worse than “asshole” said with less venom. Just as a thrust finger is harsher than a “what the fuck?” It’s tone, don’t you know.

Still, as the Mothers said, “it’s fucking great to be alive.” mjh

Results of AP-Ipsos poll on profanity

The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on public attitudes about profanity is based on telephone interviews with 1,001 adults in the United States from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The interviews were conducted March 20-22 by Ipsos, an international polling firm.

Results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region, race and income.

Demographics and details of profanity poll

Some demographics and details about the AP-Ipsos poll on attitudes about profanity.