Chixe

I hardly ever curse, but people who curse in real life, drunk or sober, really turn me off.

Back to blog, it depends on the situation, if it well deserves, people will applaud and might curse with you. Otherwise, they would probably see you immature.

Sometimes I get really pissed off, and I wish I could curse like most people do. ;)

I curse (swear, to us Brits) on my blog every now and then. I only occasionally swear in real life and that's reflected in the blog I think. I do try and make sure I don't swear excessively, though (as in real life, also).

I find it really hard to read blogs using swear words excessively, particularly without reason. There's no point littering your writing with fucks and wankers just for the hell of it, and it detracts from your writing if you do.

Sometimes a curse word is the only perfect word that really takes the place of a whole paragraph. It's similar to someone not ever cursing in real life for years and one time uses a word that electrifies the whole conversation. Swearing in blogs is OK with me as long as it is extremely rarely. Otherwise I think the writer is not very articulate and highly disrespectful of readers.

I don't mind swearing in real life (though I don't like it and it makes me uncomfortable) but I must say that I can't tolerate swearing in blogs. It just doesn't feel right to read sharp political analysis peppered with all the colours of the rainbow.

Though if it's a personal blog I understand. I just prefer using milder language to make my point - and in an argument I find this to be better - it doesn't aggravate people to the point they can't constructively and objectively weigh my reasoning.

Calling a curse word a curse word is a little inaccurate and unfair on all the curse words out there. They're just words and like other words their meaning can fluctuate wildly between instances, allowing usually harsh words to mean the complete opposite depending on their context.

I have a problem with people who don't understand that and immediately think bad of something based on the words used.

With that said, any word can also be abused. Saying "fuck" twice a sentence tends to point to a lack of vocabulary or effort rather than creative wording.

Depends on a couple of things:

1) Are you writing for yourself or to please others? If you're writing to please others then definitely put their needs over your own. :)

2) What niche are you trying to reach? 9rules is not an accurate sample of the internet. The average person could care less - as long as it is not in professional writing (ie: personal blog).

3) People attract to things that match their taste. If you aren't being yourself then you aren't really connecting with your audience. If you swear like a sailor in RL and want to tone it down, that's cool. Not swearing at all is changing who you are. If people can't see past the cursing to see YOU then it's up to them not the visit the blog - not the other way around.

I have a problem with people who don't understand that and immediately think bad of something based on the words used.

Me too. Personally I could care less about cursing...unless every other word is cursing (and of course this depends on the type of blog and the level of professionalism the person is trying to convey). Is the person being honest? Are the facts correct? Can I read and understand what is being said? So many other things that (to me) are more important.

I curse to emphasize the fact I'm pissed off. That's me.

Though I know people that add curses to whatever they say like it was an everyday thing. That's them. If you say it's you to curse like a sailor, then that's fine. I know some people might not like it, but it's fine in my book. As long as you're being you. It's always fine.

I swear sometimes on my personal blog, but I don't have any set audience and it's just random friends. I normally only do when I need to emphasize a point. I try not to, but sometimes I can't help it. It really depends on your audience and what kind of blog it is.

I curse much more in real life than I do on my blog because I'm much more expressive with the written word than the spoken. More time to think it out, to prepare my thoughts into some cohesive, coherent sentences. That usually means that I can eliminate the swear words in favor of something more eloquent and, usually, more effective.

If I see the occasional curse on a blog, it's fine, but if a post pops into my feed reader with a bunch of hateful, angry language, it's going to make me blink. It's not the words, but emotion behind them. It won't make me think less of you, but there's only so much I can take. I may choose to not read that entry and, if such posting continued, to unsubscribe.

I don't mind reading swearing in blogs as long as it doesn't occur every day. We all need to vent now and then.

I put a spell on you, and now you're mine!

like my momma told me: if you use those words too much, they lose their power and meaning. once in a while is fine. but i suppose people who swear like sailors in real life might do so on their blogs as well. no one HAS to read it.

Would you censor yourself if you were talking to someone, or giving a lecture?

How formal do you want your blog to be?

I don't believe in curse/swear words. They're just words. You don't have to use any of the common ones to convey the same emphasis. Make up your own, use them in the same situations, people will still know what you mean and catch the emphasis.

We make the words taboo. We shelter our children from them. For what? I think it's ridiculous.

Here are two different ways of using an exclamation point:

I had a great day today!

and

I had a great day today!!!!111!1!!!

Which one is more annoying and immature sounding?

Use swear words like exclamation points.

In real life, I curb my speech to the setting.

Ex: I used to work in a print shop with pressman. We were filth mouthed sailors, the lot of us.

Ex2: Now I work in I.T. so I am very clean-mouthed.

When writing, I keep it mostly clean. Cursing is generally relegated to rants and seething posts. Which I try to keep to a minimum.

So no it doesn't bother me. They're just words and only have the power you give them. (This is also why I felt flipping people off was the most ridiculous thing ever, oh no! He's holding a finger up at me! How will I go on with life?) But I digress...

It's all about the context for me. People who use curse words in every other sentence appear to me as having a small vocabulary. But then, sometimes a curse word is the only appropriate word that will communicate the thought. I think moderation makes cursing more effective, if that makes sense.

That said, I hardly ever curse on my blog or in real life. But some of my favorite blogs do have cursing in them.

I restrict cursing on my blog to the point that I will outright ban someone for dropping the F-Bomb.

BUT...

Say I'm talking about something like... immigration, and I'm REALLY REALLY pissed off @ someone or something. I'll make the concession beforehand and note that I may be a little more heated than normal and that comments are fair game for THAT post.

I do make it a regular practice NOT to cuss though.

While I think there are much better ways of expressing oneself, I am very surprised so many of you are adamantly opposed to it.

What did those silly little words every do to you?

I just know for a fact that you can have a productive argument and intelligent discussion WITHOUT them so why use them?

I hear so many people out there cussing up a storm and it's usually just because "they can" which is nothing short of laziness.

Sure it makes your words all colorful but to me, it also makes you look like a moron if you can't express yourself without resorting to cursing.

So, it's in the interest of helping others not make themselves look like morons?

On the one hand, I like helping bring people up to a higher level. On the other, I like to know how they really are instead of forcing them to a place that doesn't represent their normal persona.

I'd probably delete/moderate moronic comments as well, I'm just trying to get my head around the concept a bit better.

Actually you'd be surprised as I've noticed that forcing a person to have a logical, civil debate with you (heated is even fine - sans cussing) can actually reveal their ignorance far better than letting them be an oafish turd.

I swear, but am very careful to use it where it is "effective." So it follows then that I swear pretty rarely. It's all about context.

I've got a good story about curse words and their impact. I work in a setting that teenagers use curse words very often in their everyday speech. One day, I decided to have my own experiment. I used the word "kepee" (which means 'head' in Hebrew) with the same emotion that a swear word would have for a thinking, rational, educated adult. I promptly acted extremely embarassed and apologized. I only did that one time but word spread. The kids thought that word was a curse word and started using it. Now instead of their usual word, they used kepee!

I think that's pretty cool auburn. The power of swear words I think comes from the emotion that they convey, not the words themselves. That's why I get so frustrated with people who get all upset when I curse around them. Where I might use the f-word their content to just say "crap" or something equally inoffensive. But they mean exactly the same thing. It baffles me why people get so upset about it.

On of my favorite quotes: "I'm from New York, where fuck isn't a word, it's a comma." ~Lewis Black

I can't believe you just used the c--p word on here. I'm offended.

I've been thinking about this off and on all day. Let me use ScrivsTyme as an example to convey my point. When Scrivs and I started the podcast we decided several things:

1) Unedited
2) Unscripted
3) We were going to do what we wanted - block everyone else out

We weren't going to let anyone dictate how we did things because ST at the time was not the norm, it was taboo. We cursed, talked about our lives, sex and relationships, expressed opinions. In the beginning we had a blast and honestly we were having so much fun we weren't bothered with all the people that amassed listening to our podcast. It definitely wasn't for everyone but by being ourselves we initially attracted our niche - people who were cool with us being ourselves.

Then our parents found our podcast. Talk about an "oh sh*t" moment! One of the classic podcasts was me trying to do what I always did on the podcast knowing Scrivs' Mom was listening. I couldn't do it, I stampered and stuttered while Scrivs laughed. Our parents said to continue to do what we do and they supported our podcast. Our Moms were active in the forums and our audience adored them. Did we listen? Nope.

We started jumping through hoops for "friends" and strangers - watching what we said and how we said it. Gigantic mistake because it was never the same the minute that started. It was like the beginning of the end really. It was a very small percent of people (less than 1% of the audience) but those are the voices you hear the loudest.

You can't have popularity without criticism. All the A-List bloggers (for example) go through their own types of ordeals, it's unavoidable. Once you scale you become the news. There is no way around it - you have to be able to block out the noise (no matter where it's coming from) and continue on as usual. If we were cool with what we did, Mike backed it and our parents backed us...that's all that should have mattered.

My point is what we think doesn't matter. Do what makes you happy. It's your personal blog not a commercial blog that promises or has expectations of professionalism. At the end of the day if you and your wife (family) are happy with it, that's all the matters. If you become popular one day (and no one knows if that will happen until it does) you will face criticism. That criticism is much easier to take if you're doing what you want how you want than if your morphed away from your own style to please someone else.

Because you won't be able to please everyone. Someone will get pissed off - better for them to get pissed off at you being you than you trying to be someone you're not for them.

I love how everyone is being so analytical about this. So I simply have this to say. Why the fuck not? Seriously.

lol @ Michael.

Yep, that's pretty much how I'm starting to think about it too. For me, it's just like Tyme said. I need to feel free to just be myself when I write. Sure there's an argument against swearing, but I've never accepted that argument in my "real life." Plus, I'm basically an expert at cursing, I should flex my skillz a little.

for me cursing is almost a necessity. most of the time it helps drive my point home, or convey the emotion of the subject to the point that my limited vocabulary allows. i mean there is a point where you're just over doing it, and usually readers can tell, and it makes you sound stupid. but as long as the focus is still on what you intended, and not how many 4-letter words you can stuff in one sentence, then to quote michael "why the fuck not?"

If you do curse/swear, make sure that it is warranted. There is nothing worse than the person who says fuck, or a derivative of that word, in each and every sentence.

At which point it becomes filler, because you have nothing productive or intelligent to say.

I don't mind swearing, I just hate it when it seems like a blog is just like "Wow, there isn't a lot of content or information in this blog posting, how can I flesh it out? OH I KNOE!!!".

A couple of good placed ones are better, and drive your point across better.