potty mouths!! (Page 3)

if a sound has no meaning it is not a word. society assigns a meaning and the meaning does evolve, but that does not make the definitions of words arbitrary.

Interesting thread.  I don't think any of us go to tri's with the intent of offending anyone.

I have a 7 and a 4 year old.  I might stub my toe infront of them and say, "F*ck!"  But I would never say something DIRECTLY TO THEM like, "What the f*ck were you thinking!?"  They are two TOTALLY different things.  I think profanity at tri's falls into the stubbed-toe category--it's just a reaction for some folks.

Whether that offends you or not is your own issue.  

I may not like the f*cking deodorant you're wearing when I'm next to you in T1, but it's not might place to tell you to change it. 

This is an interesting topic, indeed.  I guess growing up I would consider my household to be on the strict side of things.  We couldn't use any word that even resembled a cuss word.  These words include damn, a$$, cr4p, $h*t.. and we even got scolded for calling siblings stupid, dummy, and idiot.

 I find this topic very funny, because now in our 20's and 30's my brothers and I can joke around and use cuss words whenever we want around our parents, and they don't really mind too much.

Let's just say that the whole profanities and language thing should be one of the least of the concerns to a growing child, considering everything they hear at school, on tv, and the radio.  I think as long as you let them know it's not okay to use that language around you, and if you hear them do it they'll be in trouble.  It has a lot more to do with respect, than the words coming out of their mouth.

Swearing is a crutch for inarticulate f#$%ers.  That's one of my all time favorite quotes! I swear plenty, but not in front of my kids or anyone elses.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a cleverly crafted string of expletives as much as anyone - Full Metal Jacket is one of my favorite movies - but there's a time and a place.  

If you look up most "swears" in the dictionary, most of them are "meaningless intensives, usually considered vulgar."  I just don't see what is gained by launching the F bomb in places where it could be offensive.  Demonstrating some self control/mental toughness would be more impressive. 2 cents.

But - it is certainly against the rules as documented by the sports governing body - The USAT, correct?  So isn't it, by that definition, against the "societal norms" as you define them?

And by the way - it is not just triathlon - read from USATF rules of competition for 2008 -

any competitor... ... or who shallconduct himself/herself in an unsportsmanlike manner, or who is offensive by action or language to the officials, spectators, or competitors at any competition may be disqulified by the referee from future competition at the meet. 

I played competitive baseball for quite some time and the unwritten part of the rule was, you can say whatever you like as long as it wasn't specifically addressed to another person (you could say "what an a**hole, but not you're an a**hole - and it was not audible away from the immediate vicinity by the spectators. 

I can definately see both sides of the cussing arguement.  I do believe it makes you sound kind of ignorant when you use the words but I also don't understand why someone would be offended by some 4 letter words.  They are just words get over it. 

What I don't agree with is the people who say they never swear.  I am sorry but if you stub your toe and say darn it or shoot, in the back of your mind I am pretty sure you are thinking something else.  These words are all just expletives and how they come out of yoru kisser is meaningless IMO.

My son is going to have too many other things to worry about as he grows up to worry about cussing.  I definately want him to know what words he should not use as a child but as an adult I hope he knows there are times and places for certain words.

Would you drop an f-bomb in a job interview?  I mean, they're just meaningless sounds right.  I'm sure the interviewer would appreciate your cutting edge style and make you the primary contact for potential customers. 

I feel that conducting oneself at the highest level of etiquette required for life's situations is a good benchmark (the highest common denominator??) to shoot for.  You may not always be successful, and I know I'm not, but there's certainly no harm in trying.  After all, that interviewer could be a volunteer or an official.  How unfortunate would that be? 

Not at all. There are many laws or regulations in our society which do not follow our "societal norms".  It's unlawful to speed, but it's a societal norm to do so. Certain sexual acts such as oral sex are or were illegal State statutes, but unless I'm just a freaky dude, oral sex is pretty "normal" in our society.

FACT Okay, so, one of the reasons I feel bad when I swear is that I was brought up to not swear.  I was told it was not polite, disrespectful, and in fact wrong.  Because of how I was brought up when I swear it shows a lack of control on my part.

ASSUMPTION Some people were not taught this. 

I am not sure were to go from there.  I accept the idea that society creates norms and many of us choose to live with in norms.  I do not think it can be disputed that cussing is often used to disrespect people or to show raw, often negative, emotion.  Both of which are kinda negative.  I suppose that is why anyone who swears openly and inappropriatly (in my opinion) gets a -1 point in my book, for whatever that is good for.  (for the record a -1 point is not a big penalty)

Humour is different.

When children see adults swear it is more difficult for those who have values such as my parents have to impart those values on their children, but I suppose no one said raising kids was easy.