Swearing on the VOC Forum

[Hugo Myatt]

Swearing

To Tnecniv Edipar,

I don’t think I am a prude but I frequently exercise my right to be offended not only by what is said, on all manner of the media, but also what is ‘mealie mouthed’ unsaid because of self-censorship and PC. I like to know where I stand with people. For myself I am not fond of profanity nor gratuitous violence on any media but I have a visceral reaction to creeping censorship. However, as you say, the vote will decide it. That’s democracy.

 

[Tnecniv Edipar]

I to have an aversion to censorship or any form of authority intervention in my life , but in some circumstances is there any alternative ?

 

[Hugo Myatt]

Swearing

Only, I suppose, to suffer the offence.

 

[Prosper Keating]

However, as you say, the vote will decide it. That’s democracy.

41 members from a membership list of 1477 have voted. Should one assume that abstention indicates that over 1400 people do not care if the occasional profanity slips into the flow? Or am I just being a sophist so-and-so?



PK

 

[Tnecniv Edipar]

Maybe there should have been a don't know category ?! Depends how many of the forum members have seen the thread since it was posted , the most ever online at any one time was 117 and I'll bet if you checked the members list it would be found that the vast majority have either never posted or only posted a few times. Par for the course on forums.

 

[Peter Stokes]

I object to vulgar and offensive language if it is out of place, but am also tired of a culture of over-regulation, over-control and over-safety.

I think this is a great forum, entertaining, witty, helpful (I wish it had been around when I had my Comet in 1970 - I had to learn the hard way) and I think the organiser of it does a great job. I would go for no censorship and let the forum organiser have the ability to do something about a serious offender if there was one. Most of us behave responsibly.

A builder replacing one of our windows last week found suddenly that the old window coming out brought a concrete sill with it, which fell and (I think) did'nt miss his feet by much. He did not say 'Oh dearie me'. Fair enough.

 

[Robert Watson]

I have been kown to let slip the odd profanity - Once when seriously injuring my back, and laying on a friends driveway in some considerable pain, let go with a string of unsavoury expletives. ---- Ohhh says my friends wife -- say that one again, I've never heard that before.

Seriously now -- I also subscribe to a local sportsbike forum, that has upwards of 20,000 subscribers, hundreads of threads, all sorted into different catagories. As it has a median age somewhat younger than here, the language reflects a cerain lower tone. It is allowed for the most part, however if the moderstor finds (or has pointed out to him) some offensive remark be it pure vulgarity, personal attack, or other serious web offence, the subscriber gets hit with the Ban Hammer. No appeal. I believe a first offence brings a short ban - a second means you are gone for good. Although one can always assume another alias and sneak back in, as several VOC Members indeed have over receiving MPH!

No censorship is my vote.

 

[timetraveller]

Kerrristtt!! Interesting that this topic has elicited three pages in less than 24 hours. I always feel that much of contemporary profanity, and yes I too use four, or even more, letter words when I hit my finger with a hammer etc; is pretty tame. I have always thought that the Chaucerian epithets have much to recommend them and in many cases require only one slightly rude word. Consider his theory for the origin of priests! Be creative with your profinity and it might evoke humour rather than shock.

 

[ray vinmad]

Blimey, this must be the most active thing ever on the forum!!!

Perhaps we could get Mary Whiteshadow to sort it out.

Ray

 

[peterg]

Howdy Chaps,

Profanity/censoring? Really not an issue/need here, me thinks.

By no means regarded as a saint in anyone's book, I find regular use of profanity a bit tedious, a distracting reflection of the user's feelings of inadequacy clouding delivery of a (hopefully) coherent message. But, many import car, superbike and lowrider forums grind happily along for years rife with nudity, personal afronts/jousting and mind numbing use of profanity/jargon totally obscuring the poster's point - which may actually be the objective on most occassions - they just want to make noise at their digital circus.

From a forum/online community standpoint, it's about dovetailing with user demographics/standards to preserve the atmosphere for buy in/long term participation, and thankfully none (I think) of the above referenced need be catered to here. So, what's a more insidious threat to our digital "environment"? Lack of or a degenerating level of civility towards each other.

After all, it was't profanity that brought JTAN down.