Member-only story
To Swear or Not to Swear
…… why is it still taboo for some?
Lately, I’ve heard myself swear more often and with little cause. The f-bomb drops whether I break a glass or listen to political promises. Is it increasing since the recent election result, I ask myself.
Much of my swearing is due to proximity. If others swear regularly, so do I. It’s said that swearing softens the blow, even helps emotionally when we are upset, angry or frustrated. That doesn’t happen with me. The crap remains after I swear.
I’d like to swear less but the habit is ingrained. Sometimes I think it might be simpler to change my attitude to swearing and accept it as part of who I am. But I don’t like the sound of me when I swear.
In the classroom, worries me that I might let fly and not realise it. Growing disrespect for teachers brings added vulnerability that any little mishap will be blown out of proportion.
I’ve heard that research exists to claim that people, who swear, tend to have higher intelligence. I rather like that. On the other hand, research indicates that people with low intelligence and a narrow vocabulary range are inclined to swear because they aren’t bright enough to find another word.
People who swear are regarded as more verbally fluent and that does correlate to a higher IQ.
