Neanderthal and barbaric language? How come "f**k" is barbaric but "sex" isn't? Or nail, screw, bang, or shag? Or if we're using it in the expletive, then how come "dang" and "darn" aren't Neanderthal and befitting of a caveman? Sh*t is reprehensible but poop, poo, doody, etc aren't? Seems arbitrary to me, and I've never gotten a straight explanation as to why one word is bad and its synonyms aren't. The N-word and the C-word make sense at least, since the sole purpose of those words is and always has been to degrade the subject. They have no other purpose whatsoever, not even in the expletive (when was the last time you heard someone stub their toe and shout "C*NT!"?).
Rocinante2: you know Rocinante2: its easy to dismiss the orioles as a bad team ofanrex: go on Rocinante2: i'm done Rocinante2: lmao
Neato Torpedo wrote:Neanderthal and barbaric language? How come "f**k" is barbaric but "sex" isn't? Or nail, screw, bang, or shag? Or if we're using it in the expletive, then how come "dang" and "darn" aren't Neanderthal and befitting of a caveman? Sh*t is reprehensible but poop, poo, doody, etc aren't? Seems arbitrary to me, and I've never gotten a straight explanation as to why one word is bad and its synonyms aren't. The N-word and the C-word make sense at least, since the sole purpose of those words is and always has been to degrade the subject. They have no other purpose whatsoever, not even in the expletive (when was the last time you heard someone stub their toe and shout "C*NT!"?).
Yes, it is/was arbitrary. A lot of the words you mentioned were not acceptable language in the past. The F-bomb is still considered unacceptable and probably will be that way forever.
And I forgot to mention earlier that the F-bomb law isn't archaic. People get these tickets to this day. How about the new "droopy pants" law that many cities have passed? Those are common decency laws and as society progresses (or fails to grow up and needs a babysitter to tell them what's decent and what isn't), those laws will increase and we'll see more and more of them.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
The thing is, the 9-1-1 dispatcher has an ethical obligation and a duty to get help to people in need. The girl has no such obligation to refrain from using the f-word. He needs to dispatch the proper agency to an emergency situation, whether or not his delicate sensibilities are offended by a caller is immaterial and shouldn't even be a factor. The guy should be fired for this at the least.
I've called 911 a half dozen or so times in my life (unlike you, mine were on purpose ) (3 times while watching gang wars with gunshots fired, blown appendix for myself, ambulance for a guy who seemed to have had a heart attack, a woman who broke her leg so badly that the bone slashed through the skin and was exposed), never once cussed at the 911 operators, and never once had any problems with them. Funny how that works.
Do you feel that, had you used profanity, anything other than the exact response and service the operator would provide a non-cussing called would be acceptable or warranted?
If I had used profanity and disrespected the person I'm asking to help me, then not only would I feel like an idiot, but I wouldn't have been surprised at all if I got hung up on and I would blame myself, not the person I disrespected.
I think the initial use of the F-Word was more at the fact that she wasn't getting through to the dispatcher, not necessarily at the dispatcher. He just happened to answer the call at that very second, meaning he wasn't wasn't being disrespected, but he just was offended at the use of the F-Word. I would relate this situation to a person having a gunshot wound, swearing in pain, and then having doctors stop working since they were offended by his language. The repeated swearing after he took time out to correct her language rather than help her when she was trying to get an ambulance, which I feel is perfectly acceptable at that point.
I've called 911 a half dozen or so times in my life (unlike you, mine were on purpose ) (3 times while watching gang wars with gunshots fired, blown appendix for myself, ambulance for a guy who seemed to have had a heart attack, a woman who broke her leg so badly that the bone slashed through the skin and was exposed), never once cussed at the 911 operators, and never once had any problems with them. Funny how that works.
Do you feel that, had you used profanity, anything other than the exact response and service the operator would provide a non-cussing called would be acceptable or warranted?
If I had used profanity and disrespected the person I'm asking to help me, then not only would I feel like an idiot, but I wouldn't have been surprised at all if I got hung up on and I would blame myself, not the person I disrespected.
You are (rightfully, in my opinion) on a lonely island here, my friend.
bigh0rt wrote:Do you feel that, had you used profanity, anything other than the exact response and service the operator would provide a non-cussing called would be acceptable or warranted?
If I had used profanity and disrespected the person I'm asking to help me, then not only would I feel like an idiot, but I wouldn't have been surprised at all if I got hung up on and I would blame myself, not the person I disrespected.
You are (rightfully, in my opinion) on a lonely island here, my friend.
Totally. It's cool though Mad, if in the future you call 911 and a naughty word slips out and the dispatcher hangs up on you I wont blame you.
Neato Torpedo wrote:Neanderthal and barbaric language? How come "f**k" is barbaric but "sex" isn't? Or nail, screw, bang, or shag? Or if we're using it in the expletive, then how come "dang" and "darn" aren't Neanderthal and befitting of a caveman? Sh*t is reprehensible but poop, poo, doody, etc aren't? Seems arbitrary to me, and I've never gotten a straight explanation as to why one word is bad and its synonyms aren't. The N-word and the C-word make sense at least, since the sole purpose of those words is and always has been to degrade the subject. They have no other purpose whatsoever, not even in the expletive (when was the last time you heard someone stub their toe and shout "C*NT!"?).
Yes, it is/was arbitrary. A lot of the words you mentioned were not acceptable language in the past. The F-bomb is still considered unacceptable and probably will be that way forever.
Still no straight explanation.
Rocinante2: you know Rocinante2: its easy to dismiss the orioles as a bad team ofanrex: go on Rocinante2: i'm done Rocinante2: lmao
Madison wrote:If I had used profanity and disrespected the person I'm asking to help me, then not only would I feel like an idiot, but I wouldn't have been surprised at all if I got hung up on and I would blame myself, not the person I disrespected.
You are (rightfully, in my opinion) on a lonely island here, my friend.
Totally. It's cool though Mad, if in the future you call 911 and a naughty word slips out and the dispatcher hangs up on you I wont blame you.
It's not unusual for me to be alone on my island, but you guys know that already.
Neato Torpedo wrote:
Madison wrote:
Neato Torpedo wrote:Neanderthal and barbaric language? How come "f**k" is barbaric but "sex" isn't? Or nail, screw, bang, or shag? Or if we're using it in the expletive, then how come "dang" and "darn" aren't Neanderthal and befitting of a caveman? Sh*t is reprehensible but poop, poo, doody, etc aren't? Seems arbitrary to me, and I've never gotten a straight explanation as to why one word is bad and its synonyms aren't. The N-word and the C-word make sense at least, since the sole purpose of those words is and always has been to degrade the subject. They have no other purpose whatsoever, not even in the expletive (when was the last time you heard someone stub their toe and shout "C*NT!"?).
Yes, it is/was arbitrary. A lot of the words you mentioned were not acceptable language in the past. The F-bomb is still considered unacceptable and probably will be that way forever.
Still no straight explanation.
What is it you really want to hear? The truth is that most of the words you listed were considered "unacceptable" in past generations. But the extremists pushed for more and more of those words to be regularly used and accepted, and those against allowing profanity gave more and more leeway. There is a HUGE line that those people have drawn at the F-bomb, and that is not going to go anywhere anytime soon.
Tell me, of all the "advanced" or "enlightened" civilizations we've seen in movies, on television, etc, how many of them ran around cussing like idiots? I can't say I've ever seen that portrayed for any advanced or enlightened civilization. I've seen it go the totally opposite though, on many occasions. And that's really the difference in an advanced civilization and Neanderthals. Tell someone in an advanced civilization that a particular word is socially unacceptable, and they won't use that word. Neanderthals can't control themselves. So if today's society cannot control themselves, they certainly are not showing any signs of being more advanced or enlightened than the Neanderthals.
Do human beings lack the ability to understand that certain words just aren't socially acceptable? And if so, do human beings lack the ability to understand using such words can and does offend people, resulting in problems for the one who said it? Even if someone thinks the F word is fine to use in day to day life, are they really lacking the intelligence to realize that a very large percentage of the population disagrees with them, and many are offended by it? I'd think worst case scenario is that human beings have the mental ability to realize that dropping the F word while talking to an officer would lead to problems for them. To me that's an obvious one, but it can lead to all kinds of problems in all aspects of life.
That's what I don't get about the girl in the story. Is she really that out of touch that she doesn't realize you don't cuss at someone you're asking for help? Is she really that oblivious to anything other than her own feelings? And regardless of those two things, why is the F word so ingrained in her brain (at her young age) that it came out due to "panic"? This thread could have had a really good discussion about the psychology of how and why the F word managed to work its way into her brain and then even manage to actually come out of her mouth. Instead, we've been debating that both people did things wrong (which isn't a debate, it's a fact, so that is quite confusing! ).
And of course that still leaves the fact that the English language is rich with vocabulary and access to foreign languages is easier than ever. We had a foreign exchange student on our tennis team in high school that would cuss in German during matches. No one understood what he was saying, so no one got upset with him, no one was offended, and he didn't get into any trouble. So if someone just cannot control their primal urges and impulses while around other people, why not use a totally made up word, the F word in a different language, or anything else that would be socially acceptable? It's not the end of the world and it's not going to kill someone if they can't cuss.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
Expecting rational behavior from untrained people in irrational situations is irrational. There was one person who had a responsibility to act immediately and professionally in that situation, and it wasn't this girl. That's all you need to know about this.
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by Neato Torpedo » Thu May 07, 2009 3:25 pm 
How come "f**k" is barbaric but "sex" isn't? Or nail, screw, bang, or shag? Or if we're using it in the expletive, then how come "dang" and "darn" aren't Neanderthal and befitting of a caveman? Sh*t is reprehensible but poop, poo, doody, etc aren't? Seems arbitrary to me, and I've never gotten a straight explanation as to why one word is bad and its synonyms aren't. The N-word and the C-word make sense at least, since the sole purpose of those words is and always has been to degrade the subject. They have no other purpose whatsoever, not even in the expletive (when was the last time you heard someone stub their toe and shout "C*NT!"?).
) (3 times while watching gang wars with gunshots fired, blown appendix for myself, ambulance for a guy who seemed to have had a heart attack, a woman who broke her leg so badly that the bone slashed through the skin and was exposed), never once cussed at the 911 operators, and never once had any problems with them. Funny how that works.
