Today's Pinup Fashion a Sly Wink to the Past - New York Times

[jamespowers]

While I’m not yet ready to advocate using the F-word, the N-word, the C-word and the whatever-else word in everyday conversation, I am also absolutely convinced that it is the suppression of those words that gives them such detrimental power.

AF

I think you have a point there. You can see it by the reaction that has been happening with the next generation. A black guy called ME the N word a while back. I was taken aback and then laughed. What else can you do?

 

[Undertow]

Not stirring the pot, not beating a dead horse. Just thought this LiveScience article might add to the discussion:

Sexy Advertising On the Rise

Notice the disparity between "sexy" women used in advertising versus "sexy" men. The whole thing makes me sick, personaly, but I guess that's why I ignore most adverts. [huh]

(p.s. not sure if this website will make you answer some stupid "survey" question. My feelings wouldn't be hurt if you skipped the article to avoid clicking on their bs "survey". Haha, don't get me started on that...)

 

[Atticus Finch]

I try desperately to never say the Lord’s name in the same breath with the word “damn”. Its not that I don’t curse...I’ll drop the F-bomb in a heartbeat…but I generally don’t say GD. On the rare occasions when I do take the Lord’s name in vain, it causes a deathly silence in my office. People assume that I’m at the ragged edge… and they are usually correct.

Sadly, it is the fact that I actively suppress the use of that term…and people who know me know that I do…that gives the term so much gravity when I do use it.

AF

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I try desperately to never say the Lord’s name in the same breath with the word “damn”. Its not that I don’t curse...I’ll drop the F-bomb in a heartbeat…but I generally don’t say GD. On the rare occasions when I do take the Lord’s name in vain, it causes a deathly silence in my office. People assume that I’m at the ragged edge… and they are usually correct.

Sadly, it is the fact that I actively suppress the use of that term…and people who know me know that I do…that gives the term so much gravity when I do use it.

AF

"You can't run an army without profanity; and it has to be eloquent profanity. As for the types of comments I make, sometimes I just, By God, get carried away by my own eloquence."
...Patton on profanity

 

[LizzieMaine]

I try desperately to never say the Lord’s name in the same breath with the word “damn”. Its not that I don’t curse...I’ll drop the F-bomb in a heartbeat…but I generally don’t say GD. On the rare occasions when I do take the Lord’s name in vain, it causes a deathly silence in my office. People assume that I’m at the ragged edge… and they are usually correct.

Sadly, it is the fact that I actively suppress the use of that term…and people who know me know that I do…that gives the term so much gravity when I do use it.

AF

I'm just the opposite. GD was every other word in my family when I was growing up, along with all sorts of potent words and phrases relative to legitimacy, but we never *ever* heard the f-word. -- not even my grandfather, who ran a gas station and had worked as a longshoreman, and knew how to swear prettier than anyone I've ever known, ever used it. I didn't even know f-dash-dash-dash even existed until, in the sixth grade, I saw it chalked on a brick wall next to an anatomically-incorrect drawing. It's still a word I find cheap, vulgar, and degrading, but let me drop a carbon-dioxide tank on my foot at work, and I have to bite my tongue to keep from blaspheming until the air is blue.

As far as the n-word goes, I grew up with the unexpurgated version of eenie-meenie-miney-mo -- because there weren't any black people in our neighborhood to tell us otherwise. It wasn't until my grandmother cracked me across the mouth for calling some neighborhood kid by that word that I understood it was an unspeakable term. Her strong views on the subject came from an encounter with an African-American man in her own childhood -- neighborhood kids were yelling it at him, and she never forgot the wounded look in his eye as he walked silently past.

 

[C-dot]

While I’m not yet ready to advocate using the F-word, the N-word, the C-word and the whatever-else word in everyday conversation, I am also absolutely convinced that it is the suppression of those words that gives them such detrimental power.

AF

You're quite right! I had a professor who went a step further and said that constant profanity actually made the words meaningless, which was upsetting to him because he thought that "took the art out of it"

Not stirring the pot, not beating a dead horse. Just thought this LiveScience article might add to the discussion:

Sexy Advertising On the Rise

The statistic for sexy advertisements for drug companies sticks out to me for some reason: 29%? For medications?!

 

[jamespowers]

You're quite right! I had a professor who went a step further and said that constant profanity actually made the words meaningless, which was upsetting to him because he thought that "took the art out of it"

Art?! Kind of reminds me of a scene from Christmas Vacation.

 

[sheeplady]

So as an update to the 'n' word situation with my stepson...I asked him about it last night and he said that his African-American friends actually TOLD him he could say it. When he was living with his mom in Louisville, Kentucky, he played on his school's football team that was mostly African-Americans and he said they told him he could say it, too. I still told him I didn't think he should say it. This was all very bizarre to me. It makes me wonder about how language changes - are the youth of today going to make the insult of this word obsolete?

I would be extremely happy to hear that the entire group your son knows have never had the "n word" used negatively towards them. Maybe the language movement is actually working. But unfortunately, I still think even young people use it as a derogatory term and are the victims that receive it. A very close friend has been called the "n word" to her face several times since coming to this country (she is from St. Lucia and considers herself black). It made me cry to think about how much hurt she goes through when someone says that and she never knows who will say it, when she is safe, or when she will be denied or treated differently based upon the color of her skin. I consider her my sister, so it really hits home when she tells me these things. I've heard enough stories from other Blacks and African Americans to know that it is probably one of the most insulting words you can use against a person. I interviewed one woman who when she was in school, her 1st grade teacher referred to her as the "uppity n-word girl." In public, in school, and to her parents.

As a woman, I've been called the "c," "b," "w," and "s" words- the amount of pain caused by that doesn't even scratch the surface of being called the "n word" based upon the stories I've heard (compared to my own experience). There is no way that I want any part in using that word or perpetuating it's existence. I don't have any say in if the community wants to embrace it and change its meaning (and I don't think anyone who is white should have a say), but I as sure as heck will never be using it myself. I know how much hurt it causes.

 

[sheeplady]

"Sex is not as effective when selling high-risk, informational products such as banking services, appliances and utility trucks," Reichert said.

No, the advertisers just haven't figured out how to include sex in the ads yet to boost sales. Sadly, that day will come. They are probably working overtime on it right now.

 

[LizzieMaine]

As a woman, I've been called the "c," "b," "w," and "s" words- the amount of pain caused by that doesn't even scratch the surface of being called the "n word" based upon the stories I've heard (compared to my own experience). There is no way that I want any part in using that word or perpetuating it's existence. I don't have any say in if the community wants to embrace it and change its meaning (and I don't think anyone who is white should have a say), but I as sure as heck will never be using it myself. I know how much hurt it causes.

Well said. Decent people shouldn't be looking for excuses to "be allowed to use" language like that, no matter what the rationalization. As someone who's been called both the c-word and the b-word *here on the Lounge* I can tell you that the only person whom such language reflects badly upon is the one who uses it.

 

[AmateisGal]

I agree that it shouldn't be used at all. I would like to ask his African-Americans friends *why* they think it's ok to use it and have no problem with my stepson using it.

Ideally, I would wash his mouth out with soap like I did when he was little and uttered his first cuss word. Ha! But he's almost 19 and a lot bigger than me now.

 

[sheeplady]

Thank you Lizze.

Ideally, I would wash his mouth out with soap like I did when he was little and uttered his first cuss word. Ha! But he's almost 19 and a lot bigger than me now.

I have to admit, I'd get pretty irrationally angry at that kind of language. I'd probably try the soap thing and fail miserably. Or just scream at them for hours and kick them out of my house All the neighbors would be like: Why is she all crazy???

 

[RichardH]

I try desperately to never say the Lord’s name in the same breath with the word “damn”. Its not that I don’t curse...I’ll drop the F-bomb in a heartbeat…but I generally don’t say GD. On the rare occasions when I do take the Lord’s name in vain, it causes a deathly silence in my office. People assume that I’m at the ragged edge… and they are usually correct.

Sadly, it is the fact that I actively suppress the use of that term…and people who know me know that I do…that gives the term so much gravity when I do use it.

AF

How 'bout "dad gummit" ?

 

[Undertow]

How 'bout "dad gummit" ?

If you're saying, "That government," then I think I have a new expression!

 

[Atticus Finch]

How 'bout "dad gummit" ?

Usually I say "Dang" or "Dad-Dim" when I'm trying to underscore a point. But when I begin to lose control, I'll start using "Dang" and the F-bomb in the same sentence. My coworkers tell me I sound like Elmer Fudd doing a Lenny Bruce routine.

AF

 

[AmateisGal]

My coworkers tell me I sound like Elmer Fudd doing a Lenny Bruce routine.

AF

lol lol lol

 

[Miss Sis]

I usually use 'Dag Nabbit!' in polite company.

My old co-workers used to be shocked when I'd come off the phone to a client and swear like a trooper - despite the fact it would happen at least once a day! They would say 'But....YOU don't swear!', despite evidence to the contrary. They thought I was too much of a 'lady' for that. Appearances, deceiving???

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

George Olsen and his Music -- Gosh Darn (1932)
vocals by Ethel Shutta and Fran Frey

[video=youtube;JegrZv108Rk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JegrZv108Rk[/video]

 

[RichardH]

If you're saying, "That government," then I think I have a new expression!

Hehe no, it means "god d@mmit", you just take the two first letters of each word and switch 'em around (and switch the vowel "o" to "u")

 

[Undertow]

Hehe no, it means "god d@mmit", you just take the two first letters of each word and switch 'em around (and switch the vowel "o" to "u")

Haha, that's okay; I think I'll just say it like this:
"Ain't no use in votin' anyhow - all dad gummit does is serve is'self."