My personal rule is “do I know why that word is a swear word, and is that a dumb reason?”

That means Anglo-Saxon words like fuck or shit are fine. They’re swear words because of William the conqueror invading England, and making all the nobility speak Norman. Then all the peasants started to use some French words to sound more posh, so the Anglo-Saxon words became ‘less pleasant’ than the Norman words, and that meant shit, fuck, and similar words just got kicked out.

On the other hand, there are swear words I won’t use. Anything with a terrible historical use, an actually bad definition, or any religious connotation (yes, I’m religious, but I’d still keep this if I wasn’t). Example, I won’t use the word damn as a swear word, since I would never wasn’t someone to be sent to hell. No, I don’t believe that saying “damn you” will actually damn someone, but I just think it’s a swear word for a good reason.

I don’t have a thing against swearing but I do sometimes say heck instead of fuck

When I was in high school, I was very anti-authority and swore all the time to be “against the man”. When I started working in day care I had to cut out all swearing all the time because it was too automatic to ONLY stop in front of kids. When I got a real job, I continued my no-swearing bend as a general rule because – at least until you get to know the people around you – people will treat you with more respect if you don’t sound like a foul mouthed low life.

Swearing all the time for no reason is a very low-rent affect. Letting out a rare swear will add considerable emphasis when your peers know it is not your normal behavior. Always swear when you hurt yourself. It helps.

Forking shirtballs, The Good Place has the best replacement words.

Fuck, which becomes Fork.
Shit, which becomes Shirt.
Bitch, which becomes Bench.
Ass, which becomes Ash.
Dick, which becomes Deck.
Cock, which becomes Cork.

I went from never swearing as a Protestant to swearing sometimes too much now. I need to simmer down but sometimes it makes a point!

I’m trying not to curse but when you fix things for a living you curse a lot.

There are no bad words. Bad thoughts. Bad intentions, and wooooords.

– George Carlin

Fuck no, swearing is great, especially in my native language

I don’t know about that, MOTHER LOVER DOOM just doesn’t hit right.

Swearing is brilliant if you smash your thumb with a hammer, or break something expensive. If you swear all the time in normal conversation you don’t have any special words left to use when those things I mentioned happen.

Yes I have and found it often keeps tense situations from escalating. It sets a more friendly tone in general. An old buddy from a town I lived in 20 years ago mixed it up and says "mother flower!”

I think swearing is good if not overused.

I’ve heard studies show that people who swear are trusted more, something about them coming across more open and genuine.

Nah, I love cursing. I love a good, rancid obscenity. I’m perfectly capable of expressing myself without swearing, but I think it makes life so much more fun.

I do try to be aware of my audience. I live in Utah where the Mormons continuously find new and exciting ways to swear without angering sky-daddy. “Oh my heck” is a great example, because “gosh” is potentially a nono outer-darkness word.

I don’t live to offend—I’m not an edge lord. I want to be inclusive of the people around me, so if I know that the person I’m speaking to doesn’t appreciate swearing then I’ll avoid it. Swears may slip out if the conversation is sufficiently casual, but I’ll just apologize and we’ll move on like adults.

It’s not a binary. You can swear in some contexts and not in others, provided you’re able to maintain some degree of mindfulness. That may not be possible if being around your family is like being captured in the Trauma Nexus.

Now that I’ve gone all this time without swearing, let me share my favorite obscenity. My partner once described a really horrible person (someone who committed physical and sexual abuse) as a shit-filled cunt, and god damn if that isn’t just breathtaking. Truly a beauty to behold, she’s such an artist with words.

I like doing old prospector-y cursing for minor inconveniences. I work at a hospital, so I probably shouldn’t curse openly infront of the unwashed terbuculars.

consarn it
dagnabbit

My final form is Grandpa Lou Rugrats.

Fuck no. Studies have found a positive correlation between swearing and being more honest.