Why Do People Swear? Is It Immoral? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why Do People Swear? Is It Immoral?

387
Why Do People Swear? Is It Immoral?

“Holy [ ]!” “What the [ ]?!?” “He is such a [ ] loser!” Regardless of your political, moral, religious, and social set of beliefs, there is a high probability you have uttered these or similar phrases. I would label these phrases as "swear word phrases." It is a sad but real truth that people use these "swear word phrases" in their everyday lives, whether at home, school, the workplace, and even in the church.

In the cultural explosion of TV, movies, and other related forms of entertainment, swearing is inevitable. Humanity gets inundated with the false idea that swearing is an acceptable means of communication. Many also become influenced with the concept that swearing can help them cope with their emotional problems. However, they fail to realize that swearing can only bring a temporary relief, if any at all, in their times of sadness and anger. In the long run, swearing is a very harmful activity, as all it does is blossom seeds of anger, regret, and dark thoughts. In light of this, why do people persist in swearing? Coming from the perspective of a person who used to frequently swear with every curse word (mostly English and/with some Korean) ranging from A to Z, I am going to use my credibility to explain the reasons for this behavior.

Firstly, people often engage in profanity because they think it is cool. Due to the brainwashing power of Hollywood and its works, individuals are increasingly becoming fooled into thinking that if they want to be hip, represent themselves as high class members of society, or flow with the current cultural trend, they need to drop F-bombs in every sentence. To them, verbally abusing their friends, complete strangers, and even themselves is morally acceptable, as long as they can make their goal of socially transitioning from the "dweebs" to the "big dogs on campus" a reality. The desire to be the "cool peeps" will overshadow the worry that the targets of their swearing will be offended.

Secondly, individuals apply profanity to their everyday vernacular because they think it can shield them from external, emotional problems. In other words, fans of profanity treat swear words as some sort of a force field or Patronus Charm, which give them long-lasting relief. That is not the case. It is undeniable that one immediately feels a sense of relief when he or she swears after undergoing some type of emotional strife. That immediate sensation of swearing is so refreshing and stress-free. Yet after several minutes, the emptiness will start to creep in, since the problem that caused the emotional outbursts will still exist. Operating in life under the impression that swearing on a daily basis will eliminate all emotional darkness is like trying to attack a Blue Eyes White Dragon with only a Kuriboh; it is pointless, painful, and foolish.

I get the appeal of swearing. Many times during my first three years of college, I frequently swore without concerning the aftermath. Oftentimes, I did not think about the effects of cursing, as I spent most of my time in a secular college environment, as opposed to a private Christian university. Due to this cultural shock, despite the fact that I was born in a Christian culture, it was extremely easy and quick for me to succumb to the "swear word phrase" culture. Everybody else was doing it without thinking about the repercussions. I thought it was cool and okay to drop F-bombs in every few sentences, or as long as I did not end up harming anybody. It took me a while to grasp that swearing was immoral.

After being ingrained back into a Christian culture in 2012, by God's grace, I have reduced my swearing to a minimum. Through a painful sequence of events, I am convinced now that it is immoral, because Christians have been taught to speak in peace and with pure words, since our bodies are Christ's. Even from a secular, non-religious perspective, swearing is morally negligent, as it tears down, rather than builds relationships.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

82595
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

9698
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments