Reminder - Language

[BlackDove]

You know the message I wanted to convey to you.

You know.

[Inquisitor]

Please exhibit some of this "adult" conversation I keep hearing so much about.

[BlackDove]

That was just about as adult as you can get without actually going around the subject and pretending it doesn't exist. Maybe being delusional and evasive is what you equate adulthood with.

Also I wasn't aware that making jokes is automatically a childish trait. It's because we're adults that we can make jokes like that. What is the train of thought anyway? If we don't use the word "faggot" in any context, the word will just go away if we just pretend it doesn't exist? "Uh-oh, faggot is a bad word with negative connotations, we can't even make a point of how ridiculous its regular use is by using it (which was what I did, clearly), let's just never use it and avoid the subject all together forever."

Is that how it works? I'd equate evasion and intentional denial with being childish, not adult.

Adult doesn't mean devoid of substance and meaning, circumventing a point, because it's convenient otherwise.

Between the two of us, I don't seem to be the one having problems being adult about this.

[Inquisitor]

-edit-

Taking this to IRC...

[esd]

Between the two of us, I don't seem to be the one having problems being adult about this.

That's skirting close to being intentionally insulting, BD.

I agree with the general point that there is absolutely nothing childish about swearing - and I know you can be a brash so-and-so sometimes, but let's try and keep it fairly civil, eh?

For example, here (Link contains swearing. Quite a lot, in fact) you'll find the amazingly eloquent Stephen Fry extolling the virtues of swearing, and rubbishing the idea that there's something unintelligent or childish about it.

Swearing is a really important part of one's life. It's hard to imagine going through life without swearing, and without enjoying swearing.


[...]


There used to be mad, silly, prissie people who used to say swearing was a sign of a poor vocabulary. Such utter nonsense.

[Anubis]

I am closing this, though I am very annoyed at having to do so.

At the end of the day there is a thin line. I believe there *should* be some censorship on the forums, but not too much. I was perfectly happy to discuss that in principle, and what words should or shouldn't be included in that censor, but I am very disappointed that on this evidence we dont seem to be able to do that. We are all adults here, and there is no need to be taking words themselves so personally when they are obviously not being used in an incredibly insulting context - but equally there is no need to be using those words so casually. People need to start thinking before they post that maybe your approach to these things isn't the only one, asking themselves whether what they post could be deemed as very offensive to others, and keeping in mind that no-one here is deliberately trying to rile you up or behave in a racist manner towards large groups of society.

Clearly, now the option to disable the censor for each person is available the question of whether or not it is necessary as a whole is void, and clearly we cannot yet maturely discuss the question of what words should be included in it. I am greatly in favour of rule by consensus rather than Administrative decree, but situations like this make me wonder if we're ready for that yet. A shame, and it does not reflect well on the community.

My apologies to you esd, who got in a reply with food for thought whilst I was writing this. But after reading IRC, this is obviously going nowhere good.

Locked.