Saying it in a brothel has a very different context than saying it in church ....... that's why I try and avoid church, I can't hear that kind of language.

For our younger viewers, a brothel is where a man goes to get a bowl of broth, which is a kind of thin soup. The man's wife is often furious if she finds out, because of the implication that her cooking isn't considered good enough at home.

Thanks for clearing that up, older viewer.

But I mean on usual spots where it's fairly commonly said, like schools, streets and all...

It doesn't bother me. I refrain from its use in certain formal settings where it might offend others, but generally I use it as just another word.

I don't quite think I understand the question, steephie.

He's asking whether people on here still consider the F-word to be taboo, or not.

Yes, the fucking F-word. What a useful conversation.

I don't consider it to be taboo, but I do think it is a good indication of the person's intelligence and/or class. Rarely do you hear intelligent people using it. But it is common among the working class and less the intelligent.

Rubbish, Devonian. I have a fucking IQ of 294 and I use the word fuck all the fucking time.

What do you do?

For your vocation, that is.

Oh, never mind. You were joking.

I was, yes. I'm not sure anyone has a 294 IQ. I consider myself *reasonably* bright though, and I swear quite a bit. Vocationally, I am a procurement officer working in local government.

Devonian clearly doesn't know that many smart people. We have a saying as software developers, "Profanity is every developers second language". I work in an office where the lowest IQ of the developers is over 140 and fuck is just another word in our arsenal to relieve pent up frustration. And it is a great word for that. One syllable ending in a hard consonant. It is just so guttural and relieves so much stress. Now, we don't scream "F-u-u-u-u-ck", but to say "What the fuck?", "Fuck me!", or "That fucking bug has me pissed off." or the big one quick exclamation of "Fuck/Oh fuck/Fuck, shit, damn it, fuck!" is perfectly normal in a group of guys trying to solve some of the most complex logic problems you will ever experience.

I was just making a general observation.

I might want to revise my statement somewhat. In my opinion, using the F-word will limit a person's professional advancement beyond direct supervision over the working class, and will likely prevent their opinions from being respected as intellectual.

So, intelligent people can use the F-word, but they will not be respected as intellectual. Professionals who use the F-work are likely limiting their potential for advancement. But, as in all things, there are exceptions to everything.

It's fine, but lazy. Using "fuck" all the time when speaking is a crutch for a person's inarticulateness.

What is the basis for your sweeping claims, Devonian?

Draug, If I my theory is correct, I would guess that the higher up the food chain you looked, the less use of the F-work you would hear.

The programmer probably uses it most, then the programmers supervisor. The supervisor's boss in limited situation and higher up, almost never. But, again, it is only a general observation.

Jamie, It comes from general observation. It is purely my own theory, but I think it plays out quite well if you care to observe it for yourself.

I would think it's more that the context changes, Devonian. Joe Biden apparently has a mouth on him, but I don't think we can say he hasn't been successful in his career. I think if you find anything, you'll find that less intelligent and/or successful people swear with abandon as a means of expressing all kinds of subtle emotions in all kinds of contexts, while more intelligent and/or successful people swear in more limited contexts, even if the gross amount may be higher.

For example, a law firm partner might call a troublesome witness a "mother-fucking cocksucker" over a few drinks with close associates after a meeting, but would never call his steak "fucking amazing" at a business dinner. A high school drop-out cashier more likely would swear in both contexts. But this is just what I've noticed in my life.

I don't have a problem with anyone swearing.

I hardly ever swear myself, in print (ie on here) or verbally. My children have never heard me swear. I have a 21 yo daughter and two sons 17 and 13 and they rarely swear. My dau occasionally swears if she is quoting someone and uses the figures as inverted commas signal when she does. My wife's extended family tend to swear at lot more than my family and yet they all moderate their language when around me and my children and then unmoderate their language when my children aren't there. They seem to slip effortlessly from one situation to another. I spent many years on building site and don't think I ever really swore then.

I also rarely raise my voice, in our household my kids know that they are allowed to shout if the house is on fire. It sounds like I'm a real authoritarian but I'm really not. I just tend to set an example and kids are fine with the boundaries. My wife swears and raises her voice occasionally.

All visitors know not to use racist words in my house. They often discuss immigration or race but know that using words like 'paki', 'nigger', 'wog', 'wop', etc aren't permitted.

People seem to respect my preferences without a problem. I'm the subject of good natured stick of course, but that's fine.

Can we just move the discussion on the "nigger" and be done with it, because it's the same conversation, different group of people. Say "fuck" in front of my mother and she'll rip your head off and shit down your neck. Say it next to a construction worker and you might as well have said "green" or any other bland word.

Say "nigger" in te proer context, and you a friend, a rap star, issuing a greeting, an athlete on the field of competition, etc. Say "nigger" in a WebDip forum thread and you are the devil incarnate.

You're all hypocrites...that's the point...imbued with the wonderful human sense of selective outrage.

Invictus, I agree. The context is important, but it is only a component. The ability to use it in "appropriate" situations increase the higher up the food chain, and with people of higher intelligence. But, I think this also coincides with an overall reduction in its use. It might be a matter of possibly replacing it with words that have less objection to the general public.

Also, it is still a general rule of thumb. If Joe Biden does use the F-work frequently and without reservation, I think he is an exception. I think there are far more examples that back up my observation.

I think fuck is an outdated and pejorative medical term, and only dudebro's who are trying to be "hip" and "cool" ever use it.

I have a friend who is an MP and she is very rich and very posh, but often uses the 'C' word .... don't know why.

What the 'conservative' word Nigee?

@YJ - if "fuck" is outdated, etc, then why are you all so uptight about "nigger" -- people act like that word was created by deity (even the atheists...) at the beginning of the universe with special powers, such that it was, is and always shall be an offensive word....(when all evidence contradicts this sentiment, as it's offensiveness is *purely* subjective and situational).

Fuck at one time was the universal bad word, with the power to cause women to cover the ears of their small children and rush them to underground shelters until the utterer was beaten down by the crowd of angry drunks who suddenly rose as one and stumbled from the bar, their senses heightened by the distress of a woman, and their dexterity restored from the depths of their drunkenness at the hope of committing an act of righteousness in ousting from the public the purveyor of such verbal filthiness, thus restoring a wee bit of the integrity they had lost in the bottom of their bottles.

Krellin, I know this will upset you but we agree on more than you think.

I wouldn't say fuck in front of your mother.
Neither of us care we we use the word fuck on webdip
Using the word 'nigger' in the wrong context on here provocks uproar
Using the word 'nigger' next to some building workers you know doesn't raise an eyelid.

Different language is appropriate in different circumstances. You will try and enforce your social norms in your mother's house and fair play to you for that. Others will try and enforce the social norms of webdip and you call them hypocrites.