Thread: let's discuss language censorship!

Well, silly though it may be, some people still DO take offense at swearing. I guess one comparison you could make is wanting to not have to view shock porn when you visit your friends' pages on Facebook. Barring freedom of speech? Eh. It's more or less a polite request so that you don't have to run and get eye bleach whenever you want to view their status. That person may still go and put up shock porn on other pages and other websites...it really isn't a hindrance of free speech so much as adhering to a set of social norms to be nice to others. Your aunt's and your own are clearly in contrast, but is it so hard to cut back on the swearing, bearing in mind that it makes your aunt uncomfortable? It'd be a small pain I for one would be willing to undergo to make another person close to me happy.

Originally Posted by Mario92

Well, silly though it may be, some people still DO take offense at swearing. I guess one comparison you could make is wanting to not have to view shock porn when you visit your friends' pages on Facebook. Barring freedom of speech? Eh. It's more or less a polite request so that you don't have to run and get eye bleach whenever you want to view their status. That person may still go and put up shock porn on other pages and other websites...it really isn't a hindrance of free speech so much as adhering to a set of social norms to be nice to others. Your aunt's and your own are clearly in contrast, but is it so hard to cut back on the swearing, bearing in mind that it makes your aunt uncomfortable? It'd be a small pain I for one would be willing to undergo to make another person close to me happy.

Agree completely, Mario.

I mean, if I ask my roomate not to put a photoshopped poster of a nude Lady Gaga on our wall, he shouldn't assume that I support banning pornography. It just doesn't follow.

Can you see how you're aunt asking you not to swear on facebook- and you asking her not to ask you not to swear, (whew,) isn't entirely different?

You've asked what you should have said in other's opinions. I think, if you really didn't want to cut back on swearing or apologize, you could simply have said that swearing is just how you talk sometimes and you hope it doesn't offend her. You would have been honest and blunt, (as per your morals,) but you've avoided blowing it out of proportion into a moral issue.

She basically expressed her opinion, on how she felt about cursing and politely asked you to stop. Your response was pretty much the equivalent of, "I don't care what you think, I am going to do what I want." Which is rude.

Here is what I would have replied.

it was not my intention to hurt anyone with my language, and it saddens me that anyone would construe such negativity in a mere word. anyway, I mean no disrespect, really.

Which is exactly what you put, minus talk about censorship, defriending you and stuff. Like I said, your reply wasn't horrible, it was just stronger than you probably meant it to be. By removing the first section of it, you come across totally different. Instead of hostile and defensive, its a polite reply.

If you wanted to add a little more, could be something like.

I don't think using the word is a big deal, and I hope you are willing to accept that some times I may use words like that, but that is simply because of who I am. However it was not my intention to hurt anyone with my language, and it saddens me that anyone would construe such negativity in a mere word. anyway, I mean no disrespect, really.

Also I would use proper grammar and punctuation. Just to show you took the extra time. Any way, just removing that one part helps a lot. That first part really makes the entire thing sound more hostile.

language censorship is a ridiculous, self-defeating cause and that is something I feel very strongly about. I respectfully refuse to compromise my beliefs to accommodate you. of course, I use discretion; but seeing as this is a public forum and you have the option to either de-friend me or take me off of your news feed (the latter, I hope), I see no reason to censor myself.

I guess the problem is that I tend to be too thorough and over-explain myself. I always try to cover everything and be very clear, and I probably do go a little overboard sometimes. maybe it can be interpreted as rude. I can see "robotic" as coming off cold. of course. but anyone who knows me (or cares to know me) would understand this "quirk" and over-look it. anyone else, like Dr. Seuss said, doesn't matter.

I mean, if I ask my roomate not to put a photoshopped poster of a nude Lady Gaga on our wall, he shouldn't assume that I support banning pornography. It just doesn't follow.

on this wall, do you have the option to block images?

Originally Posted by nerve

language censorship is a ridiculous, self-defeating cause and that is something I feel very strongly about. I respectfully refuse to compromise my beliefs to accommodate you. of course, I use discretion; but seeing as this is a public forum and you have the option to either de-friend me or take me off of your news feed (the latter, I hope), I see no reason to censor myself.

I guess the problem is that I tend to be too thorough and over-explain myself. I always try to cover everything and be very clear, and I probably do go a little overboard sometimes. maybe it can be interpreted as rude. I can see "robotic" as coming off cold. of course. but anyone who knows me (or cares to know me) would understand this "quirk" and over-look it. anyone else, like Dr. Seuss said, doesn't matter.


on this wall, do you have the option to block images?

I'm not using it as a perfect analogy. It only applies to the whole whether or not asking you to swear means she supports censorship. I mean, I prefer going without hearing harsh language. But I don't support censorship.