4 ms·
Small point. There is a prisoner's dilemma here. As profanity is used more and more often, it becomes less jarring (consider bloody, bloomin, etc.. as examples
by newt0311 18y ago
Small point. There is a prisoner's dilemma here. As profanity is used more and more often, it becomes less jarring (consider bloody, bloomin, etc.. as examples of prior swear words). Thus, they their very use, these words become less useful. However, any individual author has no incentive to stop using these words.
Eventually, we will probably have new curse words for english.
- paulgb 18y agoInteresting point, but I think the tragedy of the commons is a more fitting analogy than the prisoner's dilemma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
- newt0311 18y agoTragedy of the commons is a prisoner's dilemma type of situation but is indeed a better analogy here.