4 ms·

In Michael Lewis's new book Flash Boys, there's an insightful quote about this: > Watching him string together sentences without profanity was like watching so

In Michael Lewis's new book Flash Boys, there's an insightful quote about this: > Watching him string together sentences without profanity was like watching someone try to swim across a river without using his arms or his legs. Curiously, he later admitted, he wasn’t worried that the audience would be offended by bad language. “It was because some of them want to be the alpha male cursing in the room,” he said. “When I say ‘fuck,’ they think I’m stealing the show — so when I’m in front of a group I go as straight as I can.” Not swearing isn't about politeness, its about hierarchy. Its the same way that Ps & Qs have their origin in the way servants spoke to the monarchy. Its like the business casual dress code; less formal than your higher-ups communicates that you're the lower-down. Everyone understands if Daddy lets a curse word slip, but if his 6-year-old toddler gets the idea that she too can stomp around blurting out cuss words, she's gonna be punished.

JoeAltmaier 12y ago
Wow that's an interpretation I guess. I think of profanity as the untutored attempting to communicate, and substituting powerful but meaningless words in place of the right word. The Gettysburg address contained no profanity, and it was written by a sitting President. How does that fit into this social theory?
- kylebrown 12y ago
  I suppose that Lincoln was addressing the American people in a manner which conveys that they (the electorate) are his boss. Its the same tone in other formal speeches, eg any State of the Union speech. Compare to examples of Presidents cussing.[1] These examples are usually directed at specific subordinates. Also a funny note to compare the example of when a celebrity cursed a former president, going against the hierarchy.[2] The celebrity had to apologize afterward. It seems to fit the theory well enough. 1. http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1006/great_swears_in_history.html http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1006/great_swears_in_h... 2. http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/the-word/2013/07/11/the-word-justin-bieber-apologize-to-bill-clinton-for-cussing-him-out/ http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/the-word/2013/07/1...

JoeAltmaier 12y ago

Wow that's an interpretation I guess. I think of profanity as the untutored attempting to communicate, and substituting powerful but meaningless words in place of the right word. The Gettysburg address contained no profanity, and it was written by a sitting President. How does that fit into this social theory?

kylebrown 12y ago
I suppose that Lincoln was addressing the American people in a manner which conveys that they (the electorate) are his boss. Its the same tone in other formal speeches, eg any State of the Union speech. Compare to examples of Presidents cussing.[1] These examples are usually directed at specific subordinates. Also a funny note to compare the example of when a celebrity cursed a former president, going against the hierarchy.[2] The celebrity had to apologize afterward. It seems to fit the theory well enough. 1. http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1006/great_swears_in_history.html http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1006/great_swears_in_h... 2. http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/the-word/2013/07/11/the-word-justin-bieber-apologize-to-bill-clinton-for-cussing-him-out/ http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/the-word/2013/07/1...