Do these 7 "dirty words" still shock?

[UKking]

I imagine that most people know by now, that George Carlin passed away. In 1972, he was arrested for saying these 7 words - shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits - he was charged with violating obscenity laws for uttering them on television. It also led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling about what could and could not be said on broadcast TV and radio.

While conventions have changed since the 70s - shit is fine on basic cable past 10 p.m., and anything goes on premium channels - for the most part, any slur more vivid than "ass" or "bitch" (neither of which Carlin included among his set of seven) is verboten on broadcast TV.

Do these words really still shock? Does broadcast television need to 'loosen up' and allow them, or are you ok with them still considering these words 'verboten?'



I think they are shocking BECAUSE they are verboten.

I think "CUNT" still packs a punch.

[Shauk]

cunt only packs a punch when said with a british accent.

[Jinn]

Fuck, cunt, cocksucker and motherfucker, for sure.

[Redlemon]

Originally Posted by UKking

Do these words really still shock? Does broadcast television need to 'loosen up' and allow them, or are you ok with them still considering these words 'verboten?'

I think they are shocking BECAUSE they are verboten.

If they become allowed, they may lose their power. I agree with keeping them off of broadcast television.

[SSJTWIZTA]

i think being called a cunt is hilarious. i usually chuckle a good bit when called being called a cunt.

none of these words effect me, or anyone that i know. so for me, there is no edge or power to be lost.

[Redlemon]

Originally Posted by SSJTWIZTA

i think being called a cunt is hilarious. i usually chuckle a good bit when called being called a cunt.

none of these words effect me, or anyone that i know. so for me, there is no edge or power to be lost.

If they have no power, they have no use. Why do you say it? To shock other people.

[Glory's Sun]

all you cunts need to shut the fuck up or I'll shit on your tits and then piss in your motherfuckin cocksuckin mouths!

[The_Jazz]

Originally Posted by guccilvr

all you cunts need to shut the fuck up or I'll shit on your tits and then piss in your motherfuckin cocksuckin mouths!

This is a lot funnier when you imagine Bronson Pinchot - playing guccilvr in a bad sitcom - saying it while wearing a Yankee's hat.

[Glory's Sun]

Originally Posted by The_Jazz

This is a lot funnier when you imagine Bronson Pinchot - playing guccilvr in a bad sitcom - saying it while wearing a Yankee's hat.

You watch too much VH1

..but I guess that's what Cubs fans do when their team sucks.

[Redlemon]

As I was typing above, it felt a bit familiar. For related information, read Why don't you [expletive deleted] my expletive, Cursing, and Control Your #$%^ing Language!.

[girldetective]

These words have long been problematic, appropos, and helpful to comics (think Lenny Bruce). I think they are still powerful, the ones redlemon pointed out especially. Of course a comic can lighten the load of these words and can make them less TNTish.

Go ahead. Refer to a woman in real life as a cunt (when not whispering it in her ear) to see how powerful it still is.

[sapiens]

I think that many of them are still very powerful. Shit and piss less than the others.

Originally Posted by The_Jazz

This is a lot funnier when you imagine Bronson Pinchot - playing guccilvr in a bad sitcom - saying it while wearing a Yankee's hat.

I thought that that guccilvr WAS Bronson Pinchot. Is it you, Balki? It's me Larry.

[PegLeg]

This is my first post outside of the noob forum, so hopefully it will be alright.

I would have to agree that 'cunt' has become the word that packs the most punch. It is the one 'dirty' word that I have qualms about saying and the one that I like the least. As I find myself saying 'fuck' rather frequently (lamentably so) I've begun to wonder how this former king of the 'dirty words' was downgraded, at least for me personally. I've been wondering if, as English continues to evolve, a new king of curses will emerge.

Oddly enough, 'motherfucker' remains more powerful for me than just 'fuck'. Even with hip-hop artists the world over shouting variations of it, I still find 'motherfucker' stronger than 'fuck'; and I don't it has anything to do with the mother.

[abaya]

Originally Posted by sapiens

Is it you, Balki? It's me Larry.

Wow. I thought I was the only one who remembered that show (of course, living in Iceland for the last year, none of the natives OR foreigners here seem to remember that show). I loved it!! Cozin Larry!

/threadjack, go back to your fucking cunts.

[DaveOrion]

Originally Posted by PegLeg

This is my first post outside of the noob forum, so hopefully it will be alright.

I would have to agree that 'cunt' has become the word that packs the most punch. It is the one 'dirty' word that I have qualms about saying and the one that I like the least. As I find myself saying 'fuck' rather frequently (lamentably so) I've begun to wonder how this former king of the 'dirty words' was downgraded, at least for me personally. I've been wondering if, as English continues to evolve, a new king of curses will emerge.

Oddly enough, 'motherfucker' remains more powerful for me than just 'fuck'. Even with hip-hop artists the world over shouting variations of it, I still find 'motherfucker' stronger than 'fuck'; and I don't it has anything to do with the mother.

I agree, "motherfucker" is a bit stronger than a simple "fuck", but you'd be surprised how irate someone can get over "shut the fuck up", as opposed to a simple "shut up" or just "be quiet". "Shut the fuck up cunt" could really make someone's day.

[Willravel]

I'm still not sure why profanities aren't allowed on television. I can't imagine profanities being a big deal if they're generally accepted. They're only "bad words" because people get offended by them.

In other words, I could give two shits if some piss ant fucking cunt wants to act like a cocksucker and pretend like motherfucking profanities are are as interesting as tits.

[Shauk]

frak!

[Starshine]

This reminds me when I would watch Six Feet Under on Bravo. I loved the show so much that my dad bought me the whole series for Christmas. And the first time I sat down to watch it I was like, OMG, there's swearing, drug use and sex on a tv series!?!
Yeah...wasn't used to HBO television, lol.

[DaveOrion]

Originally Posted by Shauk

frak!

Please don't be offended, I apologize openly on the board. Now isn't this better than a PM???

[canuckguy]

I don't think they shock anymore, well the c-word might around most people. The c-word is not really used by most of my friends or family unless it is an extreme situation, but not when getting a cup of coffee in the morning.

I can see these words going away from tv/radio over time if the current regime continues south of my border.


I am currently on a no swearing kick, not that I swore constantly before just that I wanted to try and stop.

I think swearing has its point and use that is for sure. For example I think the TV show 'The Trailer Park Boys' is very funny but they swear so much it looses the bite and becomes annoying.

Carlin was able to effectively use the language to get his point across but not allow us to become desensitized (sp?) by it.

[ASU2003]

Originally Posted by Willravel

I'm still not sure why profanities aren't allowed on television. I can't imagine profanities being a big deal if they're generally accepted. They're only "bad words" because people get offended by them.

I don't understand why nudity isn't allowed on TV either. It doesn't even have to be fucking, shiting, pissing, cocksucking or motherfucking. But it should be cunts and tits.

[m0rpheus]

Originally Posted by George Carlin

Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, Tits.

Do they still pack a punch?

Shit - Mildly. Shit is still kinda shocking but you can hear it late-night.
Piss - Not at all.
Fuck - Yes. It doesn't top the list though.
Cunt - As said before call a woman a cunt and see what happens. I'd actually say this is the top of the list on shocking now.
Cocksucker - Not really. I've heard it on TV. It's the midway one, not the most shocking but not the least.
Motherfucker - Shocking sure but it has lost some of it's potency. Funny enough they can keep Fuck in movies up here in Canada, but they have to bleep out the "Mother" in Motherfucker.
Tits - Again not really. Only mildly more shocking than piss.

If I were to rate them in order from least to most shocking today it would be Piss, Tits, Shit, Cocksucker, Fuck, Motherfucker, Cunt.

[Terrell]

I have a book, written by a woman, called Cunt. I saw it on amazon.com, and bought it for shits and giggles. But I don't think I'll be seeing that word on broadcast television for a while, but on cable (HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc) it's okay. I think it still packs some punch though, call a lady a cunt to her face, and you can bet she'll not take it kindly. and I don't blame her. I think that the other ones have lost some of their punch and that tits is probably the weakest of the words.

[SSJTWIZTA]

Originally Posted by Redlemon

If they have no power, they have no use. Why do you say it? To shock other people.

nope, its just been said so much that its part of my vocabulary.

[KellyC]

They certainly don't shock me. I've long held the belief that words are all about context. There is no such thing as an offensive word to me (not even racial slurs). But that's the thing, it's only to me. I acknowledge that there are still many people out there who are bothered by the words. That's where I get to have my fun. So I'm ok with the current status of the words.

[Crack]

[SSJTWIZTA]

haha, thanks crack, its been a while since ive seen that.

now i need to go rent run ronnie run.

[basmoq]

I think the law should be left alone, It makes lots of money for the government when someone violates it (JK)

[bad jane]

agree cunt is the worst of the bunch. i don't find it offensive personally, but it's not a regular part of my naughty vocab because it does offend a lot of people. the rest are words i'd say without a thought.

[Glory's Sun]

what makes cunt so bad?? Hell half of my family is british.. it's just like any other word it seems like.

[tisonlyi]

What the cunting cunt are you cunting well on about, cunt?

What a fucking cunt.

--

Cunt is a great word to say. Hard start and end, pretty much like 'vittu' in Finnish, which means pretty much the same thing.

Haista Vittu!

[Hain]

Run Ronnie Run!! Ahahahahah

[girldetective]

ASU2003 : I don't understand why nudity isn't allowed on TV either. It doesn't even have to be fucking, shiting, pissing, cocksucking or motherfucking. But it should be cunts and tits.

Hey, can we throw in some perfectly grown 5:00p shadow on the chin and long, wide, smooth, perfectly pink, unblemished wang too? All sweet and cunty smelling? For the girls, you know.

[QuasiMojo]

....and TITS shouldn't even be on the list, man.


I always thought that "silly cunt" had a certain panache

[lotsofmagnets]

cunt has actually become a term of endearment in australian language in certain circumstances.

[CandleInTheDark]

I sure find it offesive to sit on the bus, or wait in line, and hear someone use those words in the course of a conversation. When you use one of the seven every other sentence, it is quite obvious you have no sense of propriety.

Swear words as such because they provide emphasis, like an excalamation mark. If I ended every sentance with one it would lose its effect. No one needs to hear you yelling every word and no one needs you to say fuck or shit every sentence.

[spindles]

Originally Posted by lotsofmagnets

cunt has actually become a term of endearment in australian language in certain circumstances.

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=113117

[Alta]

Originally Posted by CandleInTheDark

I sure find it offensive to sit on the bus, or wait in line, and hear someone use those words in the course of a conversation. When you use one of the seven every other sentence, it is quite obvious you have no sense of propriety.

Swear words as such because they provide emphasis, like an exclamation mark. If I ended every sentence with one it would lose its effect. No one needs to hear you yelling every word and no one needs you to say fuck or shit every sentence.

That is my viewpoint as well.

Swear words, if used as simple adjectives and just thrown in randomly, are offensive, and so they should be. So they were designed to be. They should be saved, like big guns, for when they are needed to really rock someone back. Otherwise they seem pointless and make me think less of a person who is so verbally challenged in the act of making their point.

[thespian86]

I hate the word cunt... it just makes me uncomfortable. So does tits, and I really say why, just because I suppose. Cocksucker, where I come from, is like a very back water way of saying Son of a Bitch (ie. That Cocksucker! so there is kind of a stigma)

It's funny because all of these are fairly mild now but for some reason calling someone "asshole" still makes me feel anxious. Again, I don't know why but I'm far more comfortable saying "Fuck you douche" then "Hey Asshole, stop being suck a cock sucking cunt".

[echo5delta]

Originally Posted by guccilvr

what makes cunt so bad?? Hell half of my family is british.. it's just like any other word it seems like.

Twat.

In the places I'm at most often, "cocksucker" still packs a bit of a wallop. It's essentially the "cunt" equivalent for males, but since it's less-often used, it generally retains good shock value.

But hey - when Marines are yelling at each other, it's all fair game. Those who excel at it are noted, respected, and (usually) feared.