From Heidelberg Catechism: “Profanity is most appreciated by the Devil, for it is how he leads the stupid to Hell. Other sins require traps: the lustful with the goal of sensual delights, the wrathful with the satisfaction of vengenace, the prideful with the promises of intimidation and political power. The profane swearer needs no lures of any kind.”
One time my older daughter & I were walking and we saw someone she was trying to avoid. She muttered, “Oh, F***!” I turned to her, cocked one eyebrow, and gave her a look like, “Seriously?” That was all it took. She’s never sworn in front of me again. If anything, she prides herself on coming up with colorful and inventive non-swear substitutes.
I work in an elementary school. One day, for no reason, a computer I was working on froze up. I said something like “I’ll have to restart this stupid computer.” And an 8 year old chewed me out for using a bad word — “You’re not supposed to say ‘stupid.’”
This strip was done when certain 4 letter words were rarely used and never in mixed company. Now, they are commonplace. How sad. There was a time when we were proud of our language, and now we are working hard to protect it.
Many people say “frig” or “frigging”, thinking that it is mild and not quite like the “f” word that gets bleeped out on most television networks. They have never looked it up in a dictionary.
My response is usually ‘’get an adjective’’ People, espectially kids, stop listening after about the first scentence so I get to the point asap.There’s a man I used to see on the bus frequently who uses the ‘f’ word the way many say ‘like’. He gets calls on his mobile and, well, we do our best to ignore him. One day he went to far and started to describe his ‘date’ from the previous night, in detail. I had enouph! This little introvert spoke up and said ‘’*I don’t want to hear it!*’’ The other passengers looked embarassed. You know when you get an INFJ to raise her voice you’ve gone too far.
Does anybody remember comedian George Carlin? He did a monologue once that was entitled 40 words that you can’t say on television. I think it was back in the 1970s but it was fall off your chair funny. He was a really funny stand up comedian.
Those words have power unless you use them too often. Such as that fellow recounted above. I met a person like that. He had done it so much he was using strings of them instead of getting new words. He in effect wasted those heated words to the point o pointlessness. Sad, really. But they have as much a place as the orthers. Though some confuse that or forget or never learned.
Though it is better if the children learn them later in life instead of at the beginning when they have little idea of language. But they are crucial for when you are angry, hurt yourself or am frustrated. There are no “junk” words either.
ho hum - we all learned the bad words when we were about five yrs old. We just never said them in front of mum or dad --well…. untill we were in our twenties. And My parents kept their language “clean” until we were mature adults. I still ask: silly people say : “frig”. They think the are being OK and clean. They don’t know what it means. But they do it. LOL.
Somebody on Etiquette Hell had a teacher send her to the principal for “swearing in a school paper”, because she referred to a female dog by the appropriate name. And yes, a real female dog.
Templo S.U.D. about 7 years ago
sounds like something like Mrs. Parker had a conversation with her son Ralph
howtheduck about 7 years ago
Now Elly complains about Michael swearing? Michael has been doing comic strip-style swearing for years.
Michael’s most recent:
http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2017/08/20
10 years before that:
http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2007/11/09
Rosette about 7 years ago
I wonder which word Micheal used? I can’t think of any that really fit into: “What -- weather.”
jpayne4040 about 7 years ago
Most modern day comedians don’t think they can be funny without adding a bunch of curse words.
USN1977 about 7 years ago
From Heidelberg Catechism: “Profanity is most appreciated by the Devil, for it is how he leads the stupid to Hell. Other sins require traps: the lustful with the goal of sensual delights, the wrathful with the satisfaction of vengenace, the prideful with the promises of intimidation and political power. The profane swearer needs no lures of any kind.”
Wren Fahel about 7 years ago
One time my older daughter & I were walking and we saw someone she was trying to avoid. She muttered, “Oh, F***!” I turned to her, cocked one eyebrow, and gave her a look like, “Seriously?” That was all it took. She’s never sworn in front of me again. If anything, she prides herself on coming up with colorful and inventive non-swear substitutes.
Old Asdirt about 7 years ago
He probably said “Funky” weather but that can be misheard.
pshapley about 7 years ago
I work in an elementary school. One day, for no reason, a computer I was working on froze up. I said something like “I’ll have to restart this stupid computer.” And an 8 year old chewed me out for using a bad word — “You’re not supposed to say ‘stupid.’”
sbwertz about 7 years ago
The bad language wouldn’t have got me in as much trouble as the eye roll in the third panel!
joefearsnothing about 7 years ago
Good one! Touche!
Mumblix Premium Member about 7 years ago
Lynn’s Notes:
This strip was done when certain 4 letter words were rarely used and never in mixed company. Now, they are commonplace. How sad. There was a time when we were proud of our language, and now we are working hard to protect it.
Great Wizard Nala about 7 years ago
How about “Lousy!”?
Phantis about 7 years ago
Many people say “frig” or “frigging”, thinking that it is mild and not quite like the “f” word that gets bleeped out on most television networks. They have never looked it up in a dictionary.
tammyspeakslife Premium Member about 7 years ago
My response is usually ‘’get an adjective’’ People, espectially kids, stop listening after about the first scentence so I get to the point asap.There’s a man I used to see on the bus frequently who uses the ‘f’ word the way many say ‘like’. He gets calls on his mobile and, well, we do our best to ignore him. One day he went to far and started to describe his ‘date’ from the previous night, in detail. I had enouph! This little introvert spoke up and said ‘’*I don’t want to hear it!*’’ The other passengers looked embarassed. You know when you get an INFJ to raise her voice you’ve gone too far.
kodj kodjin about 7 years ago
Does anybody remember comedian George Carlin? He did a monologue once that was entitled 40 words that you can’t say on television. I think it was back in the 1970s but it was fall off your chair funny. He was a really funny stand up comedian.
Phantis about 7 years ago
So we all know what frigging is? ;-)
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 7 years ago
Those words have power unless you use them too often. Such as that fellow recounted above. I met a person like that. He had done it so much he was using strings of them instead of getting new words. He in effect wasted those heated words to the point o pointlessness. Sad, really. But they have as much a place as the orthers. Though some confuse that or forget or never learned.
Though it is better if the children learn them later in life instead of at the beginning when they have little idea of language. But they are crucial for when you are angry, hurt yourself or am frustrated. There are no “junk” words either.
Phantis about 7 years ago
ho hum - we all learned the bad words when we were about five yrs old. We just never said them in front of mum or dad --well…. untill we were in our twenties. And My parents kept their language “clean” until we were mature adults. I still ask: silly people say : “frig”. They think the are being OK and clean. They don’t know what it means. But they do it. LOL.
pchemcat about 7 years ago
Nice way to back up the lesson Mom was trying to teach Michael. Idiot father!
JD'Huntsville'AL about 7 years ago
It’s because Hollywood labels vulgarity as “adult language”, so kids think that’s the way adults talk all the time.
Train 1911 about 7 years ago
We got a President who chasing the one who use the four letter word back across the boarder but not fast enough
Asharah about 7 years ago
Somebody on Etiquette Hell had a teacher send her to the principal for “swearing in a school paper”, because she referred to a female dog by the appropriate name. And yes, a real female dog.