Why is profanity such a bad thing? Why are certain words in our language considered taboo?

Is it right that this should be the case? Or, is it fuck-as-like?

In my country you can get an £80 fine for swearing in a public place. Well, actually all you need to do is swear around a cop.

How the fuck can they try and control what comes out of your mouth? So long as you are not being aggressive why should profanity cause so much bother?

Hey Skunky....
This is an interesting point that you raise....I tend to think that the common use of profanity dilutes its impact, and that it should be reserved for special occasions that merit its use....thereby greatly amplifying its intended shock value.
If it is used all the time i think that the intended use for profane words is nullified!....

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If you wind up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest or some guy on TV telling you how to do your shit, then YOU DESERVE IT.
~ Frank Zappa ~

Liberty means responsibility, that is why most men dread it.
~George Bernard Shaw~

everything you know, someone had to tell you.

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My 3 year old is currently copying everything I say. I have friends round quite a lot, as soon as one set leave another turn up. Most of my friends are the type of people you cross the street to avoid. So there's a lot of swearing going on in my kitchen.

If I say fucking hell, he'll run around saying it over and over again. My gf is not very impressed as he will be starting nursery in a few months. The only thing I can think of doing is trying to tell him that it's ok to swear, just not in front of certain people.

A small part of me however wants to tell him that it's fine to swear whenever you like. Fuck 'em all son! Fuck 'em all!

I understand you completely, the hardest call in parenting is between whats right and whats best for them for the outside world. Do you bring them up the ideal way like everyone is supposed to or do you bring them up ready to deal with the harshness of the world.

If you look at it like that I suppose I am getting them ready for the harshness of the world.

It doesn't help when I burst into laughter after he copies me. Should I pretend that it isn't funny? Even though he'd know I'd just be pretending? Is this where the lying starts?

I'd made up my mind a long time ago that I would always be bluntly honest and truthful with my kids. How far should I take this?

truthfully I believe that swearing should be kept minimal around people you have no affiliation with. It's wrong that others get to dictate what you say but unfortunately that's how our world is. Preparing them for the harshness of it is the best way to go about it. As long as you don't become the one that your child would be fearing to speak freely around. I was raised never to swear around parents and others who could get me in a lot of trouble. so I decided to keep it for when I was around those who had no problem with how I spoke.

btw, I'm no parent so feel free to shoot holes in my opinion. I envy you guys who are and hope one day to be in your position..just not anytime soon.

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Rep me if I help.
It's the scale at the top right of my post(for newbies)

Most parents teach their children to share and get along with people, but sometimes I see my little girl fight for what she believes in when she wants to play with something a bigger boy has, she stands up for herself, now do you tell her that its wrong and you should get along and share or do you let her fight and tell her she was right in preperation for the world.

i base my use of vulgarity on respect. if i'm at my folks i will keep it to minimum. maybe a "shit" here or there. they don't swear and they are offended by it. i respect that. at work it's pretty much a free-for-all. we are all hard working grubby men. we are curse and no one cares. i respect that. in a restaurant i don't swear. i don't know how the people next to me feel and i don't wish to offend strangers. i know other words. as far as my son; we didn't swear in front of him until he was old enough for us to sit him down and explain it all to him. then we gradually eased it back into our vocabulary. he's heard it all now but knows when to use it. he doesn't swear in front of adults or others who may be offended. i catch him cursing to himself occasionally. i think it all comes down to those around you and how you feel about offending them. respect.

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Yeah, I suppose it's about respect. That's what I need to teach my kids. Swearing is fine, it's just that there's a time and place.