tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57495006136133248602024-03-12T19:22:17.223-04:00The Bleep! BlogBleep! strives to illustrate the negative effects of cursing and eradicate the usage of bad words among kids and teens today.Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-54302792713463822612013-02-10T15:24:00.000-05:002013-02-10T15:24:57.615-05:00Teens Against Cursing on FacebookI recently got an email from new member Annette J. from Malaysia, talking about the new group she made on Facebook against cursing!<br />
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"Our aim is to lessen those mean and filthy words or maybe substitute them with other words that doesn't sound such as filthy as the original word," Annette told me. Bleep! could not agree with this message more. Try to stop using bad words in general, but if you have a hard time, use alternatives instead. I readily admit that I use a lot of substitutes for bad words, since it's hard to completely erase them from your vocabulary, even in a short amount of time.<div>
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If you're on Facebook, make sure to like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cursesocietyjun2012">Annette's page</a>. It's a great page filled with a lot of anti-cursing inspiration. If you think you're the only one who dislikes hearing bad words, this page shows that you're not alone, whether you're in the US or Malaysia or any country in between.</div>
Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-45655839459510213722013-02-03T20:44:00.002-05:002013-02-03T20:44:35.352-05:00Everyone Should Keep a Clean Mouth<br />
A friend of mine recently shared <a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/NJ-School-Implements-No-Cursing-Rule-But-Only-for-Girls-189514501.html">this article</a> with me. It discusses how a school in New Jersey made students take a pledge not to curse.<br />
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At first, this seems great - a school going out of its way to ensure its students stay clean-mouthed. The catch is that the school only asked female students to take this vow. Boys were asked to abstain from cursing only when they were around girls.<br />
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I'm sure the school meant well, but they really missed the mark. Although cursing may indeed be not terribly ladylike, such a concept is so archaic and outdated that it didn't even make it into the Bleep! philosophy. Making girls take a pledge not to curse and allowing boys to say bad words whenever they want to is a double standard, which is clearly not fair. The double standard in cursing has always been prevalent, and I've blogged about it in the past. However, that doesn't make it right.<br />
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People who agree with Bleep!'s goals need to understand that <i>nobody</i> should curse - not just one segment of the population.<br />
Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-17518329901202501292013-01-17T16:34:00.002-05:002013-01-17T16:34:50.765-05:00Cursing OnlineRecently, I've become active in a certain online forum. Everyone really keeps their posts clean, perhaps with the occasional mildly bad word. However, there's one guy that consistently uses really bad words. He's a perfectly nice guy, but the fact that he curses so frequently really takes away from my respect for him. It's so jarring when I read one of his posts and I see an f bomb or other really intense word. Like, is it so hard for him to watch what he says, especially since nobody else uses that kind of language? I don't know him that well, so I would never ask him to watch his language or stop using bad words, since it's just not my place and I would feel awkward. I wish I could tell him how much his bad language is bothering me, though.Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-20852442792456245002013-01-02T17:51:00.003-05:002013-01-02T17:51:42.153-05:00Cursing in the Music Industry<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Dear music industry,<br />Have you ever considered a swear jar?<br />Sincerely, it would really help the national debt...</blockquote>
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I found the above Dear Blank Please Blank absolutely brilliant. Not only does it manage to crack a political joke, but it reveals the nastiness behind all the bad language that singers use. I personally really love music (even though I can't sing), and I find it so disappointing when one of my favorite singers will use a bad word (or two...or three...or more) in a song. Like, what was the point of using that word? Are there not thousands, if not millions, of other words you could have used there instead?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-26939181035060035162012-12-19T18:27:00.004-05:002012-12-19T18:27:35.992-05:00More Anti-Cursing Sentiments from DBPBI was scrolling through the website Dear Blank Please Blank when I saw this:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Dear kids who swear all the time,<br />I remember when "stupid" used to be a banned word, and now you're cussing out your parents.<br />Sincerely, what happened?</blockquote>
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Oh, how nice it would be to go back to the good ol' days, when bad words were really taboo. Well, we can't go back in time, but we can make the future better!Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-72566076890891413992012-11-02T12:20:00.003-04:002012-11-02T12:20:48.856-04:00IM A One and Only<i>This is a guest post written by Bleep! members Becca B. and Tali G. It was featured in this month's newsletter.</i><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><br />If you could change one part of your body, what would it be? Most teenagers would think for a moment and say something like the shape of their nose, color of their eyes, size of their stomach, etc. Very few, if any, would consider changing their tongue. As the vulnerable teenagers that we are, we automatically translate this question into something that has to do with our physicality. <br /><br />Most people don’t know that our tongues can actually make a huge difference in the way that we view ourselves. By saying mean words and by talking about inappropriate topics, we are lowering our standards and self-respect. The picture that we have of ourselves, the image of who we wish to be, gets blurrier and blurrier by the second. Each curse word that we say and each rude remark we let bounce off our lips actually takes us further away from who we want to be. <br /><br />Words have an extreme power. If we carry them properly, we can use them as a tool to strengthen our character. We can use the same words as a weapon to hurt, and even destroy those around us. So, not only can your tongue damage your self-esteem, but it can damage your friend’s as well. <br /><br />Remember, a person’s self-esteem and self-worth are invaluable. Once destroyed, it takes an unbelievable amount of effort and strength to build back up again. Next time you’re angry, think about those around you before letting your tongue overpower your mind. Think about the love and respect that you and all of your friends deserve to have. <br /><br />To read more on the topic of self-esteem and body image, check out the new website for Jewish girls <a href="http://www.imaoneandonly.org/">www.imaoneandonly.org</a>. Be sure to sign up for updates, and submit your own pieces to the site!Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-65625496214528765542012-10-22T20:12:00.000-04:002012-10-22T20:12:08.585-04:00*Another* Anti-Cursing DBPB!<div class="subtextdear">
Dear Blank Please Blank is starting to become my favorite website! It's awesome how many submissions they post that have anti-cursing messages.</div>
<div class="subtextdear">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="subtextdear">
Dear 27-year-old veteran with death tattoos in my freshman history class,
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<div class="subtextplease">
<div style="display: inline-block; text-align: left;">
Please continue to say "Fudge, sugar cookies" when you forget your books. </div>
</div>
<div class="submittedby">
Sincerely, amused, fellow non-potty mouth freshman </div>
</blockquote>
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I really like this one, since it breaks down stereotypes about who is most likely to curse, and gives a cutsey alternative to using bad words. All hail DBPB! <br />
Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-32757652908933487532012-10-14T23:43:00.001-04:002012-10-14T23:43:12.711-04:00Yet Another Anti-Cursing DBPB!<div class="subtextdear">
I just saw this Dear Blank Please Blank: </div>
<div class="subtextdear">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="subtextdear">
Dear little girl who screamed "holy heffelump" when she saw a spider,
</div>
<div class="subtextplease">
<div style="display: inline-block; text-align: left;">
Please be my new best friend... </div>
</div>
<div class="submittedby">
Sincerely, tired of hearing curse words</div>
</blockquote>
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I'm a big proponent of using jokey words, or any substitute, for bad words. I understand that it's human nature to make some sort of remark when something bad happens. You can check out <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bleeporganization/alternatives-to-bad-words">this link</a> at the Bleep! website for suggestions other than "heffelump" to say instead of cursing!<br />
Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-78502646334907446112012-09-04T22:23:00.002-04:002012-09-04T22:23:20.769-04:00Anti-Cursing DBPB!There's a website I love to procrastinate with called Dear Blank Please Blank. As I was surfing it today, I saw this DBPB:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="largesubtextdear">
Dear kids who cuss, </div>
<div style="display: inline-block; text-align: left;">
Swearing doesn't make you sound grown up. It shows you
can't articulate your emotions intelligently. </div>
<div class="largesubtextplease">
</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
Sincerely, tired of "F" this and "F" thats. </div>
</blockquote>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
Yeah! It's so awesome to see something against excessive cursing online, where there are unfortunately a lot of people who wantonly use bad language.</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
<br /></div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
A few of the comments on the DBPB:</div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="largesubmittedby">
I wish I didn't swear so much, I'm trying really hard to stop!</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
This post is right. Swearing doesn't automatically make someone less
intelligent, but I've noticed that it is used more commonly by the less
intelligent. However smart you are, swearing will always make you seem
less intelligent.</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
</div>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
...I agree that if it's every other word, that's a bit excessive... </div>
</blockquote>
<div class="largesubmittedby">
<br /></div>
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Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-55072320578039870842012-08-22T21:09:00.003-04:002012-08-22T21:09:57.293-04:00Bad Words on ClothesIn the past couple months, I've noticed a lot of people wearing clothing and accessories with bad words written on them. A while ago, I noticed a woman with a bag that had the s word on it. A week or two ago, I was on the bus with a man with a bad word on his shirt. Yesterday, I saw another man with a curse word on his shirt. While I addressed this concept in <a href="http://bleeporganization.blogspot.com/2010/04/backpacks-in-library.html">this blog post</a> a couple years ago, I would like to expand on it a little bit now.<br />
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I feel that it's really obnoxious for someone to wear something with a bad word on it. If you want to curse, that's okay; I'm personally not a fan and can cite many, many reasons why you shouldn't, but if you choose to use that sort of language and the people around you are okay with it, it's your prerogative. However, by wearing clothing with curses on them, you're forcing everyone around you to be exposed to bad words, whether or not they want to be. I know that if I were a parent, I would be very frustrated if my (young) child saw a bad word on somebody's shirt or bag. So, people of the world: could you please avoid wearing stuff with bad language on them?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-36935186927178712742012-07-05T14:47:00.003-04:002012-07-05T14:47:37.844-04:00I Was SO EmbarrassedThe other day, I was hanging out with one of my friends. Her usage of bad language all the time was actually my inspiration to create Bleep!. Unfortunately, while Bleep! has reached almost 1,000 members in 31 states and 11 countries, and impacted even more, it has not really influenced this friend of mine to stop cursing. We went into my neighborhood pizza store, and after we ordered, she realized she had no money on her. She said the s word literally ten times.<br />
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Since the pizza store is close to my home and we know the people who work there, I was really embarrassed that they saw me associating with someone with such a dirty mouth. Don't get me wrong - I love this friend to death, she's my absolute best friend in the world. However, I really didn't like that she cursed so many times. Part of the Bleep! philosophy is that when you curse, it reflects poorly on your community, whether it be your religious affiliation, neighborhood, ethnicity, or circle of friends. My friend's cursing certainly did not reflect well on me. So next time you want to curse in public, think: will the people you're with be okay with it?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-8407566134891500312012-06-22T18:53:00.001-04:002012-06-22T18:53:21.619-04:00My Brush With Cursing on the BusYesterday, I was riding on the bus, listening to my iPod. A large group of students piled onto the bus, and three girls hovered near where I was sitting. Despite securing my earbuds deep inside my ears and keeping the volume as loud as is healthy, I could hear every word of their conversation. All of the kids clearly belonged to the same ethnic group, lived in the same community and neighborhood (literally 90% of them got off at the same stop), and went to the same school. When the girls near me began using bad words (I remember hearing "OMG, she's such a bleep!" and "what the bleep?"), I was really disturbed. I knew that it was silly to judge their entire community based on these girls' behavior, especially since they were pretty young (probably in middle school) and probably didn't understand the impact of their words. However, others may not be as nice as I was in this situation. The moral of this story is: always be careful how you speak, especially in public!Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-70852434157642345752012-05-10T12:30:00.000-04:002012-05-13T12:58:06.473-04:00SHE Said THAT?Here's another GIF story from <a href="http://thatssotrue.com/">That's So True</a> about bad words. Unfortunately, teachers and parents and other important adults in our lives do sometimes slip up and say words that would best be avoided.<br />
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When your teacher swears<br />
<img alt="Icon" height="266" src="http://cdn.thatssotrue.com/2012/3/14/thatssotrue_4852_1331774299.gif" width="320" />
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<br />Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-46183852799816087442012-04-27T15:50:00.000-04:002012-04-27T15:50:00.812-04:00He Said What?I found another GIF story that has to do with cursing on the website <a href="http://thatssotrue.com/">That's So True</a>, and I thought I would share it here. <br />
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You hear a little kid say a really bad word, and you look at your friend like<br />
<img alt="Icon" height="236" src="http://cdn.thatssotrue.com/2012/4/8/thatssotrue_7673_1333934891.gif" width="320" />
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<br />Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-15450342354926553862012-04-15T18:52:00.001-04:002012-04-15T18:52:32.926-04:00DesensitizationWhen you were young and heard someone curse<br />
<img alt="Icon" height="220" src="http://cdn.thatssotrue.com/2012/2/28/thatssotrue_2563_1330432818.gif" width="320" />
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The above GIF story was on the website That's So True. It's unfortunate that the sense of "OMG! S/he said a bad word!" only really applies when we're young; we get so desensitized to bad language so early in life.Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-32472509184516302612012-03-21T19:01:00.002-04:002012-04-27T15:25:21.850-04:00Tongues Made of Glass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.iwastesomuchtime.com/March-13-2012-21-59-09-82190761919575169tYE7IiHwf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.iwastesomuchtime.com/March-13-2012-21-59-09-82190761919575169tYE7IiHwf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
By poet <a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/04-tongues-made-of-glass/">Shaun Shane</a>Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-86619713670401385032012-03-07T10:26:00.001-05:002012-03-07T10:26:23.209-05:00R Word Awareness DayToday is the annual day of awareness to end the usage of the r-word (retard/retarded).<br />
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There are a lot of things you can do to help this clean-mouthed cause. 43 states have amended their laws to use terms like <i>intellectual disability</i> instead of <i>mental retardation</i>. While that is a ginormous step in the right direction, that means that 7 states have not made these extremely important changes yet! The R-Word organization suggests that if you live in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, or Oklahoma, you should contact your state representatives <a href="http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml">here</a> and tell them:<br />
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<i>As a constituent of [your state], I demand respect and inclusion for
people with intellectual disabilities and I encourage you to introduce a measure to change the state’s official language
from ‘mental retardation’ to ‘people with intellectual disabilities’. </i><br />
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Another way you can help spread awareness of this issue is by taking the pledge to spread the word to end the word <a href="http://www.r-word.org/r-word-pledge.aspx">here</a>.<br />
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The R-Word has pretty much the same philosophy as Bleep!: "This campaign isn't about limiting speech, it's quite the opposite. We respect your right to say anything you want, but we ask that you recognize that words can be hurtful and they do matter - choose to use words that are less hurtful."Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-21976097183836023812012-02-10T00:01:00.003-05:002012-02-10T00:01:42.042-05:00Cursin' Over NeosporinA while ago, I was shopping with my mom at my local Walgreen's. A number of boys were in the store, too. Based on their uniforms, it was clear that they attended a local school with a specific religious affiliation. They were searching for Neosporin, as the entire store learned when one of the boys screamed out, "Where's the bleeping Neosporin??"<br />
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I cringed when he said this, and was far from the only one. In a way, I was embarrassed for him that he just didn't understand the negative effects of using such a strong word so cavalierly in public. It's not my place to go over to random people I don't know and say, "You know, using that word is really not the right thing to do," and segue into a whole Bleep! speech, but I really wish that I could do that sometimes. I know that I thought less of this boy's friends when he said what he did, along with his school and every other group he represented. I also imagine that all of the other people at Walgreen's at the time felt the same way. When will the world learn?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-31823695020205182812011-12-22T20:54:00.004-05:002011-12-22T20:54:47.164-05:00Irony on the BusIn some of the articles I've written for various publications about Bleep!, I use the following introduction:<br /><br /><i>You’re walking on the street and pass a person. Let’s call her Jo. She’s dressed from head to toe in Prada and is talking on her cell phone, the newest BlackBerry. What do you think of her? You’re probably impressed by Jo’s style and obvious wealth. (After all, who doesn’t want the newest BlackBerry?) “What the f**k are you talking about?” she exclaims. What do you think of Jo now? I definitely think less of her for cursing. Because of my strong feelings against cursing, I created an organization called Bleep!, whose mission is to eradicate the usage of cursing among kids and teens today. Bleep!’s mission is not to tell people that it's illegal to curse; its mission is to illustrate the negative effects of cursing and show people the reasons they shouldn’t use bad words. </i><br />
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Recently, bizarrely enough, this situation actually happened to me.<br />
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I was sitting on the bus, and two well-dressed women got on and sat across from me. They were both wearing designer clothing, had expensive accessories, and were discussing their travels abroad and complaining about how people in foreign countries try to rip off Americans. The air they had about them was clearly upper class.<br />
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In the middle of their conversation, one of the women dropped the f-bomb. Ironic much?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-80118877791053030402011-12-12T18:53:00.002-05:002011-12-12T18:53:19.569-05:00Pageants and CursingI recently started getting into the TLC show <i>Toddlers and Tiaras</i>, which features little kids who participate in pageants. Yeah, I know, it's freaky, but bizarrely addictive. I noticed that a significant portion of these kids, who range in age from two to ten, will use bad words. They often call their parents or pageant coaches names.<br />
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I find this absolutely appalling. I mean, the show's name is <i>TODDLERS and Tiaras</i> - these are really little kids who do these pageants, and it's absolutely unacceptable that they not only have heard bad words, but use them. I can't automatically blame their parents for using those kinds of words around their children, since it's possible they learned the words from an outside source, but it's likely that they heard this language from family members.<br />
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I find this really ironic, since these girls are preparing to go into the big-time pageants like Miss America and Miss USA. The winners of these pageants are supposed to be wholesome, all-American girls, certainly not people that use bad words on a regular basis. While these pageants are obviously extremely troublesome, since they objectify women and create a societal value system for women based on beauty, at least they have one thing right - cursing is not the thing to do!Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-83775431283499322712011-11-24T19:50:00.001-05:002011-11-24T22:20:34.533-05:00DirectionsToday, I was walking home when a man stopped me on the street and asked me where he could catch a bus going uptown. I directed him to a stop half a block down and told him that if he just kept walking, he'd hit it. Frustrated by the fact that he would have to continue walking, he let out a bad word.<br />
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I was bothered by this on many levels. An adult using a bad word while in conversation with a young person (especially one he or she is unfamiliar with) is just inappropriate, and makes for a poor example. I know that cursing has many negative effects, but a lot of people in my generation don't. Other teenagers may think (probably more on a subconscious level) "Well, if this man curses and he's an adult, then I can curse too!" Luckily, I know otherwise, but this man didn't know that when he used a bad word.<br />
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It's also just not appropriate for a someone to curse in front of a stranger. Just because I know what the words are doesn't mean I want to hear them!Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-59768443385505875992011-11-06T23:04:00.001-05:002012-06-25T18:34:25.618-04:00MockingA number of years ago, long before I created Bleep!, a girl in my class decided to be (sarcasm alert) extremely mature and imitate someone who has Tourette's Syndrome. At the time, it bothered me a lot that she was acting that way. Now, when I think back on it, I realize how offensive and stupid she was being.<br />
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There are several medical conditions which cause a loss of
censorship of speech. Tourette Syndrome is a brain condition that, among
other symptoms, causes the patient to curse uncontrollably.
Schizophrenia, a mental disorder that is characterized by misperceptions
of reality, can cause people to act violently and curse. Bipolar
disorder, a syndrome in which the patient cycles from being extremely
manic to extremely depressed, can also cause uncontrollable cursing.
People who have suffered from a stroke (which is like a heart attack in
the brain) or other forms of bleeding in the brain can also lose control
and curse. Other chemical imbalances and brain damage can cause
uncontrollable cursing fits.</div>
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There are millions of people every year who suffer from these
conditions and cannot control how they speak. A completely healthy
person who has total control over everything they say and still curses
is almost mocking the people who cannot.</div>Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-84988148477710163572011-10-31T22:28:00.002-04:002011-10-31T22:28:38.984-04:00Saving Up Bad WordsObviously, we should all avoid bad words at all costs. I've always said that if you really want to curse, it's okay as long as it's in front of other people who don't mind hearing bad words. I think that bad words can also be acceptable in very specific situations when you want to make a point. All of my friends know that I can't stand cursing, so they know that if I do say an objectionable word, they know I'm really angry or trying to underscore something. When you don't ever use bad words and you suddenly use one, people will understand that you're trying to make a point.<br />
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I'm not trying to condone using bad words while you're angry or anything like that, but I think it's just an interesting point to note.Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-14405378877008337792011-09-09T15:37:00.003-04:002011-09-09T15:37:28.414-04:00Watch It, StrangersA while ago, my mom and I were hanging out at a local dog store with our friend, who works there. A woman came in. She acted extremely casual, cursing in every sentence and talking like she knew us. ("This bleeping dog bed costs forty dollars? That's bleeping crazy! It's a bleeping dog bed!" I remember her saying.) All three of us were really taken aback by the fact that she was speaking to us like we've been best friends with her for years when we had only met her a few minutes previously, but what really shocked and appalled us was the language she used. While it's certainly not recommended, if you want to curse with a friend who's okay with it, it's acceptable. However, if you're in the company of a bunch of people you never met before and you have no idea what their philosophies are, you definitely shouldn't be cursing indiscriminately.Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749500613613324860.post-13659663816025601712011-09-03T22:17:00.003-04:002011-09-03T22:17:32.090-04:00Natural ReactionsA while ago, Bleep! member Ariella B. told me about a study she heard about. People were told to place their hands into buckets of freezing water. The first time, they weren't allowed to say anything, and had to be completely silent. The second time, they were allowed to say anything they wanted to, including curse words. Participants agreed that the water hurt their hands much less the second time around, when they were allowed to scream out whatever they wanted to, and curse.<br />
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This makes total sense. It's the reason it's a natural reaction to say "ow!" when we stub our toes against a wall, why we flinch when something gets too close to our faces. However, you can say "ow!" and yell and scream and express your pain, but you don't have to use curse words. It's just unnecessary. The English language is so rich, and has so many words for different occasions. Why not use an alternative to a bad word?Talia Weisberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01624072062017275066noreply@blogger.com0