The Effects of Profanity
Profanity is an activity that most people engage in but are not really aware of as they are doing it. Although a little bit of profanity can be harmless, there are a lot of situations in which profanity can have harmful long-term effects, whether on yourself or somebody else. Here are a few of the rather negative side effects of engaging in profanity.
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Types
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There are many types of ways to engage in profanity. For example, using the F word lightly for emphasis without it having any direct meaning or purpose. Another way to use profanity is to use it to insult or degrade somebody else whether directly or indirectly. The effects of profanity also completely change depending upon your audience. You must always be aware of your surroundings when using profanity as it can change what you are saying entirely from innocent chatter with friends to something dangerous and damaging to other parties.
Benefits
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One of the few benefits of profanity is that using it around appropriate persons, meaning adults, can add emphasis to a story. Using colorful language can make a story funnier. For example, if you are relaying a hilarious story about the comedic adventures of a mobster to your friends, how can you possibly accurately tell the story without sprinkling a few off-color phrases? This is one of the few instances in which using profanity can have positive consequences.
Considerations
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One thing to always consider is your use of profanity around children under 18 years of age. A child who hears an adult using bad language is not going to immediately recognize that he shouldn't be using the same language himself as he tends to copy the actions and words of adults around him. The last thing you want to hear is a 5-year-old child cursing because he heard you do it. Be careful and always err on the side of caution. If you are around a minor, then don't curse. It is unfair to them.
Effects
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Another seriously negative effect of cursing and profanity is that engaging in it too much can make it hard to stop yourself in situations when you definitely shouldn't be doing it like at work or during a job interview. If you spend most of your free hours using bad words, then it's likely that it will spill over into your workday and get you into some serious trouble with your boss and coworkers.
Warning
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One warning about profanity is that it automatically gives others who hear you using it a chance to judge you, no matter if they know you or not. Be aware of that when you speak because you absolutely do not want to give strangers (or even people you know) the power to be able to label you based on the way you speak. So always think before you speak, and only use profanity around appropriate individuals.
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