Humans have always found ways to alleviate the pain and discomfort of living. Be it fire, wheels, or the latest iPhone, humans tend to find a way. Language can be considered one of our brighter, more intriguing inventions. It allows us to meander our fates into different places, whether we intend to or not. And when we find ourselves cornered by the consequences of our own words, what do we do? We unlock a secret, supposedly “rash” set of words - swear words.
Cursing is framed as an unforbidden fruit - we were taught not to indulge in cursing, but somehow all the cool kids; the naysayers of authority, the people who can really put their foot down - who seem to concoct the perfect combination of unmentionable words to describe, escalate, or simmer down.
Fairly enough, cursing can determine how you present yourself and how you are perceived. According to a 2015 study, people who were verbally fluent were better at coming up with curse words than those who were less fluent. Not only does it display a command over language, but it can also show social intelligence; the ability to gauge whether it is appropriate to use a particular word in a particular situation. It can colour one’s personality in the way that picking certain clothes can.
Beyond the external implications, cursing can mean quite a bit for one’s inner world. Cursing is said to promote honesty. A person who is comfortable with expressing their inexplicable, ugly emotions with these inexplicable, ugly words, rather than suppressing them with niceties, could mean that they don’t shy away from said emotions. This leads to an overall healthier relationship with one’s own emotions and a track record of candour.
Studies have shown that bikers who swear while pedalling against resistance happen to hone stronger bodies with higher pain tolerance. This very simply shows that perhaps swearing can help you withstand a higher amount of pain, essentially giving one resilience to deal with the ebb and flow of life. So if you happen to get under the needle for that tattoo you’ve always wanted, make sure to get out some profanities while you’re at it!
Cursing can also get your creative juices flowing. It does not have to express some underlying anger, but rather an urge to create, to weave a sentence together. Swear words can inspire (chants of “f*ck the patriarchy” at protests are proof of this), they can attack, and they can also merely exist. They could improve your everyday life, bit by f*c*ing bit!
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