If the game is 18+ I think it doesn't matter if there are cuss words or not. If a little kid gets the game and hears them and its their fault because they got it when its 18+.

Yes since a Swear free game would be weird (Dang I just died 5 times without a kill. Silly me.)

Eiseman:

BallPtPenTheif:

Since when was the utterance of a specific sequence of sounds a privilidge?

Cursing is a normal aspect of common society and it is not inherently "bad" or even "unintelligent". Many a stand-up comedian have demonstrated that these words can be used creatively and effectively while covering very intellectual topics.

It is the uncontructive nature of online discourse that is annoying. Even if you were to magically swap out all the curse words for Sesame Street equivalents you would still be left with annoying and irrelevant chatter that would still be aimed at offending you.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. My point was about the context of swearing. You're right that annoying chatter is annoying chatter no matter what words they use, but I think that they're making it even worse by using swears so immaturely. I think they're ruining the context of swearing.

i've played on "non profane" counter strike servers that were 10 times more annoying. i would have rather heard arbitrary cursing rather than an irrelevant anecdote about how the host saved his mom into accepting christ.

the true test of maturity is in people objectively being contructive in their criticism in order to produce a positive, "winning", result. typically, if somebody screws up and everybody starts to comment on his sexuality, nothing productive will occur.

The inability to understand the long term of casaulity of ones actions and wether or not it will achieve their goal is a better measure of maturity rather than judging people by their arbitrary use of curse words.

I believe that we are probably annoyed by the same type of players. I put blame solely on their immature level of failed communication where as you believe that curse words play a role in their maturity.

The F bomb never killed anyone, but when someone is just "Fuck these fucking faggotface douchecocks!"

Then they need to stfu, and wait a few years, because they're obviously not old enough to play M rated games yet.

SilentHunter7:
The F bomb never killed anyone, but when someone is just "Fuck these fucking faggotface douchecocks!"

Then they need to stfu, and wait a few years, because they're obviously not old enough to play M rated games yet.

again, do you realize how specific your example is? Your point lacks any kind of overriding criteria that would apply to the extensive creative insults which people encounter on a daily basis.

Isn't it just easier to concede that the idea to offend is the issue here and that the word "douchecocks" is really a nondescriptive irrelevant term that serves no purpose in describing how said cock would even begin to function as a douche?

being referentially creative is one thing, but just slapping curse words together is lazy.

tisk tisk

I don't think people should ban others for just saying it. I mean, fuck man...its part of our fucking language, ya fucking know what I mean? All joking aside. Sure, go ahead, say it all you want, but just don't overuse it...I hate it when people talk like I just did. But I'm voting yes on this one because hey man, we all have the right to say whatever the fuck we want.

Also, sorry for the double post, but I believe the question should be more along the lines of "How do you feel about swearing in 18+ rated games?"

Well fuck, I fucking don't personally fucking believe that fucking swearing is a fucking problem. If you fucking think that a few fucking swear words is fucking offensive then you need to die in a fucking fire.

@TOG Solid

thanks for deflating my arguement....

all right, for every 500 one of these guys, there's 1 George Carlin. I consider it a fair trade.

Well I've never been on a server were it cited you for swearing but I gotta agree you can't expect a game that's rated 18+ to not have the same course language as that age group would understand. Plus, swearing can show me that if your the type that yells over the mic saying things that would make a nuns heart and head explode then for one, you have a very very weak vocabulary since your only other word in each sentence would be "fuck" and two, your actually too young to be playing that game you 12 year old twat.

alrite name the seven worst words to use

Well... mostly i agree with the general opinion formed, that swearing is fine in a certain context. But as a good teacher once said to me, "Someone who uses an enormous amount of profanity simply isn't Smart enough to think of a more creative or subtle way of insulting someone"

I'm reminded of a line in one of my favourite books 'Love and other near death experiences'

When asked why she swears so much Elizabeth responds with: "Because I like to express myself with the full range and depth of the English language you tit-witted, cattle fucker."

I don't agree with the whole, "it's just sound waves vibrating your eardrums, man," school of thought. Societies have taboos, big ones and small ones. "Swear words" are offensive to some because of their connotations. For example, "F***" and "intercourse" describe, literally speaking, the same act, but they are hardly interchangeable on any practical level. I'll try to make this convincing: Is there any phrase or sentence, anything I could tell you verbally, that would be offensive? Surely most of us would be offended by something. If we applied the meaning of that phrase or sentence to a single word, complete with connotation, the result could be referred to as a swear word. And it is very reasonable to be offended by words like that. The "F" word describes not mere intercourse, but only disgusting and distasteful intercourse. Nothing superstitious about that. Just my opinion, please don't be mad. heh.

That said, I think that cussing within reason is fair game unless otherwise noted in M rated video-games.

BallPtPenTheif:
@TOG Solid

thanks for deflating my arguement....

all right, for every 500 one of these guys, there's 1 George Carlin. I consider it a fair trade.

Heh, you seem to think my post has no point. The fact of the matter is is that the only way you can be offended by something is if you let yourself be offended. Think about how many black people call each other n***ers and yet if a white guy says it to them in a joking manner it's like *GASP* HOW DARE YOU!?

In an online game, just like in society, swearing has a place and time and when done appropriatly is just a natural part of language. For instance,(and I'm sure EVERYONE has done this at some point in a FPS) lets say you're in an intense firefight and you do a dive off a ledge completely accidently (Ah The Specialists, how I miss thee). It's totally tasteful to just jokingly go "oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit" as you fall to your inevitable death and I'm sure most everyone would get a laugh out of it. However, being offensive just for the sake of it, i.e. the infamous "pissed off 13 year old" should be a votekick/ban situation and I don't think anyone would disagree wtih that. Personally I'm a sailor and grew up as an army brat, so for me, NOT swearing is a pain in the ass. It's just a natural part of my lexicon.

Putting a restriction on language on a server is just a sign of lazy admins or soccer mom mentality losers who need to stop being so uptight.

disgusting and distasteful intercourse

You sir, need to explore sexuality beyond just *insert tab a into slot b, repeat until results achieved* but that's a discussion for another time.

TOGSolid:

You sir, need to explore sexuality beyond just *insert tab a into slot b, repeat until results achieved* but that's a discussion for another time.

Struck me as a matter of semantics more than sexuality, but I'm open to different views. I've got time now, what have you got?

Edit: Hmm. Well, that tone is most appropriate for our discussion here, until you explain to me otherwise.

No.

+18 games could mean violence and swearing (and occasional sex), but throwing lines of "fucks", "shits", and other mean / racist commentaries is not my idea of friendly online match. Excessive use of bad language just proves you're not enough mature mentally.

Yes, swearing should be allowed. Do I swear at people online? No. It's unnecessary and childish. it's also a sign that the person that is doing it is getting their arse kicked. But I wouldn't ban someone for doing it.

No.

If people are worried about kids learning swear words, then this is all pointless. I knew all of them and their meanings when I was twelve.

Most of them are in the dictionary. Should the dictionary be 18+?!

TF2 is a great example actually. Nearly every server I go on is "No swearing or be banned". I think that this is pretty harsh. Maybe if you excessivly swear at any chance you get then you are pushing it but the occasional "Fuck" or "shit" does no harm. It helps to emphasise how pissed off you are when some one barges you off a teleporter.

Swearing is fine by me...just not excessive...

I wouldn't be offended by swearing in an 18+ game. However, I don't feel that it has a place when someone is just swearing because they can.

As long as it isn't like some twelve year old swearing his head off every time he dies, if it's like "Shit i died" then i wouldn't care, or even "This level is F^cking retarded" that would be just a bit annoying but when it gets stupid then there's a problem, for me atleast.

I'm against censoring, no matter the subject (exception for people who wants to remain anonymous on TV, i.e face is blurred and voice is altered.)
I hate censoring so much that if I'm watching TV and even a single word is censored I turn off the TV instantly no matter what's on, I just can't stand someone making decisions for me what they think i should watch/listen to.

Also I think that the concept of taboo is just silly, quite ridiculous really. There are few things, if any, I'd consider taboo, ok so guro chlid molestation might be a bit much, but not much else...

I think taking offense at just words is downright stupid and have trouble understanding people who do.
Okay, so if someone says to me: "I fucked yo mother all night, and she's a slutty piece of trash"
Of course i would be offended by this, but It isn't because of the words used but by what the person who said them meant.

I personally don't mind swearing in online games. It only bothers me when it makes little or no sense. I remember playing Battlefield: Bad Company about a week ago with my two friends Babz and Psycho. Now since BF:BC has a four man squad system, we had gained another player who we didn't know. So we go about the first few minutes of the match in silence, until Babz asked 'Are we attacking or defending?'.
Now I tell her that we were attacking and the three of us proceed to talk tactics and whatnot. Now our extra member must have spent some time figuring out Babz was a girl, and proceeded to swear his head off in some stupid attempt to impress her. For example, we were all getting into a boat and he yells at us 'Hey stop your ****ing boat let me the **** in'. This continued throughout the rest of the match. At every given moment, he would yell some random profanity to make himself seem big.
It got very irritating, and we were glad when he was placed into another squad, but when I look back on it I found it funny that someone was trying to impress a girl by swearing through Xbox live. So, I think swearing can belong in 18+ games, just not in stupid amounts.

Since when is setting up some ground rules censoring? If a person walked into a church and strung together a bunch of F-bombs or even used the words in an effective and proper sentence and then was asked to leave would this discussion be different? Whatever happened to simple courtesy and respect? It seems to me that is all they are asking for.

squid5580:
Since when is setting up some ground rules censoring? If a person walked into a church and strung together a bunch of F-bombs or even used the words in an effective and proper sentence and then was asked to leave would this discussion be different? Whatever happened to simple courtesy and respect? It seems to me that is all they are asking for.

I'm not religious, I don't go to church and I've been in a church a maximum of 10 times in my entire life. That being said...

Why would they go into a church and start swearing in the first place, to me it's no different than to start swearing on the subway all of a sudden.
I wouldn't react much differently to someone swearing on the subway to someone swearing in a church. I'd probably turn my head to see what was going on, then probably stop caring about it.

I'm not one to curse alot, but I'm not really bothered by other people who do.
Exception would be someone who just shouts random profanities in a public place, then I'd just stop and wonder wtf is wrong with the person and move on. Then again I'd do the same thing if someone was shouting different names of vegetables, profanity has nothing to do with it.

Ok maybe church was a bad example. Replace it with school. Or an office. Or any other place where you are expected to have a certain degree of respect. If I cursed up a storm in a classroom I would be on my way to the principal's office and if I posted about it here the response I would expect would be "serves you right for being a dumbass." So why is it different if the rule is clearly posted in an online game and I get booted for doing it?

Don't get me wrong the first word out of my mouth when I am playing a game(offline or on) is usually an F-bomb followed by a string of profanities. Out in my day to day life I curse a fair bit. I also understand that there are places (and around some ppl) this language is inappropriate. So the mature thing to do is curb my tongue when around said ppl or places. I don't see how it is OK for me to do it just because it is online and I am anonymous.

For all of you who are saying that you don't see how excessive profanity can make one seem childish or dumb, think that perhaps it's not the word, it's how it's used, and the amount of times it's used.

Here's an example. Let's forget all we know about swears and censorship. We've only got words, and each word is equal. Someone says: "Oh blabbing gosh I'm blabbing having a bad blabbing day. I just blabbing wish my stupid-flurg boss could blabbing stop being rav-ignorant and shut the blab up."

He just said "blab," "flurg," and "rav." There's nothing wrong with them, they're just terms. Even so, how would you judge this person? Most people living in this alternate reality would probably say he sounds like an idiot. Not because of the words, but because his vocabulary seems dependent upon them.

Make sense?

vdgmprgrmr:
For all of you who are saying that you don't see how excessive profanity can make one seem childish or dumb, think that perhaps it's not the word, it's how it's used, and the amount of times it's used.

Here's an example. Let's forget all we know about swears and censorship. We've only got words, and each word is equal. Someone says: "Oh blabbing gosh I'm blabbing having a bad blabbing day. I just blabbing wish my stupid-flurg boss could blabbing stop being rav-ignorant and shut the blab up."

He just said "blab," "flurg," and "rav." There's nothing wrong with them, they're just terms. Even so, how would you judge this person? Most people living in this alternate reality would probably say he sounds like an idiot. Not because of the words, but because his vocabulary seems dependent upon them.

Make sense?

whats the point..... i love the whole argument that using a small vocabulary = stupidity. I know some fairly stupid people who never cuss, and couldn't figure their through a low end job. It's more self-righteous than anything, it's those people that feel that they are "better" and "smarter" because they don't use that form of language.

I i get killed in a scrim in TF2, i say fuck!, demoman on left side under bridge, hes lit up.... fuck is used to attract the attention of the team, they know something bad has happened, and then i give further information... We know the word gets the attention of others, and use that to our advantage.

Soft language distracts from the point of talking, it takes the life out of the words. I have to talk differently around people because they may be offended..... it's stupid, i have tons of mindless people i know at the workplace that i cant say "fuck you" too because, but i can say "you suck". In my mind it means the same thing, and they know that, changing the language doesn't change the feelings behind it. If i scream "I LOVE YOU!" as loud as i can, or i say "i want to kill you" in a nice low voice, what are you gonna be more offended by? Me screaming at you with a nice thing to say, or me talking normally with a not so nice thing to say?

Yeah......

I'm reminded of a scene/line from Dr. Strangelove.

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room".

Jazzyluv:

vdgmprgrmr:
For all of you who are saying that you don't see how excessive profanity can make one seem childish or dumb, think that perhaps it's not the word, it's how it's used, and the amount of times it's used.

Here's an example. Let's forget all we know about swears and censorship. We've only got words, and each word is equal. Someone says: "Oh blabbing gosh I'm blabbing having a bad blabbing day. I just blabbing wish my stupid-flurg boss could blabbing stop being rav-ignorant and shut the blab up."

He just said "blab," "flurg," and "rav." There's nothing wrong with them, they're just terms. Even so, how would you judge this person? Most people living in this alternate reality would probably say he sounds like an idiot. Not because of the words, but because his vocabulary seems dependent upon them.

Make sense?

whats the point..... i love the whole argument that using a small vocabulary = stupidity. I know some fairly stupid people who never cuss, and couldn't figure their through a low end job. It's more self-righteous than anything, it's those people that feel that they are "better" and "smarter" because they don't use that form of language.

I i get killed in a scrim in TF2, i say fuck!, demoman on left side under bridge, hes lit up.... fuck is used to attract the attention of the team, they know something bad has happened, and then i give further information... We know the word gets the attention of others, and use that to our advantage.

Soft language distracts from the point of talking, it takes the life out of the words. I have to talk differently around people because they may be offended..... it's stupid, i have tons of mindless people i know at the workplace that i cant say "fuck you" too because, but i can say "you suck". In my mind it means the same thing, and they know that, changing the language doesn't change the feelings behind it. If i scream "I LOVE YOU!" as loud as i can, or i say "i want to kill you" in a nice low voice, what are you gonna be more offended by? Me screaming at you with a nice thing to say, or me talking normally with a not so nice thing to say?

Yeah......

So, um, what are you trying to say?

Your first paragraph deals with self-righteousness, which has nothing to do with my argument.

Your second paragraph is about how swearing catches attention, which is also completely irrelevant.

Your third paragraph is basically about how the way things are said can be offensive, which is fairly relevant, but you wrote it as if you were arguing against me, while remaining neutral.