Profound Profanity

This post is an exercise in realizing the power and intent you put into language. While you take in the possibly offensive content, observe yourself and your subtle reactions.

We have all, to some extent, been instructed or conditioned to carry with us a negative charge associated with specific sounds. Some people are able to eliminate this negative charge by realizing that a word only has the meaning you give it and no more. Others maintain the negative association and keep the negative charge alive for the next generation to inherit.

The irony of it all is that if not for the people holding on to the idea of the negative association, the words would simply stop being negative in any way shape or form. In other words, the people resisting the use of a word, are actually the ones charging it with negativity. The negativity only exists in their minds. The word is only a sound. It is neither positive or negative. It just is. Only when interpreted by the mind is any association made. Beauty is in the eye of the observer.

To illustrate, here are a couple of "profane" words that have such an amazing amount of versatility, they can be used in countless ways (and are....quite frequently!). Because these words are used in such diverse ways, it's pretty easy to see how it is us who gives them their meaning and us who decides to hold on to or let go of the negative aspect.

Shit may just be the most versatile word in the English language.

You can be shit faced, shit out of luck, or have shit for brains. (do we know someone like this????)
Sometimes you just plain ole get "the shits".
With a little effort you can get your shit together, find a place for your shit or decide to shit or get off the pot.
You can smoke shit, buy shit, sell shit, lose shit, find shit, forget shit, and tell others to eat shit and die.
You can shit or go blind, have a shit fit or just shit your life away.
Some people know their shit while others can't tell the difference between shit and shineola.
Other people just have a Shit eatin' grin on their face all of the time.
There are lucky shits, dumb shits, crazy shits, and sweet shits.
There is bull shit, horse shit and chicken shit.
You can throw shit, sling shit, catch shit, or duck when shit hits the fan. You can give a shit or serve shit on shingle.
You can find yourself in deep shit, or be happier than a pig in shit.
Some days are colder than shit, some days are hotter than shit, and some days are just plain shitty.
Some music sounds like shit, things can look like shit, and there are times when you feel like shit.
You can have too much shit, not enough shit, the right shit, the wrong shit or a lot of weird shit.
You can carry shit, have a mountain of shit, or find yourself up shit's creek without a paddle.
Sometimes you really need this shit and sometimes you don't want any shit at all.
Sometimes everything you touch turns to shit and other times you swim in a lake of shit and come out smelling like a rose.
When you stop to consider all the facts, it's the basic building block of creation.
And remember, once you know your shit, you don't need to know anything else!
Holy Shit!! Thanks for letting me shoot the shit with you!

These were only a couple of "curses". The others can be used in various contexts as well. The fact that we call these words "curses" or "curse words" is another clue as to the negative association we carry around with us if we are not aware of it. This is not only true about words; it's true about everything!

Check out the posts below to further explore this concept.

Related posts:
Words Can Not Express...
What's In a Name?
Eye of the Beholder
Does Evil Really Exist?
Morality Is Relative