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Subject:Re: OT: Profanity in the workplace From:Lauren <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:48:04 -0800
On 3/4/2010 2:29 PM, Leonard C. Porrello wrote:
> Leonard (who has a long, long way to go before he can claim not to be
> moral superior and who recognizes that by implicity denying that he
> himself is morally superior he is painting himself as morally superior)
>
Leonard is so "morally superior" that he can discuss morals and religion
in a professional forum and few rebuttals to his arguments, since so few
are morally superior enough to violate the forum rules of discussing
only topic related to technical writing.
On 3/4/2010 3:35 PM, Leonard C. Porrello wrote:
> Most of the people in the circles I move in do feel the phrase is
> profane. Nevertheless, I agree that most people that use the phrase do
> not intend much by it. However, the problem isn't the phrase or what was
> intended by it. The problem is a lack of courtesy and professionalism.
> The problem is that what was said is profane (whether moderately or
> severe would depend on your creed), someone was offended by it and spoke
> up, and they were summarily dismissed.
For me, profanity in the workplace is unprofessional and discourteous,
although there are times when no other words will do. I also find
discussions of religion, deference to a supreme deity, morals, and other
topics that tend to divide people through assorted forms of supernatural
idealism are also unprofessional and somewhat more offensive than
profanity.
The assumption that profanity is unprofessional because it violates
morals can only raise nonsense arguments and never touch on why
profanity in the workplace could be wrong. We have made certain words
wrong and we have fun with having "right" and "wrong" in language. Out
of respect for each other, and not some deity, we should avoid language
that we think is "wrong" when we want to be professional or courteous.
The fact that this thread about profanity got hijacked into morality
nonsense is an act of immaturity for the hijacker and a nuisance.
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