It is clear to me the intent of having a site which is generally cleared of profanity is to be as inclusive of all persons as possible.
Also I guess would be the intent to justify the decision to allow a place for those who are not of age who are eligible to join to discuss the topics and participate without upsetting their parents and thus some kind of liability or law suit.
In that vein I almost understand this explanation given here:
Originally posted by yeahrightIf it's a word or phrase you wouldn't say in a business setting in front of a prospective client, or formal academic setting, or in front of your maiden aunt's church group, don't say it here.
However, I have to say you had me up till the part about the maiden aunt’s church group. I think that may be going a little too far to protect people from possible “offense”.
If I wanted to hang around a bunch of stuffy old religious ladies I’d go to said church group and discuss politics and or UFO’s or whatever; however, being an adult I chose to come here and thus far I have enjoyed myself.
I am curious why the imposition of such a strict profanity code that the use of a string of nonsensical symbols i.e. “@%#$&” which is a comedic device used even in the funny papers (who’s audience is children) since the 1950’s or before generates a “profanity sensor circumvention warning”.
In no way do I see how this violates the terms of:
You will also not use common alternative spellings or net-speak alternative for profane words.
It is neither a common alternative spelling nor netspeak it is the substitution of nonsensical symbols in the place of an expletive that the reader can chose to based upon their own moral code insert. I mean a person can read it as whatever they chose – I might read it as one thing while I am sure that my aunt’s church group might read it differently.
I can understand the alternative spellings and internet abbreviations and even when one starts a word with one letter and fills in the middle with nonsensical symbols since the writer has made an attempt to lead you down “the word choice road”.
I mean is this a religious site and I did’t get the memo that we are so strict as to limit even an example such as I listed above. Because I can show you the @$%#^ warnings I got for it on more than one occasion in some of my first posts here. Now I have to have a private chuckle when I consider it...
See how I did that; it’s up to you to insert what you think is appropriate there… I didn’t even suggest a starting and/or ending letter.
To cite the explanation again;
Originally posted by yeahrightIf it's a word or phrase you wouldn't say in a business setting in front of a prospective client, or formal academic setting, or in front of your maiden aunt's church group, don't say it here.
Honestly, having served in the military for 24 years I can tell you there are many settings in which bosses, Generals and even Senior Elected Officials use profanity quite profusely – be it in a briefing, or meeting or whatever. I would use any word that I hear on TV freely in any of the above settings and have – I guess I don’t do business with a lot of prudes.
I can go to a PG 13 movie and prime time TV and hear words I can’t say here and that seems a little draconian for a site that claims to deny ignorance.
Word’s and language are a beautiful thing and all of them; even expletives and profanity can be used to articulate a feeling or idea with good effect.
If you want to study a language in which profanity is considered a pure form of art study Russian there are verbs for things that would make a drunken sailor blush.
I can see the beauty in poetry well written and with an open mind one can admit there are some who can use profanity and expletives in a very poetic manner.
In view of this statement:
Originally posted by yeahrightThis is something we can split hairs on all day. Anyone seriously confused by the issue may be in the wrong place.
I can’t help but opine that if one can’t see the beauty in a Drill Sergeant unleashing a very eloquent and powerful string of colorful expletives to place emphasis on a key point and make it memorable perhaps a deny ignorance site is not for you…
I understand towing the party line when one is a member of the enforcement team but the implication that if one even question a policy they don’t quite understand they need to move elsewhere seems odd for a site that is designed to challenge convention don’t you think.
That said, one need not participate in the appreciation of colorful language if he/she should chose…as I understand it there are filters that could be set automatically at sign up based on a person’s age that would remove any profanity. Also, for those of age it can be an optional setting to remove such content.
It can’t be that hard or complicated my Xbox live does it, WOW does it, D&D forums have it...
I mean is there not a way for the big kids to have a discussion using big kid words while allowing those easily offended to chose a filter to remove such content?
However, since the undesirable words would then appear as &*^%$ on a person’s screen and that seems to be a T&C violation somehow perhaps that is the problem. I don’t see how that could possibly be offensive to anyone.
