Is there really such thing as a "bad word" If we label certain words bad, does this not give them power?

Question

Is there really such thing as a "bad word" If we label certain words bad, does this not give them power?

Answer 1

If only it were that simple! Words seem to morph over time, from "just a word" to a word that provokes emotions.

For instance, the F-word isn't just a word. Even if you use it often, you use it to provoke a strong, negative jolt of emotion. It's supposed to be a heavy word, and since it's become offensive, it's now labeled "bad". Same with certain derogatory terms, etc.

Answer 2

Your first question: "If we label..."  And that's the point.."if we"...which is what we do, of course. You and I look at that hard gray lump opn the ground and I call it "rock" and you say "Yes, 'tis a rock indeed!" and BY CONSENSUAL AGREEMENT you and I give a name to it.That's how words are xcreated: by people making sounds and other people agreeing that the sound applies to a thing (or idea or whatever).

"...does this not give them power?"

In the Bible, Moses has fled Egypt and settled as a sheep-herder in another country, marrying the daughter of the high priest. Seeking stray sheep, Moses climbs Mount Horeb (also: Mount Sinai) where he meets a burning bush that talks. It claims to be a god! So Moses asks "What is your name?"

An YES, that's exactly what to do when meeting a stranger god: ask its name! Because if you know the god's name, you have power over it...or at least it has only limited power over you. If it's a rain god, for example, it has no control over your love life or other things. So yes, if we give names to things, they seem to have power...but we also have power over them, by givng them and knowing their names!

(2) Science fiction writer Ursela LeGuin some years ago wrote "The Earthsea Trilogy" about a guy who in childhood entered a wizard school. (Sound Familiar?) While there, one of the fitrst thigns he learned was that TO KNOW THE NAME OF SOMETHING is to have power over it! (I suggest you read all three books, if you haven't already...almost poetic...)

Can words be "bad?" The answer is yes. I'm not talking here about naughty or scatological words, words that describe things that every human being does. Nope...I'm talking abuot those other words, the ones we use to describe people we don't like, people of another country or religion or sexual orientation or color or language group or intelligence.

Those are the bad words. But creating such words does not give them power over us...only the power that WE give to THEM by using them in harmful hurtful ways.

-- Dr. Bob

PS -- The name of the voice from the burning bush wasYHWH. But you knew that all along, didn't you!

Answer 3

It's subconcious, we do it without realising.

Some people may consider "Religion" to be a bad word, just the same as people who would consider "Atheist" to be a bad word.

It's built off of experience, not out of personal choice.

Answer 4

The words themselves aren't 'bad' ~ It's the intent behind their use.

You could label any word in the dictionary as 'bad' & if it were perceived so, if the intent behind it was 'bad' then the word would become a 'bad' word ~ even a word as simple as, say, dish, for example.

I'll give you a real example...

I knew a person with kids once, the kids, when they got to primary school, came home & had heard a 4 letter word & thought it was cool to run around repeating it because it was a 'bad' word.

The mother, who was quite horrified by this activity, decided to stop them from saying this word.

The method she employed was quite a clever one ~ she told the kids she knew a much worse word, & of course the kids begged her to tell them, she left them in suspense for a few hours until after repeated attempts from the kids to get the word out of her, she said, ok, this is the WORST word in the whole world & you've got to promise me, you'll never, never, never to repeat this word, the kids of course agreed coz they wanted desperately to know what this word was.

She told them the word........For the next 6 hours or so, they ran around the house yelling this word, whispering it, one of their friends arrived & the first thing they were told was the 'worst' word in the world....

The word this woman told the kids?........botheration...So any word can be labelled 'bad' ~ it's the intent of the user that makes it so, not the word itself.

Answer 5

only if you choose

to empower

the words

you refer to

shock value

-if my mom utters one-

emphasis

is all

"bad"

words

are to me

--when heard by others--

I think

-that one-

means the words

he says

sad

or

foul

--uttered by innocent--

tarnished by world around

when spewed

by me

I see

them as

habit

or

manner

few seconds

--to regain--

the control

almost

lost

warning composure

- time -

they have

no power to me

by choice

you are right

now if only

all

shared your view?

;)