This blog started as a response to someone on another website.  I have modified and expanded it for use here.  What I call "foul language" is, in my humble opinion, not appropriate in nearly all cases.  For example, US Navy seems to pride itself for its use of foul language.  To me, this has led to lower quality and lower moral in the Navy.  I, for one, would never advise a young person to join the Navy for that reason.  When I worked in the US Forest Service, the agency strongly leaned away from allowing "bad language."  I found it a very nice place to work and when foul language was used it was usually used to demean and denigrate the ideas of other people that someone did not accept.  Even when fighting wildfires for the agency, I found the crews avoiding such language as an insult to one's intelligence.  My point?  Foul language is usually just a cover for a refusal of someone to listen to reason.  Rather than accept the fact they are wrong or may be wrong, they simply start swearing and cussing as if to say, "I know your right, but I don't want to admit it.  So, I'm going to start cussing at you to chase you away and force you to accept my incorrect opinion."

The famous comedian George Carlin was famous for his comedy routine in which he defended "Seven Dirty Words" as only "words."  I agree that words are only words.  But when words become weapons, then they often need to be abandoned like the words "Nigger" and "Jap" that are used to look down on entire classes of people.  From my perspective, the use of such language is usually done to defend ideas that are otherwise indefensible.  Use of words like "damn" and "shit" and such tell the listener, "I don't care what you think, it is my way or the highway.  I refuse to listen to any reasonable arguments that conflict with my opinion."  As such, if someone resorts to such language, I make the assumption that they have nothing to contribute to the conversation.  I do give people who may not know of the existence of this concept some leeway.  But in general, if I know a person is simply using a poor choice of words to force others to accept their opinion, then I immediately refuse to listen further to their opinions. 

Vocabulary and Idioms:

In my humble opinion: I would like to say this cautiously, but it is what I think.

In nearly all cases: in almost all situations, most of the time.

Demean and denigrate: to make someone look bad, when the person does not deserve poor treatment.

Wildfires: fires burning trees and grass and often not burning structures or buildings.

An insult to one's intelligence: saying something is right when other people know it is wrong.

From my perspective: this is what I believe, this is my opinion, this is my point of view, this is where I'm coming from.

It is my way or the highway: I am going to claim to be right and not listen to anyone else.  If you don't like my ideas, I strongly suggest you leave and give up.  I'm not going to listen to any reasonable arguments.

Have nothing to contribute: don't have anything worthwhile to add to a group conversation. 

Some leeway: a chance to listen to reason, to assume the person may simply be unaware of something.