How profane does profanity have to be?

[cedwin]

I want to make a comment on this

I find it ironic that a person named H. Wood is posting on a thread about profanity.

[Fredelas]

Kinmates frequently using profanity in Kinchat: They are Kinmates, so you let some things slide...however if ladies or children are present in Kinchat I'll send a brief reminder to the Kinmate to be more careful and considerate.

Isn't that kind of a sexist or antiquated attitude? Women and children deserve more care and consideration when it comes to the words you choose? Are they more fragile and adult males are somehow stronger or more resilient against profanity?

The only reason I ask is because I've heard both women and children cuss up a terrible storm before. Perhaps if something's not fit to be said in front of your stereotypical women and children, it's not fit to be said in any company.

[Dayln]

Excuse me for being simplistic here.

But if you don’t agree to the user agreement.... then just don’t click "I agree"

Pretty simple really.

[HWood]

I find it ironic that a person named H. Wood is posting on a thread about profanity.

What's ironic about it? It is my first initial and last name.

Edit: When my husband set up my account he assumed that I would be able to change the name later. I think with some work that I could but I have never bothered.

[cedwin]

What's ironic about it? It is my first initial and last name.

lol. Nevermind. I guess my mind is in the gutter.

Is your first name Harry?

[HWood]

lol. Nevermind. I guess my mind is in the gutter.

Is your first name Harry?

Wrong gender. Not sure if I want everyone to know my name especially since it sounds 'fake'.

[Sapience]

We had a 30 something long page discussion about this not too long ago over in DDO. I think Patience killed that thread, lol.

But yeah, most people turn off the profanity filter because it blocks legitimate words.

So far most of you are being well behaved so it stays open. If that changes, then we'll be done in a hurry.

[Lohi]

Alternatively, everyone could just not swear in the chat window, but with F2P around the corner, you better be prepared for every swear and racial cuss known to man, elf, dwarf, hobbit, ent, orc........

Ha, very true. I just started looking at the trial for Warhammer out of curiosity (unlimited free trial, hard level cap at 20). Holy digestive byproducts, that player base just slammed home how awful the rest of the MMO world can be. Rampant profanity, inane chatter, non stop gold spammers, etc.

One big factor in LotRO's success as mentioned by many is the quality player base. Mature, polite, helpful. Those qualities don't overlap often with someone used to using profanity constantly. I haven't run across anyone who says they decided to stick around and subscribe because it reminded them of an HBO series. So trying to clamp down on it can be good for business.

[Khafar]

You know, if Turbine doesn't want their GMs to get absolutely slammed with tickets on this, they should consider adding some tools to "auto-enforce" some of the rules. That's tricky, because it absolutely must be accurate or it will cause no end of PR problems for them. But as one example, the chat server could look for the "f" word in chat (not all of the words, just the "f" word), and automatically send the player a /tell from +Admin as a warning on the first and second use... then temp-ban them automatically on the 3rd use. No GM intervention necessary.

Yes, I know that's likely to get some players all wound up about "big brother" and assorted other nonsense. But the fact is that this isn't about "free speech". It's about Turbine's ability to enforce its own rules in a private space, and to do so without crippling their ability to deal with other sorts of customer service issues.

(If they're going to do that, just make sure to give it some heavy testing first ).

Khafar

[TsarithArcher]

Isn't that kind of a sexist or antiquated attitude? Women and children deserve more care and consideration when it comes to the words you choose? Are they more fragile and adult males are somehow stronger or more resilient against profanity?

The only reason I ask is because I've heard both women and children cuss up a terrible storm before. Perhaps if something's not fit to be said in front of your stereotypical women and children, it's not fit to be said in any company.

I don't think that Societal Customs based upon Chivalrous Romanticism is necessary sexist, but perhaps they are indeed quite antiquated.

However, there are many women in specific Geographical regions of the United States, as well as those of particular Social Classes, where profanity not only is inexcusable for a lady (as opposed to a "woman") to speak, but where it is considered insulting and rude to speak profanity in front of lady. Sure, women can swear like a sailor with the best of them, but a lady never would.

As far as children, shouldn't they be seen not heard? jjk If you listen to children in their native environment without parental units around they swear whether their parents do or not. Who knows where they pick it up from. However, the point in minding one's language and curbing one's use of profanity around children is to let them know that such language is inappropriate and unacceptable, lest they continue to abuse such language unabated. Children are impressionable after all, and they learn from the example set forth in the Community. It is therefore imperative that the Community refrain from lingua vulgaris so that they may learn that profanity is not the rule of language, but rather the exception.

But yes, I agree that the most offensive swearers know neither age nor gender, which in my opinion is precisely why antiquated practices of Chivalry are all the more important (although, they shouldn't be restricted to just ladies and children, but what do you think would happen if you said "Could you please mind your language...there is a gentleman present"?).

[Lohi]

wouldn't someone need to have their language filter turned off in order to be offended?

Profanity is in the context, not the spelling.

[cedwin]

(If they're going to do that, just make sure to give it some heavy testing first ).

lol, I can see it now.

Cedwin has been incapacitated.
To Kinship: well *$%@
Cedwin has been disconnected.

[wellington]

Why do we get long discussions about this issue just about every two months?


Just wondering.

We should discuss why we need (A "Must") Eagle Mounts and open-world FFA PvP while we are beating dead horses.

Sorry...feeling grumpy today.

[Roberto_the_First]

Here's my personal take on the topic.

If someone types what I consider a swear word, I'll report it. I leave it up to the GM to decide if it meets their standards of profanity.

I don't believe you can accidently type anything. In voice chat, sure, but there's a concious effort to type out the word(s), and you can't accidently do that.

[lescastor]

wouldn't it be much more appropriate to ask the person to stop or inform them that you are offended first? some people don't even think what they said is offensive. If they arent even making a concious effort to be offensive, I wouldn't say they're at fault.

[cedwin]

I don't believe you can accidently type anything. In voice chat, sure, but there's a concious effort to type out the word(s), and you can't accidently do that.

It is possible to accidentally type a swear. I've seen the restaurant name Fuddruckers typed incorrectly by a few people now (even a very polite client of the company I work at, in an email).

People in game hit the enter key before reading what they've actually typed sometimes. Especially when tired or after a few drinks. Hilarity usually ensues.

[Artanisul]

I would say it is a level playing field, just maybe not the way you 're thinking. The policy seems to be something along the lines of "if it's a violation, and it gets reported, it gets enforced". If no one cares enough to report it, then they won't waste their energy enforcing. Which seems reasonable to me. No solution is going to be 100% perfect, but this allows people to talk how they like when with friends, while still encouraging them to watch their language when in public channels where someone who might report them may be listening.

Every use of profanity that gets reported does not get removed. Thus it isn't a level playing field.

Again, I do not have any illusions that the more I object the better my chances are to have my way. I know it is not going to happen. I just do not want people to think the above is true. Some get banned for annoying the wrong person who then false reports, some get ignored even though they were reported for bannable offences.

[Roberto_the_First]

People in game hit the enter key before reading what they've actually typed sometimes. Especially when tired or after a few drinks. Hilarity usually ensues.

Now that, I understand, which is why that's one of the top three axioms of gaming:

1) Never play patch day.
2) Never drink and game.

[cedwin]

Now that, I understand, which is why that's one of the top three axioms of gaming:

1) Never play patch day.
2) Never drink and game.

3) Never trust what you read on the forums.

[lescastor]

3) Never trust what you read on the forums.

then should I trust you telling me to never trust anyone?

[tuor66]

wouldn't it be much more appropriate to ask the person to stop or inform them that you are offended first? some people don't even think what they said is offensive. If they arent even making a concious effort to be offensive, I wouldn't say they're at fault.

Ideally yes, in practice this doesn't usually work so well. There are people who can be capable of acting mature and respecting others. Then's there's the other group who go - great, let me annoy you some more now. Sometimes you can tell who's in which camp, sometimes not. In any event, it's not acceptable conduct. That being said, I might be inclined to make a suggestion to someone who appears to be capable of reason.

[Kyrra_T]

wouldn't it be much more appropriate to ask the person to stop or inform them that you are offended first? some people don't even think what they said is offensive. If they arent even making a concious effort to be offensive, I wouldn't say they're at fault.

No, because you're still trying to place the burdan on the listener to define profanity. You signed 'I agree' on the EULA and the TOS.

You didn't send a letter asking Turbine to list what words they defined as profanity. You don't get to alter the rules because you 'really' didn't agree you just said you did so you could play the game.

My personal general rule of thumb, if I wouldn't say what I am typing to my mother, when I was a preadolescent living under her roof, then I either won't type or will rephrase it to something acceptable. Your rules may vary. I'm sure there are plenty of 'personal rules' that manage to conform to acceptable public behavior.

I fully expect the next post to come from a genius who wants someone to define 'acceptable'. Clearly this will be our next great lawyer.

[Nymphonic]

Ninny Hammers!

By Durin's Beard!

By Sauron's need for Visine!

Ok, I made the last one up!

[auximenes]

Isn't that kind of a sexist or antiquated attitude? Women and children deserve more care and consideration when it comes to the words you choose? Are they more fragile and adult males are somehow stronger or more resilient against profanity?

Antiquated sure, but what's wrong with showing a little class and respect? Also, who are you to decide what's appropriate for other people's children to read? The simple, dignified way to act is to not use coarse language in the company of others who may not want to hear/read it.

[Ella]

This is a funny thread. The best "cursing" I ever heard did not use a single so called cuss word but got the idea across quite readily. I guess folks these days must not be all that creative.

I didn't actually know you could turn the filter off. I guess the need for it never became obvious.