instant regret
Let's talk about filters. I know that CFC is a family-friendly forum. Or, well, at least, it was in 2000. Maybe, maybe it's time to...lower the filters on certain words? No way we would unfilter words like <fornication> or <slang word for black people>, amongst others, but perhaps we could unfilter words like <female dog> or <excrement>. Just throwing out examples. I'll leave it to you, the admins and mods to decide.
Why do I want this? Well, I assume that maybe some people would like greater freedom in speaking out their mind, to whatever odds that might lead. In more specific case, I, as a member of the IOTing community, would have a much easier time writing stories with slightly lighter filters. You might say "Well, yeah, but your story would sound better if you don't use slurs!". Fortunately, I've realised since long I'm not going to be a good writer, so while writing awful things I might as well have an easier time.
In any case, if any discussion reaches a time where someone just drops <fornication> you, <slang word for black people>!, well, maybe that discussion has ran its course.
Some here know that I run an ongoing series of writing competitions in the Arts & Entertainment forum. One of the things I made clear to the moderators when getting permission for this activity was that we would not deliberately give the staff any cause to issue infractions for inappropriate language, ethnic slurs, and so forth. So it's in the Iron Pen rules to be mindful of
CivFanatics' rules regarding language usage. A couple of competitions ago there was a question of how far a character could go in swearing. The answer: Under no circumstances are the writers allowed to break the forum rules for the sake of a more authentic line of dialogue.
So the writer had to figure out a different way of conveying the same meaning... and managed quite well. The dialogue worked, and the A&E moderator didn't have to worry about issuing any warnings or infractions.
English is a very adaptable language and while it may take a bit more time and thought to come up with an acceptable alternative that won't result in being carded, it can be done.
>claims upside is minuscule compared to downside
>doesn't list downside
Sorry OP, but the fact that words like [EXCREMENT] are extremely minor swears these days is far outside the scope of this board ran by 40 somethings and populated largely by late-teens and young adults. Could you imagine the sheer panic that would occur if somebody amplified "crap" to the deadly s-word?
Really, the upside is that the userbase is treated like it is made up of the adults it is. The downside is the complete and utter collapse of the forum, society, and common decency. It isn't worth it.
Well, as someone who uses the word "crap," I'm glad it's not on the prohibited list. It was on the forum where Iron Pen originated 10 years ago, and the way the owner there set the autocensor, the word "crap" was replaced by one of the forum smileys: a green spinning skull. I hadn't realized this word was on the autocensor list, so it was a shock when I posted one of the Iron Pen writers' stories and a green spinning skull turned up in the middle of a sentence. I quickly asked the writer what word he'd intended to use, and when he told me, I asked the admin to please remove it from the autocensor. Yes, I know some people think it's a very uncouth word (and in polite society I won't disagree with that). But as profanity goes it's pretty mild, and as I pointed out to the admin of that other forum, I was probably the most easily-offended person on the forum and if that word didn't bother
me... they got the point and removed it from the autocensor, the green spinning skull in the story was replaced by the intended word, and the contest continued with no further problems.
All that said... while I'm willing to advocate for leniency on mild words, I'm not willing to do so for the more serious ones. I get why Thunderfall doesn't allow the "s-word" and other "_-words" that are considered inappropriate. Some people here are only 13 years old, and while they've undoubtedly been exposed to such language all their lives, what isn't needed here is some irate parent screaming at Thunderfall and the other admins that their gaming site is unsuitable for kids. And consider as well that some people access CFC from public libraries and schools. Some of these places have strict rules regarding what kinds of websites people are allowed to access.
Pointing out the rating of the Civ series is irrelevant given that there have been many elementary school initiatives in using Civ as a teaching resource. There was one in particular for Civ 3 that was quite well-done about Canada. I started lurking this forum when I was 11 and joined when I was 12.
That's interesting - I don't want to derail this thread, so would you be willing to drop me a PM to explain more about this?
I have an extremely hard time finding anybody over the age of 12 that uses the word "poop" except around people under the age of 12.
Anyone reading about ships during the Age of Sail would have encountered the term "poop deck." I did myself, a few months ago when reading a Bonanza story (Ben Cartwright was a sailor before coming west to build the Ponderosa ranch). And I haven't been 12 for the last 40 years.
"Why would you ever use bull----"?" Saying that a source of claim is BS is so non-offensive that I'm pretty sure the mods overlook usages of "BS", the same way they overlook WTH actually. Bull---- is a heavier word that does exactly what it should do.
It's meant to offend people, and yes, it does so quite well. But since meaning to offend people means trolling and flaming, that's against forum rules.
"Well, about about s---?" Again, saying that something is s--- is completely "unoffensive". It is a step above saying it is crap. It is a short, four-letter word that conveys more meaning than "I think this mechanic is really really really really bad".
Abysmal, abominable, atrocious, awful... and many more words. A good thesaurus is your friend.
The b-word is a bit harder to justify. I actually think the f-word is more justifiable than the b-word. Then again, saying that somebody b----'s a lot and saying somebody whines or complains a lot do feel very different, with the former implying something more petty.
The only acceptable use of the "b-word" is in the clinical sense of discussing female dogs. I can't think of any other connotation of that word (as a noun) that doesn't mean something derogatory toward women. In the sense of complaining, again I will say that a good thesaurus will provide many more acceptable words.
Really, I think it is amazing if you think swear words aren't just words and like any words, context matters as does execution. Somebody who spams the f-word is really no more annoying than somebody like me who uses "on the other hand", "then again", and other filler words all the time. If you use a word too many times, of course it goes from being a useful word that conveys meaning to a useless word that conveys nothing.
You know what it conveys if someone uses the "f-word" to me? It's not merely a word. It's expressing hostility and a profound lack of respect.
I don't mind the abbreviation "WTH" as it conveys a sense of bewilderment, and it's not normally used as a personal insult.
