"Bad" Words

I have wondered why substituting a word for another makes it OK. Specifically words used to take the place of “Bad” Words. You see my problem is that basically it’s the same thing. The words mean the exact same thing. Now I use these words, but I have not pretense that it means any thing different, they just sound nicer. However it seems that many people don’t think that way. They think that if it’s not the word then it’s not cussing. But what makes a word “bad”? Is it the word, is it the meaning. Or is it the context in which it’s used? So I thought I would look at it. Let’s look with the word Hell. It is perfectly acceptable to say this word when reading the bible or in talking about it in a spiritual context. However if used out side of those purposes then it becomes a “Bad” word. So if you can use the word sometimes but not others it can’t be a “bad” word. Now in both instances the meaning is the same. So it must not be the meaning of the word either. So then it must be the context. And if it’s the context in which it used, then the cute words are in fact “Bad” words as well. Or is it more than that? Maybe it’s the combination of the two that makes a word “Bad”. That would make sense, something being more then the sum of it parts if you would. However that brings me right back to the point the cute words are in fact cussing as the meaning and the context are the same.

But what happens when we change the meaning and the word. I use the phrase “for the love of Bob”. As I’m sure you know there is another phrase that is very close to that. That phrase is definitely more then the sum of its parts, as not one word in it is technically “Bad”. It falls under a more religious stigma. However I think it well serve my purpose for this. Bob is not another word for God. I literally mean Bob, a stuffed bear that I got at Disney world 6 years ago. So I have substituted a different word with a different meaning. Now granted I started to use this phrase as to not take the Lords name in vain. It was just easier to change that one word then it was to come up with a whole new phrase. Now I grant you I could be very wrong about wither that makes it better or not, but it makes sense to me.

Words have power. but only as much as we give them. We as a society have concluded that there are some words that are not acceptable. As a response we have come up with new words to take their place. To me it’s kind of like 6 in one hand and half dozen in the other. Why does changing the word make the intent any better? I just don’t know. I do have my favorites of these words though. I think my favorite has to be Frick. Why is it my favorite you ask? Simple Frick is a family name. My mother was born a Frick (BTW Frick is not the pass phrase for any of my online accounts). So to me it’s funny that our family name has become so common. Now the context of that is not so great but what do I care I’m not a Frick ~