Point-Counterpoint with A-Plus

Once again, A Plus and I are going to have a back-and-forth discussion. When it's me, I will be brown like coffee.

I'm A Plus. I will blog in pink, my favorite color, like uh..... I don't know.

Uh, girls 'n stuff.

Today's topic is, When is it OK to cuss? Sometimes you and Jones bust me out cussing.

I don't think so, unless it's a line in a movie or play. Also, I think too many cuss words in movies and plays go UN-bleeped. There shouldn't even be one there, anyway.

Yeah, it is jarring to the ears. Plus, totally lame. You have the whole English language at your disposal. A good writer could write something interesting for the actors to say. So if you always go straight for the cuss word it's like it's too easy. It's like taking a shortcut.

It's never too easy for me. I never even feel comfortable saying or writing them. I even feel uncomfortable reading or hearing them. I think some people feel the same way. So, why even put them there?

Well, I will say that I can think of one time when I thought the cuss word really got the point across where nothing else could. Can you think of the one I mean?

uh....... no, not really. Arguments?

I'll give you a hint. It's a scene that's already upsetting because it's a battle. And the cuss word is used to show that even though the character is a very sweet and nice, she can be fierce if provoked.

who's "she"? I still don't know.

Oh dood. She's like my fave character ever, because she's this righteous mom, but when her girl is attacked....

.......She defends them. I know, it's Molly Weasley!

That was an effective use of a cuss word. I'm sure any mother would think, "Yeah, that's what I'd say in that situation."

Maybe. I wouldn't do that.

Well, I'm glad you think that way. But, on the other hand, it's just words. As you get to be a grown-up, I think I wouldn't want there to be any word that was so shocking to your system that you couldn't handle it. Like, if somebody said that word to you, you wouldn't be able to rally.
Maybe. OK, but it's not OK for kids in my opinion.

Yeah, that's fair. I can't think when it's ever OK for kids. When you're a kid, you're only doing it to look tough anyway. And then it becomes a bad habit. That's why I cuss, I'm afraid --bad habit.

So, I guess our conclusion is; Yes, if you're an adult trying to defend someone, No if you're not, and Definitely not if you're a kid. Right?

Well, I guess I'd say it more like if you're an adult then hopefully you have a healthy respect for those words and you only use them as a kind of a last resort. What if you're a kid singing a naughty song, "We all went down to Amster[bleep]..."?

Well, if it doesn't have a silent "n", then it's fine.

So, beavers are fine then?

Yes. Other than that, do you agree with my conclusion?

Yes. What do you think of spelling it if you just want to tell what somebody else said?

If it doesn't hold water back, involve animal breeding, or complete the name of a place, then it's not fine.

Dag, you're pretty absolute. Ok, I'll try to be a good example.