I was with friends at the new Quaker Steak & Lube on Park Road last night when we overhead a waiter talking casually with two customers and later a fellow waiter. Several times, both waiters used profanity. I have foul mouth, but hearing staffers curse freely around customers seemed unprofessional.
Then I read an Associated Press article in today's paper about a recent poll regarding profanity. About three-fourths of people polled said they frequently or occasionally encounter people using profanity or swear words in public. Two-thirds said they think people use profanity more now than they did 20 years ago.
What also struck me about the article is that most people surveyed don't like it when people swear for no good reason.
That got me to thinking. When is a good reason to curse?
When I'm working my use of profanities changes. I sometimes curse around colleagues and they curse around me. Talking to club owners and bartenders, depending on my relationship with them, I've cursed when we're shooting the breeze. During straight-up interviews, business talk and interactions with readers (no matter how rude), I don't curse.
Here's my question: Is cursing unprofessional at work or does it depend on your job? Is it okay if you're a bartender, but not a bank teller. Post your replies below.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
To curse or not to curse
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I do't think that it is okay to curse at work at all in fornt of customers, no matter what you do. You never can tell who you might offend and what if there are children around. Just don't do it
I tend to have "two" mouths. One at work, where I don't curse, and then one around friends where I can curse like a sailor.
Knowing when to use what mouth shouldn't be an issue though. It's unprofessional to curse while at work... (at least the work I do.)
Depends on the setting (work, home, out, ball field, etc...) and surroundings (kids, elders, people of authority, etc...). All in all, certain words are not a big deal. However, it is not ok to drop the P-bomb at any time, unless you are refering to The Sopranos character. The F-bomb has it's time and place (end of the world, righteous award---see U2)but should not be tossed around so freely. And then there are the ones that, in my humble opinion, have lost meaning: damn(ed), hell, S-bomb and B-bomb (with and with "son of a"). They are so common place today that when they are said, you tend to ignore it. That leaves us with the D-bomb...where does it fit in? I'm not sure, but I'm sure scoiety will tell us.
If I'm talking to someone for work, no. And depending on the friend, I may cut it down considerably.
Maybe because of the television shows I watch or because of the hip-hop music I listen to, I'm not shocked by profanity. But I do get irritated when someone just cusses for no reason.
An expletive here or there at work is ok as long as its not in mixed company. Never in front of clients. Certain peer colleagues I will curse in front of and others I won't. The best thing to do is allow your co-workers to set the tone of conversation. Once you hear an expletive come out of the mouth of your boss, its probably ok to utter one yourself once in a while if you feel the need. I also might add, Although not PC, I never ever think its a good time for a woman to curse... not cute. Well... except in certain positions.
Absolutely unprofessional. In fact, there is no occasion when it's professional and should result in termination. Between employees in private... sure, but not when dealing with or around customers.
Absolutely unprofessional. In fact, there is no occasion when it's professional and should result in termination. Between employees in private... sure, but not when dealing with or around customers.
Our society and culture has allowed such language to be accepted as a norm. I consider it very offensive and unprofessional to use it, especially at work. My thinking is, "My, you have a limited vocabulary." One must always "think before you speak."
I curse just about everytime I read another one of your biased, uselessly slanted columns about blacks,lesbians, or black lesbians that apparently qualifies as journalism to some dimwitted editors at the Observer.
Plus, your usage of hip hop slang like 'holla' & BS like that is every bit as offensive and vulgar as profanity. Educated people don't talk like that.
Unfortunately, the foul-mouthed dregs of hip hop whom you shower with unfettered adulation every chance you get, like R. Kelly, Nelly, and all those other foul-mouthed criminal deviants send the message to children that things like profanity and obscene sexual euphemisms are the norm and are perfectly ok. It's no wonder profanity is all too commonplace nowadays.
there is a point where cursing should not be heard at all. if there is one customer in a store you should no hear cursing at all. i think it's ok to drop a curse word every once in a while when your talking to your co-workers, but i get frustrated when someone is cursing in front of a customer.
Cursing is always unprofessional... always. And usually offensive to someone, so why risk the bad image and loss of business? Just ignorant and here's a news flash... it doesn't make you sound cool.
No $h*T. Obviously you shouldn't curse at work, but otherwise, who cares? Curse words are just that, words - words that someone labeled "bad" a long time ago.
I don't curse, and I find it offensive to have to deal with foul language in any situation.
Cursing is unprofessional ALL THE TIME!! Even though foul mouth language has become somewhat socially acceptable, it still offends many people, and when those people are your patrons, I believe the "no-cursing" rule should apply. A bar of Lifebuoy soap (to chew on) to all public cursers!
Glenda Ransom
Charlotte, NC
If it's an establishment that families and children visit, cursing is not appropiate. I have a foul mouth at times, but only in certain circumstances.
Thank you Alex D. Chilton! You hit the nail on the head. Of all the people to bring up this subject, Tonya might be the last writer I would think of to do a piece like this. To protect the PC people I won't say exactly what kind of piece it is but when you step in IT, you say IT.
I am a bank manager and if I ever heard one of my employees cuss around a customer they would be in serious trouble! We do cuss among eachother when no one is around. I dont have a problem with cussing but there is a time and a place for it. Now when I am around my friends, totally different story! Cuss away!
Tonya,
As some other readers have so eloquently pointed out, you're part of the problem and you contribute next to nothing to our community. (unless you count your thinly-veiled racialism as productive)
It's difficult to fathom the concept that someone actually pays you a living wage to churn out this pointless, unenlightening nonsense.
I sincerly hope the new owners of this paper quickly dismantle the ever-increasing liberal agenda of the Charlotte Observer and send you, these weak attempts at racial rabble-rousing, and your "high school hip-hop newsletter" writing abilities back to DC or whichever urbanized "We's All Gotzz Chipz On Our Shouldaz" community you crawled out from under.
Hmmm.."Educated people don't talk like that"??? Sit back and rethink that sentence before you down-talk an opinion column.
Alvin Richmond Jr.
Address 7141 Founders Club Cir.
Charlotte N.C. 28266
A
lex while you do bring up valid points, i do think entertainment overall has a way of making cursing seem like the norm. But you single out hip hop and forget about the movie industry. I mean hollywood uses profanity like there is no tomorrow. What i think is that you have a personal beef with hip hop or R-Kelly. Whats the matter, your parents wouldn't let you go to that LL cool j concert when you were younger? Or are you from Chicago and R-Kelly urinated on you and completely scarred your love for anything remotely connected to hip hop? What's your deal? I can be reached at the address up above
Wow Alex, you have alot of hostility towards hip hop and Rkelly. While you do make valid points, You forget about hollywood and network television's free use of curse words. But hey, maybe Rkelly urinated on you as a child and you hold some long lasting beef. If this is the case seek counseling. You should have tried just moving out of the way of the pee stream though. Good day Sir.
Quick question. Who decided that certain words were curse words and certain words were not. I mean, i wish i were around then. I would have declared the word "work" a bad word and no-one would be able to use it today professionally. You are all victims of the colonial plantation system. If i want to curse...I will. If i choose not too...HEy, thats what i will do. And i will still make top dollar at the end of the day. Its not the word, it's the meaning and the usage. Free your minds. And stop taking the red pill,(Matrix quote) lol
Malcolm Luther X
Mmmm...to curse or not to curse...that is the question. I am more offended by CELL PHONE talkers than I am by someone talking without a cell phone. I hate to be in a public setting (in line to check out) and the person in front of me is rudely jabbing about their personal life.
If you do not like Tonya's blog....why do you spend time reading it? This is a BLOG---not a newspaper article!! If you think she is racist (not true) and you don't like her views--do not read her blog if it bothers you so bad that all you can do is personally insult her. I am a white, heterosexual female with a college education and I have met Tonya and I enjoy reading other comments on here and her views without having simple-minded people leaving ignorant racist comments. Who is racist here her or the people who write hateful comments to her?
Sounds like a bunch of conservative old people responded to this. As long as you are not in a professional environment (which covers some lines of work) it is all good. People who are offended by it should get up and move or learn that it is part of our culture.
Dean Smith told his players to rise above cursing by expanding their vocabulary. He said that cursing is never appropriate and is a lazy persons way to communicate. I agree 100% with this man! Its vulgar and degrading no matter when you use it. It also shows a lack of education.
Who cares what Dean Smith told his players... That is old backwards thinking and it shows your lack of education for thinking that the use of cuss words has anything to do w/ ones level of education.
Professionally (which means, in any workplace), these words are un-professional and should never be used. Period.
Between friends, who am I to say? Whatever both friends are comfortable with is their business, but should not be heard by strangers in the surrounding environment.
i beleive that you have a feeble mind if you cannot express yourself fully, why mask hatred - lets stop playing games with each other - curseclub.com
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