{"id":4651,"date":"2016-01-17T04:00:59","date_gmt":"2016-01-17T12:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nickichenwrites.com\/wordpress\/?p=4651"},"modified":"2016-01-16T20:46:44","modified_gmt":"2016-01-17T04:46:44","slug":"i-need-to-swear-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickichenwrites.com\/wordpress\/writing\/i-need-to-swear-more\/","title":{"rendered":"I Need to Swear More."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Donald<\/a>When I was growing up in the post-World War Two era, my mom and dad swore as much as the next guy and gal. They said “damn” and “hell” and the occasional “damn it all to hell.” Never “sh*t” or “f***,” at least not in my presence. My dad had a particular aversion to “sh*t.” It was way too graphic for his taste.<\/p>\n

His sensitivity seems strange to me now, especially since he worked in a rough and tumble logging camp after he left home at the age of fifteen. Later he fought the Nazis in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He must have heard lots of cursing there. But times were different.<\/p>\n

Dad was an easygoing guy with a relaxed way of swearing. Mom put more punch into her four-letter-words. If she stubbed her toe or broke a glass, there was real power behind her “damn” or “hell.”<\/p>\n

Then as now, children, especially girls, were expected to steer clear of profanity. When I left home, I could have started swearing, I suppose, but I didn’t. Somehow it didn’t occur to me. Now I’m wondering if that was a mistake. According to a recent article in The Atlantic, cursing has multiple benefits.<\/p>\n

Stephanie Hayes, who wrote “Curses! How to get ahead by swearing,<\/a>” cited nine different studies. It turns out that some of us should swear more often. Here’s why:<\/p>\n