A study by the University of Cambridge found that people who swear are often more honest and less likely to filter their opinions. Swearing is more common in northeastern US states. However, co-author David Stillwell admits that swearing can be inappropriate and questions whether it would be good if people always said what they think.
It seems like we choose our words less carefully these days. Words that were never used before in film and TV scripts are now spoken freely. President Donald Trump also used off-color speech while campaigning in 2016 — and his supporters said it made him sound more genuine. Now, a January 2017 study by the University of Cambridge tells us that people who swear are often more honest. The researchers concluded that people who don’t filter their language are also less likely to filter their opinions. Researchers asked 276 people why they swear, and most respondents said it was to express their true selves and be honest, or to express negative emotions, rather than insult or intimidate others.
Can we handle the truth?
The study found that people from northeastern US states like Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and New York are more likely to swear than people from southern states like South Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Commenting on the study’s findings, co-author David Stillwell admitted that swearing is often inappropriate. “If people always said what they think,” he added, “would that be a really good thing?”
In the 1939 film Gone with the Wind, Rhett Butler says, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” The filmmakers were fined $5,000 USD for violating the film production code by including profanity.
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