According to a recent study by Norwich's University of East Anglia , swearing at work encourages team spirit. Here's a quote from Professor Yehuda Baruch:
"...our study suggested that, in many cases, taboo language serves the needs of people for developing and maintaining solidarity, and as a mechanism to cope with stress. Banning it could backfire."
Finally, a "recent study" with information I can use. I think this afternoon I shall choose a random co-worker and tell her to "get the hell out of my way."
As she cowers against the wall, I'll smile and refer her to my blog post (which she should be reading daily anyway, the bitch). I'll tell her that, "I'm only trying to maintain a little solidarity, gotdammit. What the hell's wrong with YOU?" Then, I'll ask her if she has a fart-snotting problem with that.
Where's that little short chick who probably can't kick my ass...
20 comments:
All my co-workers are so young that they just assume I'm cussing like their dads and just ignore me. I must admit that 'fart-snotting,' although clearly descriptive, is a new one to me. My former-sailor dad never filled me in on that one.
George - I made it up. I'm very creative.
I've got to pass this along to my mother. She'll be so happy to have a justifiable reason to cuss at work! Although, I think there's plenty of cussing without justification beyond the fact that she works with a whole lot of assholes going on.
Fart-snotting?
Is that a TX thing?
Oh lordy...BTW, you're still on my blogroll and I've made a new year's resolution to try to visit everyone on the roll at least once a week.
Happy New Year...you've been warned.
Smooches!
Leslie - Do tell mom! I so love helping people. :)
Sudiegirl - It's a Laurie thang. :) (I still have you in my Bloglines, too.)
wow..
creative indeed..
:P
I sometimes swear at work.. but not too much, and.. i have to say, it's rather pleasureable (if the word even exists)...
anyway.. be well!
Leon - "Pleasurable" is indeed a word. Cuss on!
At my workplace, most people are too afraid of losing their jobs (I live in Michigan and work for a car company) to swear. The ones who do are either fearless or don't care anymore.
I say, swear in British and you can get away with it. Bollocks and bloody Hell.
If you're by any chance an engineer (no worry; I'm not), come on down to Texas. We've got more work than we have people, so you could call the boss a fart-snotter, and he'd slap you on the back and give you a raise.
Rookie question . . . how do I add you to my blogline? Oh yeah, what's a blogline?
Comfort Addict - Hahahahah!! That's some classy cussin' right there.
George - I sure hope "fart-snotter" catches on.
George - Bloglines lets you keep track of all your blogs, news feeds, comics, etc. in one spot. Go to www.bloglines.com.
COMMENT DELETED BY RAGGEDY-ASSED HYPOCRITICAL BLOG-OWNER BITCH
Lorna - There, now. Don't we feel better?
Scapegoating also encourage team spirit, like in the short story by Shirley Jackson called "the lottery"
http://www.americanliterature.com/ss/ss16.html
Peer pressure, bullying, and racism also can serve to help develop and maintain solidarity.
Anyway, I don't swear at people or call them names, I can be creatively nasty without doing that. However, I don't really see any need to be nasty to people either. It doesn't fit in with my world peace craving. I feel one should strive for civility in all interpersonal communication.
My daddy was a sailor, so I have all kinds of fun words up my sleeve.
I use curse words around my friends and a select few co-workers. This fact does not make me an inherently mean person or an un-creative imbecile who has to reach for "small words" to make my point.
Susan - You took off on a pretty nasty tangent there. I've noticed that my sarcastic and/or satirical posts tend to set you off.
The post was satire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire
Now, go eat some chocolate.
Jen - You mean you aren't also into "peer pressure, bullying, and racism?" Thank God. I was worried.
Jen and Laurie-I don't think either of you are into scapegoating,
peer pressure, bullying, or racism. Nor did I do think either of you are uncreative.
That was directed at the study and its conclusion. Good thing I didn't use anything from the Third Reich as an example ;-)
Jen-I see no problem with swearing at or around people with whom you know it is acceptable.
Laurie-Its the timing and the particular subject matter.
Looking at the post in a satirical light, does this mean you also disagree with swearing at the work place the name of team spirit?
Susan - The satire was the scenario presented in my post. I wasn't satirizing the conclusion in the article. I was using a satirical example of inappropriate usage of cursing in the workplace. It was an attempt at humor.
I agree with the article that letting off steam with folks who are of the same cursing philosophy as yourself is a fantastic and often hilarious method of bonding.
WTF are y'all talking about!?
I do have to agree with Laurie's original post. I believe it should be an EEOC requirement for employers to hire someone who's butt each of us could easily kick. Maybe even an OSHA requirement, too, because trying to kick the wrong person's butt could result in our incurring an on-the-job injury.
George - Now, there's an idea. I'm sure OSHA could make plenty of rules and regulations so nobody actually gets hurt. Just lots and lots of cussin'.
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