you don't say...

I came across this article today. I found it interesting, to say the least. I'll copy the whole thing for you here in case you're feeling lazy with the link:

- Regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff, allowing them to express better their feelings as well as develop social relationships, according to a study by researchers.

Yehuda Baruch, a professor of management at the University of East Anglia, and graduate Stuart Jenkins studied the use of profanity in the workplace and assessed its implications for managers.

They assessed that swearing would become more common as traditional taboos are broken down, but the key appeared to be knowing when such language was appropriate and when to turn to blind eye.

The pair said swearing in front of senior staff or customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings.

"Employees use swearing on a continuous basis, but not necessarily in a negative, abusive manner," said Baruch, who works in the university's business school in Norwich.

Banning swear words and reprimanding staff might represent strong leadership, but could remove key links between staff and impact on morale and motivation, he said.

"We hope that this study will serve not only to acknowledge the part that swearing plays in our work and our lives, but also to indicate that leaders sometimes need to 'think differently' and be open to intriguing ideas.

"Managers need to understand how their staff feel about swearing. The challenge is to master the 'art' of knowing when to turn a blind eye to communication that does not meet their own standards."

The study, "Swearing at work and permissive leadership culture: when anti-social becomes social and incivility is acceptable", is published in the latest issue of the Leadership and Organisational Development Journal.

So. What are your thoughts on this? Honestly, for me, I read this with my mouth hanging open. Was I actually reading that society has lowered itself to thinking that swearing is bonding, and team building and boosting morale?? My question is, is swearing really that commonplace, accepted and expected now? Maybe I'm totally out of the loop, as I have never been a big "potty-mouth" and when I worked, I worked around children so obviously there wasn't a lot of cussing going on.

I guess it kind of boils down to your personal view of swearing in general. If you know me, you know you would be hard up to find true four letter words coming out of my mouth. Sure, I've had my fair share of words in the past, and I'll admit if I'm extremely, and I mean extremely upset or hurt, I may slip out a word or two that I wouldn't want my kids to hear. But even in those instances, that's becoming more and more rare for me. Using that language just isn't my first instinct anymore.

And here's the thing. Here's where I may step on some toes, and I'm sorry if I do, but these are my thoughts. I feel like I don't swear anymore because I grew up. When I sit and listen to someone using language like that, when it's every other word, or just randomly decorating sentences, I can't help but sometimes think: grow up. Almost like, don't you have something more intelligent to say? Do you not know any other descriptive words besides the expletives that you choose to run out of your mouth? I honestly lose a little respect for people who use this language as a regular part of their speech. I'm talking non-emotional ordinary sentences. I feel like they're trying to impress someone or like they think they're "cool" for using those words. That's why it takes me back to feeling like, okay, we're not in high school anymore.

Now I'm not really referring to the language reserved for certain situations. Sometimes the emotion warrants a "special" word or two. I understand that. And I understand it can get to be a habit. But come on. Hearing more of that language around the office is going to enrich our experience as employees? Where was this study conducted? At McDonald's or the corner convenience store (the movie Clerks comes to my mind!)? Are these people really professionals? I mean, no matter your job... shouldn't you be at least a tad professional?

And swearing in front of or especially at kids... that's a whole nother post I could get into that I won't.
I will say this though. I once witnessed a mom walking across the street with her daughters... one was maybe two and the other was probably about 5 years old. The five year old was dragging a little behind crying because she lost her hair clip at the playground. The mom was yelling at the girl, dragging her along, and her exact words were, "Shut up you little b!tch! You are such a f@cking whiny baby. I'm not buying you anymore g*ddamn things because you can't take care of your sh!t anyway. Just shut the f@ck up already and let's go!". I am not exaggerating in the least.
Yelling. Using those words talking to a child. I wanted to run up and take that little girl away from that. It made me soooo incredibly sad for her. For them. Arghhh.... I can't get into that discussion.

Anyway. What are your thoughts on that article and the "study"? What are your thoughts on swearing in general?