Swearing is Actually a Sign of Intelligence and Has Other Benefits
Swearing, while viewed by some as taboo, actually has loads of benefits and is a sign of intelligence. Naturally, this news makes us yell a resounding, “#@$* yeah!”
A piece from CNN gathered a variety of information pointing to all of the reasons swearing is a good thing notably citing a 2015 study that found well-educated people with extensive vocabularies knew a more extensive list of swear words.
Professor emeritus of psychology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Timothy Jay said, “People that are good at language are good at generating a swearing vocabulary. Having the strategies to know where and when it’s appropriate to swear, and when it’s not is a social cognitive skill like picking the right clothes for the right occasion. That’s a pretty sophisticated social tool.”
What are other positives when it comes to swearing? Turns out that swearing helps with pain tolerance and is a sign of honesty. In addition, swearing is also a sign of creativity and offers a way to hinder violence. For that latter benefit, Jay noted, “A dog or a cat will scratch you, bite you when they’re scared or angry. Swearing allows us to express our emotions symbolically without doing it tooth and nail. In other words, I can give somebody the finger or say f— you across the street. I don’t have to get up into their face.”
See! Swearing practically an act of peaceful resistance. Flipping someone off is better than throwing a punch. All we are saying is give swearing a chance!
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