A sentence I learned when I was 3. Still holds true. This society places far too much emphasis upon a few insignificant 4 (and more) letter words. When I lived in the UK, most words can be said on broadcast TV. Not before the 'watershed' (9pm), but they can still be said. True, perhaps swear words are much more part of the vernacular than in the US, but by their overuse, they have become watered down, non threatening nouns and verbs. They have become what they always have been, just words.

In fact the absurdity of it all, I think is reflecting in the use of 'acceptable' substitutes for such words. You can't say 'shit' but shoot is perfectly acceptable. Even though it sounds almost the same. Fricking for the ever popular 'F' bomb. Darn, for Damn. If the notion of the word is so abhorrent, then surely the alliteration alludes to the wish to express such words, and is as such hypocritical. The best example of this absurdity is found on the show Battlestar Galactica. In order to be able to express such a gritty realistic view, but to avoid censure, they have substituted the F bomb, for the word 'frak'. It means exactly the same as the F bomb and is used in its place. In the world of the Colonists, their 'F' bomb simply is the word frak, and yet, it does not have to be bleeped out. Perhaps Shakespeare didn't quite have this in mind when he said the following, however, the age old bard, does make a valid point...

"That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet".