[Wikipedia-l] enough of the foul language please

Wed Nov 13 08:40:54 UTC 2002

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

>I do not enjoy seeing those words every time I download my email! And I
>don't enjoy the perpetual squabbling that's going on here either. I
>thought this was about making a better wikipedia, not acting like five
>year olds in the playground. If it doesn't improve SOON I'll be leaving
>the list again because I'm sick of this.
>
Although I have a fairly high personal tolerance for this kind of 
language, I am sympathetic to your complaints.  But as much as I may 
believe in free speech, I find that some users become so carried away 
with proclaiming their right to free speech, that they ignore the equaly 
valid rights of others not to be unduly exposed to objectionable 
language.  They also ignore the fact that when such language is used to 
excess it becomes cliché and loses its effectiveness.  In the right 
circumstances it can be quite effective as in the following creation of 
the contemporary Scots poet, Ivor Cutler.

>"Living creatures, unaware of Man's immortal soul, see 
>him only as a vicious, destructive creature with an 
>infinite capacity for making a mess, unable to relate to 
>the earth & without aesthetics. As a dying butterfly was 
>heard to whisper.........'He's a fucking lunatic!' "
>
I too feel distracted by the interminable missives over banning and 
other disciplinary matters, but it won't be the issue that drives me 
away.  It does mean that I'll ignore a lot of these e-mails, and 
probably miss the creative gems that do occasionally appear.

 From time to time I've considered promoting Wikipedia as a teaching aid 
to teachers and others who deal with children, but the often 
inconsiderate use of language makes me very hesitant about that.

Eclecticology.