“Fuck you!” “I fuckin’ love you!” “Fuck man, you have to try this dessert!”
These three very different sentences contain profanity but the use of those words serves a purpose. They express anger, passion and persuasion. There is something about letting loose a few curse words that completely shocks the brain into paying attention.
Science backs this up. According to scientists in the U.K.: “Swearing can have a positive impact on our relationships when used to express joy or solidarity.” They find that letting a few f-bombs can drive home our point, bring people into fits of laughter, help us cope with commuting frustrations and it’s even an effective form of pain relief. Why pop in pain meds when you can tap into free speech? The only side effect may be an angry or offended listener.
Does pain relief sound like a bold statement? Well, one study showed that subjects who swore could keep their hands in a bucket of ice water for longer than non-swearers.
When people are done with the pain hack, they can chant the controversial words to create a smashing body. By letting out a nasty word, they can increase muscle performance during physical exercise.
It’s not just a tool for pain relief and strength training. We commonly associate swearing with an expression of anger but in some cases, it can be a form of social bonding. When we swear around loved ones, we feel comfortable enough to express ourselves without fear of ticking someone off. It opens the pathway to authentic communication without suppressing our emotions out of fear of judgment.
We’ve got one fucking life. Let’s express ourselves even if it ruffles a few feathers.