Swearing has been around as long as human language itself. When you stub your toe or hit your head on something even the most mild mannered person can utter a four letter word or two.
For almost as long as there has been swearing there has been push back against it. Which of course only increased its popularity. Many people today still look down on the use of “course language” as a sign of low intelligence, a lack of education, or a bad morals. Or all of the above.
However, recent studies have shown that the exact opposite it true- people who swear a lot tend to be more intelligent and better educated. So why do so many people believe the opposite it true?
I have a couple ideas why this could be.
#1 People who don’t swear much tend to look down on people who do. It’s pretty easy to look down on someone who does something you don’t like. Calling someone dumb/ uneducated makes perfect sense if you think you are a better person than they are.
#2 People who are a less sophisticated are more likely to swear in situations were others would not. I can swear like a drunken sailor after a few drinks or when I am really angry. But I’m not going to drop an F bomb when I’m in church or on on the phone with my mother. I’m not going to use profanity when talking to clients (and yes, I’ve had clients use it on calls). This only adds to the now-disproven idea that smarter people don’t swear.
So if you truly don’t swear even when you stub your toe, good for you. Just don’t think that it makes you smarter or better than the anyone else.