bullshit

you

Lazy_dog
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It appears that bullshit is considered profanity by many people and it deeply offends them. How many people here consider bullshit to be profanity and are deeply offended to have something labelled as bullshit?
 
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I'm extremely liberal (in the dictionary sense of the word) when it comes to profanity, especially on the internet. Basically, I don't get offended by any words or profanities or whatever someone may say or use. To answer specifically, no, "bullshit" used as a profanity is not something I find offensive.
 
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Well the question I have is more along the line is the usage in context of naming something a profanity usage. For example: That logic is bullshit; or - Corporation B employs bullshit policies.
 
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Welcome to the internet. Bullshit is everywhere.

Also no the word doesn't offend me.:cool:
noun: bullshit

  1. stupid or untrue talk or writing; nonsense.
verb: bullshit; 3rd person present: bullshits; past tense: bullshitted; past participle: bullshitted; gerund or present participle: bullshitting

  1. talk nonsense to (someone), typically to be misleading or deceptive.
 
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I would consider it vulgar, and wouldn't use it in general, or in mixed company. With friends that know my sense of humor, or on the internet, all bets are off. I have one old friend in particular, and at Christmas, we don't send each other Christmas wishes, but the most extreme profanity we can devise.
 
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I'm not terribly fond of swearing, but plenty of my acquaintances are. I found it usually only offensive if it is directed at me. This particular word doesn't seem as offensive to me as some others are.
 
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I am with @Ripper; (except the Christmas ’greetings’)

Well that is one step ahead of me. I sometimes cant help blurting out the "f" word in public under certain circumstances.
 
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I don't find it offensive at all but I do find it a sign of someone who cannot find more proper words to describe some things.

Most profanities are now used as filler words such as : I'll fuck you up or even the word 'like'.

Instead of bullshit you can say so many other words.

Essentially, in day to day life it doesn't bother me but if you came to an interview using horrible filler words instead of proper English it would certainly hurt your chances with me as I would expect people who worked with or for me to handle a conversation without resorting to these.

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The cultural differences in attitude are quite interesting. I grew up in what I'd call the old school working class - respect and manners were very important, and using foul language in front of a lady could get you a poke in the chops. I remember when I was a kid, in a video shop with my mate's parents. There was a couple of guys cursing like pirates, and the dad put one of them up against the wall and told him what'd happen if he continued to use that language in front of his wife and kids.

On the other hand, on the Irish side of the family, it's the norm for people swear every other sentence. It's just sort of used to colour the speech. Strong profanity is used inoffensively, but if you converted it into an English context it would sound quite extreme.
 
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In Norway, the word for "shit" is "dritt" and is not considered particularly vulgar. I never swear, but, like almost everybody, I use the word "dritt" now and then without thinking about it. And without negative reactions from people around me. Curiously, used as a verb "å drite" ("to shit"), I find it vulgar.

Some years ago our minister for environmental issues characterised the British one as "en drittsekk" ("a bag of shit"). It caused some international uproar, especially in British media. It wasn't exactly diplomatic, but it actually isn't very offensive in Norway, definitely less than calling someone an idiot.

Personally, I'm not offended by "bullshit" (I'm not easily offended). However, I agree with Pladio. It's not very useful in discussions, and if someone uses a lot of profanities in a debate, I tend to see that as a lack of arguments, has trouble taking the person seriously, and most likely won't bother continuing. OTOH, you can certainly be offensive also without using profanities.

pibbur who himself has been called a drittsekk at least once, probably more, and it so, sometimes he definitely deserved it.
 
I'm not sure why should it offend anyone.
The word does get used in mass media article titles or within articles. Sometimes there is no alternative word to match the expression this one does.
 
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Some years ago our minister for environmental issues characterised the British one as "en drittsekk" ("a bag of shit"). It caused some international uproar, especially in British media. It wasn't exactly diplomatic, but it actually isn't very offensive in Norway, definitely less than calling someone an idiot.

Was it an argument over fishing? When the British bicker with the Norwegians, it's usually over who owns the fish.

Also, is it true that certain words for Satan are considered very profane in Norway?
 
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I seldom use it in my friendship circle and obviously never in the workplace, but every now and again a good emphatic use of the word can stress disbelief and say "that's total nonsense!" like no other word can. I would say it is considered lightweight as far as profanity in general is concerned.
 
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Was it an argument over fishing? When the British bicker with the Norwegians, it's usually over who owns the fish.
It had to do with Sellafield. The "shitbag" was John Gummer.
Also, is it true that certain words for Satan are considered very profane in Norway?
Yes. Most commonly used are "faen" and "helvete" ("Hell"). A more "polite" version of "faen" is "fanden". The latter is more polite. There are a couple expletives which are AFAIK derived from "Satan". One example is "Søren" (which is also a first name) These are not considered swearing. A bit like "rats" in English?

"pibbur" which is not commonly used in swearing.

PS. Since this is a discussion of vulgarities/profanities I choose to write without the non offending '*' (which I normally wouldn't do, since I don't use those words). DS.
 
It is the first time I hear that bullshit is considering profanity.

But I'm not surprised, there are people that gets offended by everything these days. You can't even call blind people blind anymore where I live, it's apparently pejorative.
 
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I never knew there was something special about the word ‘bullshit’. It is used in films and on the internet in such a way I did not detect anything peculiar.
Afaik many Dutch use it in light, easy conversation (not during serious debate) - I guess when they think the Dutch word ‘onzin’ (nonsense) is too weak.
There is a vulgar Dutch synonym of ‘complete nonsense’: ‘gelul!’, which may be received with more agression than ‘bullshit’. English words often lack the right emotional attribute for foreigners, I think; the words feel rather neutral.

Swearing and cursing in any other language than your mother tongue often feels innocent.
Some foreigners may feel it highly offensive when you say something nasty about their mother. The Dutch do not feel anything hearing that. The Norwegian have something with Satan. The Germans with anal matters (‘Arsloch’). The Dutch, when needing an imprecation, say they hope the other one will get certain diseases, e.g. cancer.
 
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