#BrainFood 07.30.24
WARNING: Gonna get political right from the jump.
My wife is black. My children are black. So it should come as no surprise that I am THRILLED that my children, and an entire generation of children, have the possibility to live in a world where someone who looks like them can be the president of the United States of America. Representation matters.
That being said, I’m not standing around hoping & praying that VP Harris wins.
Last night I joined the “White Dudes for Harris” zoom call - it was special. The call really focused on how white men specifically can play an active part in helping Vice President Harris become Madame President Harris.
Some highlights from the call:
150,000 people have joined the cause
190,000 people tuned in tonight
$4M+ raised to the Harris campaign
My fellow white dudes, you should check out the site and get active, https://whitedudesforharris.com
And to my non-white, non-dude friends, there are still plenty of other segments that are mobilizing and getting active in this election.
Now onto your daily serving of #BrainFood
The art and science of fucking swearing
Why does swearing provoke such strong reactions?
Swearing provokes strong reactions because it breaks cultural taboos. When someone uses profanity, it captures attention due to the societal norms that consider such language inappropriate. This reaction is not just about the words themselves but the emotions and social boundaries they challenge. The taboo nature of swearing makes it powerful and attention-grabbing, even though it is a common part of everyday language.
What makes curse words different from other words in terms of emotional expression?
Curse words are unique because they are intrinsically linked to emotional expression rather than just conveying information. They often revolve around taboo subjects like sex, bodily functions, and religion, which universally evoke strong emotions. Swearing can serve as a way to vent feelings without necessarily providing a factual account, similar to a scream. This emotional potency makes curse words versatile, allowing them to express a wide range of emotions from anger to pain to surprise.
How does context influence the acceptability and impact of swearing?
The context in which swearing occurs greatly influences its acceptability and impact. For example, swearing in a casual conversation among friends may foster a sense of camaraderie and trust, while the same words used in a formal setting could be seen as offensive and disrespectful. The societal meanings assigned to swear words and the attitudes communicated through their use play a crucial role. Additionally, methods like using asterisks to censor swear words in written form can reduce offensiveness by showing consideration for the reader's feelings, indicating that the offensiveness of swearing is more about the conveyed attitudes than the specific words themselves
This game where the goal is to manipulate the customer service AI chatbot to get a free airline ticket.
We will all wear robot-powered pants in the future.
