October 18, 2007

Finally, someone agrees with me, dammit

Thanks to CIL for this story, though I am puzzled why he thought to send it to me:
"Regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff, allowing them to express better their feelings as well as develop social relationships, according to a study by researchers.
Heh. Reading from my relationship/employment/survival manual, are they?

I love swearing. I must admit it. But, as this next graph shows, that doesn't mean it is appropriate everywhere.
The pair said swearing in front of senior staff or customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings.

"Employees use swearing on a continuous basis, but not necessarily in a negative, abusive manner," said Baruch, who works in the university's business school in Norwich.
That last point is huge. Big difference between swearing as humor, swearing as frustration, and swearing as abuse. I think we all know the difference.

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