Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Profanity is not an indication of passion. There are many other explanations for it.

In a recent meeting, a colleagues let loose a stream of profanity. A moment later he said, “Please excuse my passion.”

Sigh.

Here we go. Profanity is not an expression of passion. I know plenty of passionate people who don’t utter profane phrases.

Some causes of profanity:

1. ignorance of the English language
2. fatigue
3. duress
4. misjudging the audience
5. anger

I go with number 2 most of the time. People are simply tired. Their minds aren’t working well, so they cannot find the words they need to express themselves adequately.

Response? Stop the meeting. Take a break. Let people rest and eat for a few moments. If a person is so tired that they can’t speak in polite language, they are probably too tired to accomplish any work.