The question to consider is can one use intense language in order to persuade and not be offensive.
Profanity can play both a positive and a negative role in persuasion. There is a strong connotation associated with swearing. Profanity is so common that some believe it should get more attention as a means of persuasion. Profanity can have several different implications in speech. Most rhetoricians suggest not using profanity in speech. E. Scott Baudhuin, gave some of his students a “swear word booklet” and had them rate the words on their offensiveness. Profanity is classified into three categories: religious, excretory and sexual. Sexual profanity was found to be the most offensive and received the most …show more content…
That consideration should not be limited to gender, race, socioeconomic background, religious affiliation and sexual preference to name a few. Certainly, we have learned that cursing during a speech may not hurt the persuasiveness of the speech or the credibility of the speaker if the topic is something the audience is equally passionate about. However, if your message can be just as intense without cursing, error on the side of caution and refrain from swearing. The audience will find you more trustworthy in the long run. Based on the information learned about both profanity and political correctness, their use can be detrimental if improperly used. For example, you would never want to curse during a job interview. Your trustworthy stature will be blemished forever. There are some words that you can never take back. Additionally, political correctness should always be practiced. You will never elicit the appropriate response by disrespecting someone because of their race, gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic