What makes a word profane? Why are my swear words different from my parents'? If swearing is so bad, why do we do it? And what can a culture's swear words tell us about the things they hold taboo?

"The way that words become powerful is by the taboos against using them." Dr. Ben Bergen is a professor of cognitive science at UC San Diego and author of "What the F? What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains and Ourselves". He is an expert on the cultural and neurological aspects of profanity. Dr. Ben Bergen, a professor in cognitive science, found that the power behind profanity is rooted in the taboos and cultural judgments surrounding them. Through his research, he discovered that words related to sex, bodily functions, and religion were the most offensive, but for younger generations, slurs and words that cause harm are more offensive. Young people have an enlightened view that profanity won't cause any harm unless it is used for malicious purposes. Words have power, and even though profane words can be hurtful, they can also show us that we are funny, genuine, and accessible. In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. How do words become powerful and profane? 2. What has changed in the way that younger generations view profanity? 3. Can words actually cause harm? See citations and a transcript here: https://www.tabooscience.show/001-profanity/  Other episodes you'll enjoy: Pornography: https://www.tabooscience.show/002-pornography/  Lying: https://www.tabooscience.show/010-lying/  Ageism: https://www.tabooscience.show/s2e2-ageism/  Connect with the show:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabooscience  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tabooscience  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tabooscience  Website: https://www.tabooscience.show/  Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taboo-science/id1533606473 

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