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July 12, 2009
No News Here
Bad language could be good for you, a new study shows. For the first time, psychologists have found that swearing may serve an important function in relieving pain.[snip]
Although cursing is notoriously decried in the public debate, researchers are now beginning to question the idea that the phenomenon is all bad. "Swearing is such a common response to pain that there has to be an underlying reason why we do it," says psychologist Richard Stephens of Keele University in England, who led the study. And indeed, the findings point to one possible benefit: "I would advise people, if they hurt themselves, to swear," he adds. [Scientific American]
But then, I'm not sure that all healing profanity is strictly voluntary. Most of my own comes quite involuntarily every time I read German or trim our Bougainvillea bush.
PS: For reasons unknown, over the last several weeks my old post on "Our Bougainvillea" appears to be the most popular link to Abnormal Interests from a Google search. Doesn't anyone care about horse medicine at Ugarit or KAL DILI these days?
Via Slashdot, via Hugh Pickens
Posted by Duane Smith at July 12, 2009 3:37 PM | Read more on Humor |
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Comments
Well, bad news. New laws being passed in the UK mean that anyone who says "Oh bugger" in anger could face prison. For "inciting hate against homosexuals", you know.
Posted by: Roger Pearse at July 13, 2009 12:01 PM
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