Swearing is F***ing Magical

            Why do we swear? Maybe out of frustration or to show your emotion or maybe even just because it slips out. The point is, people swear in all different type of scenarios and in my American Studies class the other day we decided that these words hold a sort of magical power. This is because in some cases there are no other words that can replace them and they hold a weight that most other words do not because they are “forbidden”. As it turns out, according to psychologist Neel BurtonM.D., swear words really are magical.

            In a study performed by Richard Stephens of Keele University in England, it was discovered that if two people put their hands in ice water and one swears and the other cannot, the one who is swearing can keep their hand in the frigid water for twice as long. This is because it gives you a serge of adrenaline which allows you better tolerate pain.

            Along with general pain management, swearing can lower your circulation, boost your self-confidence, elevate your endorphins, signal to others that you are open and honest, and give yourself and overall sense of being calm and in control.

            Now I’m not saying you should go scream the F-word down the hallways because it has certain health benefits, but I think it’s important to note the power words really have. I think that the fact that words with such negative connotations can have such a positive impact shows that words can really make a difference. If we string together the right words at the right time, we can take advantage of our Freedom of Speech to create a positive influence in the world around us.