Bad Words!

Firstly, if you stop in the middle and judge, you will misunderstand the intent.

Secondly, as always, these are my personal observations and opinions.

Thirdly, the less we talk about uncomfortable topics, the more we silently normalize them. Avoiding discussion does not make things better. It only pushes them under the carpet. I believe mature societies should be able to examine even sensitive subjects calmly and logically.

Finally, this post is not written to provoke, insult or disrespect anyone. It is written to question patterns in language and behavior. If you disagree, I genuinely welcome a reasoned counterpoint. Let us debate ideas, not attack individuals.

Lessgo...

"Bad Words"

Hmm... People who know me sometimes get surprised when I casually discuss "bad words." They probably do not expect that topic from me.

I can understand that... Let me tell you this... during my long rides, hitchhiking conversations, and random meetings with people from different regions, there is one question I almost always ask...

"What are your regional bad words? And how casually do people use them?"

Honestly, this question is fair enough to understand a place and its muscle.

You know what, interestingly... no matter the language or region, almost 90% of so called bad words fall into the same categories. Let us ignore the "how casual" part for now, I mean, this post is not meant for that... Anyway, basically most of the bad words revolve around sex, private body parts, mother or sister... I mean, mostly women references, and then words targeting parts, appearance, caste, status or identity.

Same pattern...

But why?

Why do we not insult someone using neutral body parts or organs? "Like "You Liver, Liver yourself, Dumb kidney, etc, etc"... Btw, how a word become bad you will understand by end of the blog"... Any way, why do we not shout something harmless in anger? And more importantly... we already have clinical, textbook terms for the same so-called bad words no? I mean, hospitals use them. Institutions use them. Nobody feels offended there.

So what makes one version "medical" and another version "dirty," when both refer to the same reality?

The answer is usage.

A word becomes "bad" not because of its dictionary meaning, but because of how society repeatedly uses it. For example, when a word is used in classrooms to educate someone or in a hospital if a doc uses it, it stays neutral. When it is used in humiliation, dominance and public shaming, it gathers emotional charge.

Over time, society labels it as dirty.

Sexual vocabulary is not the only one, but it became the strongest category of insults because sex in human society was never treated as just biology. It became tied to privacy, honor, lineage, inheritance, pride, control, and even in some societies it defines a man a man, and women women too, unfortunately... Basically, when something is socially sensitive, attacking it becomes powerful, this is my observation and understanding.

Insults are basically boundary attacks. They embarrass in public. They hit sensitive areas... That is why they work.

Now here is something more uncomfortable... and underrated...

We are quick to react to biological slang. But how casually do we use words that historically targeted human communities... in fact humans by params like color, food etc? And many of us grew up hearing and using certain caste based or community based terms used to mean "very bad" or "cheap," without even knowing their history...

For example in Telugu... words like Chandalam, Lambadi, Pinjari, Panthulu, Pappu ga, mukka ga, Budabukkala, Uppara, Yanadi, Yerukula... ahh what not, many we have... Many use them casually. Just imagine how bad that is... how worse it is... I can truly understand that most of the people don't know the history behind these and the intention may or may not be the same... But the problem is... Instead of openly discussing to understand the history, people are simply making a few topics taboo. This is a dangerous sign. People must talk openly. I know a 16 years old man affected with HIV... I don't think I need to tell the reason behind it... Arey, openly discuss with your people at least, so that they don't end up in a mess, sometimes, you can't even reverse.

Anyway, back to the topic.... These so-called bad words like "Chandalam, etc" are not about anatomy, no... They are about real people.

If we think a word describing a body part or human activity is dirty... how much worse is it to use words that reduce entire communities?

Maybe the real issue is not "bad words."

Maybe it is how casually we normalize disrespect.

And if you are comfortable using the F word publicly, but feel uncomfortable when the same alternative exists in a regional language... I leave the judgement to you.

Live. Long. India.