Good point. I tried it without it, and for some reason it didn't work. I didn't feel like figuring out why, so I left it. (My excuse was that in the future using an env var could let me set my default checking duration for the day/session without editing and reloading my .bashrc; obviously I'd have to check whether it was already set rather than just overwriting it, though.)
I was not aware of that etymological aspect of dorking (I assumed it was an extension of dork, in the sense of nerd; and I did not know the etymology of dork).
What alternative alternative term do your recommend?
But I feel that "hacking" is way too broad and non-descriptive of this activity which is more specialized. I mean, I would just call it "using parameters as they were meant to be" but most folks don't have any idea how to formulate search queries in the first place, that these operators and parameters seem like a black art.
I agree social dynamics are more complex than this (potentially childish) analysis.
Though I mentioned humour and fitting in, you're right that I didn’t really address the use of profanity to build rapport/break down formality/establish intimacy, and adjust the tone of a conversation in other ways. (Some aspects of that were on my list of things to add, but I never got around to it.)
> I get the feeling this guy doesn’t have too many close friends.
Thankfully, despite this essay & other indications to the contrary, I have a reasonable number of wonderful close friends (I’m sometimes as surprised as you), some of whom swear, and some of whom don't. I sometimes appreciate swearing, and sometimes find it grating. But I find that overuse of swearing usually detracts from a conversation, which is why I wrote up my argument for why there are potentially maybe possibly valid philosophical and pragmatic reasons for adults to consider swearing less.
> But I find that overuse of swearing usually detracts from a conversation
A reasonable concern. But don’t get carried away. We don’t need under use either!
When my kids were young I told then that swear words were not inherently bad, but needed to be used appropriately.
And I told them I couldn’t let them use them because they were not ready for that nuance, but also culturally, young children swearing was not a path to youthful success.
One day driving two of them through town, my son mentioned that one of his friends said a bad word.
I asked him which one, and he said “You know … fuh…!”
He got his meaning across, and I was about to so “oh, ok” when his sister blurted out “kuh!”
My son looked at her with surprise and admiration, and proceeded to exclaim “fuh” again, followed by his sister in what became an instant chanting game.
I had to use my outdoor voice to get them to stop.
My son pleaded with me. “We aren’t actually saying it, Dad!”
But I told them I couldn’t allow it.
He cried! I think he was four. I tried to be serious and empathetic. But no loop holes.
The essay got rather bloated trying to address all the possible counter-arguments, the scientific research, and the potential caveats; and despite my efforts to tone down the moral grandstanding, a lot slipped through. I should probably re-write it as a shorter essay with a thousands footnotes, "Why I Don't Swear".
> suggesting that everyone should always be worried about offending others nearby, instead of expressing themselves when they need to.
Always worrying about it wouldn't be healthy, but to me it seems like a good idea to at least consider the potential negative effects self-expression may have on others, and weight that against the benefits of self-expression.
> but to me it seems like a good idea to at least consider the potential negative effects self-expression may have on others, and weight that against the benefits of self-expression.
This is unfortunately the case, which is why I start the essay with caveat that it hopefully applies to people with my cultural background who swear, and may not apply beyond that.
Yes, that is problematic :) However, different cultures use swearing very differently (and it seems the attitude that sometimes goes along with swearing in my culture doesn't always go along with swearing in other cultures), and swearing is a very tiny part of a culture, so would have very little effect at that level even if it was as "dumb" in other cultures as I think it is in mine.
I disagree that is has little effect. The way we communicate is a central and essential aspect of us as a species. Even the little nods and the dog whistles matter. A dominate culture policing it's norm of communication onto another because the dominate one believes due to it being the prominent one it is thus superior leads to damaging and loss of cultural diversity and communication and perpetuates societal disunity and segregation.
Viewing swearing as "dumb" and thus people who swear are "dumb" is a really easy way to openly okay associating a whole group of people that may swear often as "dumb" or to selectively apply that standard to them.
You yourself are perfectly free to choose whatever words you would like to use;
I am perfectly free to find language policing and censoring repugnant.
