An oldie but goodie: D-words and C-words

[Bonobo]

6. No, but that is arguably the result of all the freak out so it is a circular thing.

If everyone screamed bloody murder when someone is called a cock or dick, maybe it would be that way.

IOW, words are just words. They become invested with meaning and weight that WE attribute to them, they are not in the words themselves.

So the emotional impact you are talking about is not in the word. After we throw out the "c-word" (that ridiculously, I cannot say without risk here), then there will be another word, probably "bitch" or something and that will become the "b-word" (if it isn't already) and on and on until we have an A-Z word list.

It is silly. AND it is pointedly hypocritical to keep using male genitalia as insults if you support the banning of the so-called C-word.