Cuss Control : The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cursing

by O'CONNOR, JAMES V

• ISBN13: 9780609805466
• ISBN10: 0609805460
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2000-02-01
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press

Summary

Finally--the cure for the common curse! Faced with an epidemic of profanity, our country is in need of practical suggestions for breaking a habit that has ordinary citizens contributing to the decline of civility and good manners. It's not always easy to resist the urge to cuss, but foul language creates an unfavorable image, is damaging to relationships, and goes hand-in-hand with a negative attitude. Now, James V. O'Connor--founder of the Cuss Control Academy--offers the first book to explain why we swear and how we can learn to hold our tongues.Cuss Controldoesn't call for the total elimination of swearing, just for its confinement to situations where extreme emotion (think hammer, think thumb) or poetic license (think Rhett Butler's "Frankly, my dear. . .") demand it. His program for easing us off the gutter-talk highway involves alternative "potent phrases" for classic curses, including the F-word; ways to communicate clearly rather than use lazy language; and tips on adjusting your attitude and abolishing obscenities. Packed with practical exercises and tips, as well as thoughtful reflection on how we've worked ourselves up into such a state of affairs, Cuss Control is a refreshing celebration of the joys of a civil tongue.

Author Biography

James V. O'Connor has operated his own public relations firm, O'Connor Communications, since 1989. He is the founder of the Cuss Control Academy and has appeared on Oprah and the CBS Evening News. He lives in Chicago.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xi
Do We Really Swear too Much?	1	(16)
Interview:	14	(3)
Jeff Zimmer
Yes, Cussing Can be Fun	17	(14)
Interview:	27	(4)
Kate Doyle Brown
Casual Cussing: the Negatives Outweigh the Positives	31	(18)
Interview:	45	(4)
Shelley Steward
Causal Cussing: It's Not the Words, It's the Attitude	49	(18)
Interview:	62	(5)
Jane Kriwzi
What You Say is What You are	67	(16)
Interview:	81	(2)
Tim Winter
Why Don't These People Swear?	83	(32)
Cut the Shit, Now and Forever	115	(18)
Interview:	129	(4)
Michelle
The F Word: Stop Me Before I Say It Again	133	(18)
Interview:	150	(1)
Tiffany Van Hoffman
Names Can Really Hurt	151	(20)
Interview:	167	(4)
Tajada Scarbrough
Finding Alternative Words	171	(22)
Interview:	187	(6)
Brenna McDonough
Exercises for Exorcising Offensive Language	193	(16)
Interview:	206	(3)
Debbie Gill
The Hard Part: Controlling Anger	209	(20)
Interview:	224	(5)
Ken
Therapies to Help You	229