question about a possible fad

[steve2470]

Note the word possible.

Two times in the last several weeks while I've been online, two different people told me to "shut the fuck up". They meant it to be humorous. I was aghast. When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's, if you told anyone to STFU in person, you'd be looking at a stint in the hospital, busted out teeth, death or, at a bare minimum, some pretty harsh words back. One of these people was 40 and the other was 52. Yes, I told both of them it was NOT ok with me.

Is this a new fad (god forbid) or just an anomaly ?

[braddy]

1. They must have childlike minds to challenge men to a fight like that.

[LisaM]

2. Not a fad that I know of.

If they're trying to be funny, they're supposed to say Shut the Front Door!

[unblock]

5. mine is "back the truck up!"

[unblock]

3. i think it was during the 90s

that a few previously highly offensive statements started being used jokingly, such as

"shut the fuck up"
"get the fuck out of here" and
"oh, fuck off"

might be making a comeback.


of course, online, there's the ever-present peril of not being able to properly convey tone and facial expressions....

[steve2470]

6. so true about online! nt

[Eliot Rosewater]

4. Weird, i was texting a friend, he was playing the texts over the car sound system

and his wife was listening and he got mad at me and texted stfu

Now he is caustic guy, but maybe it is a fad

[Orrex]

7. Was it spelled out or abbreviated?

My young sons, who are more than happy to regale us with tales of the online profanity they encounter, haven't mentioned anything about a trend in this regard.

[steve2470]

8. spelled out both times nt

[frogmarch]

9. "You're kidding!" evolved into

"Shut up!" sometime in the late 80s, I think. I remember Carrie Fisher's character saying "Shut up!" in that way in When Harry Met Sally. I hadn't heard it used that way before, but it reminded me of the old phrases "Get outta here!" and "Oh, go on!" which mean about the same as "You're kidding! Now it seems the sarcastic "Shut up!" has evolved into "Shut the fuck up!" Everyone who wants to be cool should start saying it.

[True Dough]

11. Evolved or deteriorated?

I'll take a "Get outta here" over a "STFU" anytime.

Not quite the same thing, but remember "WHAZZUP???" from the beer commercials of the late 80s or early 90s? That was annoying too!

[frogmarch]

12. Deteriorated!

I wouldn't react well if anyone said STFU to me, even in a kidding way. Even "shut up!" would irk me.

I remember Whazzup? but it didn't register one way or the other with me when I heard it, maybe because I didn't hear it very often. I remember "I'm sure!" from the 80s, which it seems has been replaced by "Really?" said in a I-can't-believe-you-said-that/did-that sort of way. "I'm sure!" didn't bother me. I probably said it myself.

[steve2470]

21. I'm the same about "shut up" also

I'm very southern, and that also was not ok back in the day. If STFU ever comes widely acceptable in real life, I'm in trouble for sure. I'm trying hard to stay current but some things (like STFU) are harder to accept and adapt to.

[Phentex]

14. I was thinking it's like GET OUT to mean wow...

Was it from Seinfeld? "Get out!" as in disbelief?

[True Dough]

16. "Get outta here!" and "Get out!"

are essentially the same thing, of course.

STFU is also meant in that context but it's too course or crude to be used as a friendly barb, IMO. As teenagers, maybe. Not as adults.

[Phentex]

17. The phrase I'm hearing everywhere now is

100%. Mainly to mean yes.

Do you think so and so will win an oscar? 100%

Once I started hearing it, it seems to be used everywhere.

[FrankfurtCat]

10. That's awful!

It is part of the reason I have divorced two husbands-being told to "STFU *&%$#" Is not conducive to a happy marriage, or even a tolerable one.

I just cannot imagine how people are so angry with people they don't even know!!!!

These men (my exes) are both having their 60th birthdays this year, so it's been brewing for awhile, IMO.

As an afterthought, people hide behind humor all the time when they are being hateful, critical, etc. Unless they are right in your face screaming it at you, many people try to be hateful while not admitting to it.

[Fla Dem]

13. No, the word and/or phrase has just unfortunately become acceptable.

Blame it on social media, movies and streaming shows. Just saw Manchester by the Sea and every other word it seemed was f&%K this or f$&k that.

[crazycatlady]

15. I've had the word fuck used in a job interview before

The interviewer (23) said it, not me. I got the job.

[AngryAmish]

18. Now that I have an onion on my belt...People swear too much nowadays.

Especially educated people.

[steve2470]

19. in 20 or 30 years people can mock you also

Good day sir.

[billh58]

20. On the TV show "Castle"

the substitute phrase was: "Shut the front door!"