The new politics of profanity. Mark Twain said there ought to be a room in every house to swear in. If your home doesn't have so much as a closet to cuss in -- don't fret. Hear why it can be a terrific idea to swear at the office.

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Part Two of The Current

Swearing in the Workplace - Cory Scherer

Rhett Butler may not have a damn to give, but the Hollywood Production Code Commission sure did. In 1939, it fined film producer David Selznick $5,000 for allowing profanity in his civil war epic.

Since then, a lot of social mores have gone with the wind. It's hard to imagine a time when the D-word was even considered profane. Rhett would have to go a few letters down the alphabet to find a word to get noticed today.

Last month, the CEO of Yahoo may have found it. Rumours swirled that Carol Bartz was fired, in part, for her salty language. Yahoo denies Bartz's profanity had anything to do with her demise, but it hasn't stopped the business world from focusing on who can say what, when and whether swearing can hurt or even help a career.

Our next guest believes there are times when properly placed profanity can be powerful and persuasive. Cory Scherer is a professor of psychology at Penn State University, Schuylkill campus, and we reached him in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania.

Swearing in the Workplace - Deborah Tannen

While it might be more freaking persuasive to throw in a fracking swear word or two, our next guest says it also makes a significant difference if the word comes out of the mouth of a man, or a woman.

Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, is the author of You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. Deborah Tannen joined us from Washington.

Related Links:

• Swearing In The Workplace Earns You More Respect By Aimee Groth - Business Insider
• The Talk of the Sandbox; How Johnny and Suzy's Playground Chatter Prepares Them for Life at the Office By Deborah Tannen - The Washington Post
• Sex, Lies and Conversation; Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other? By Deborah Tannen - The Washington Post

Swearing in the Workplace

You don't have to be a longshoreman any more to swear like one. Cussing is practically commonplace in parliaments and Congress. And speaking of congress, there remains one word that's still so powerful, so penetrating it still makes many of our listeners uncomfortable. Nevertheless, it's become one of the most commonly used words in social intercourse.

Other segments from today's show:

• Insite Supreme Court Ruling (Updated)
• Smart Meters