"Inappropriate Language" on HubpPages?

1. 66

   Donnie Liferposted 13 years ago

   So I haven't seen a great deal of swear words in the hubs that are published here, and one of my own hubs (a poem) has been banned because of the language it contained.
   
   Now my question is, shouldn't HubPages respect the content of our writing the same way society does? Shouldn't it be the writers' choice to include or not include rude language?
   
   If I may refer to an example we're all familiar with: Larkin's Poem "This Be The Verse", which you can read here: http://www.artofeurope.com/larkin/lar2.htm
   
   Sure, quite rude, very controversial, but nevertheless a part of literature.
   
   The case I am making here is to try and give people more freedom in terms of what they write in their hubs, because when I write a poem to release my aggression, I will be likely to use swearwords. However, I think that without the use of these swearwords, the exact feeling of my rage, or whatever it is that I or any other author is feeling, may be missed.
   
   Discuss, please.

   replyreport
   1. 83

      Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This is a G rated site so they don't want kids stumbling on an article with vulgar language or sexual content.
      
      Like others have said there are other places you can write such things. Blogger will allow you to have an adult site.

      replyreport
   2. 75

      Lady Wordsmithposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Perhaps, if you want to write about those feelings in your poetry on here, you might view the rules on swearing as a challenge?  Find language that is 'appropriate', and thereby expand your vocabulary, by working that little bit harder to avoid the words that will have your hubs banned. 
      
      Personally, I don't find swearwords at all necessary in my writing (that's not a criticism of anyone who does like to use them.)  I use them out of laziness when I'm at home (when the kids are not around), but in writing I don't find them at all useful.  I don't feel that they go far enough to express any type of emotion, and are just too easy to fall back on when a better word doesn't readily spring to mind.
      
      So no, I don't think HubPages should give more freedom in that sense.  It already gives tremendous freedom by allowing us to write for free, and to have our work read  - and to be paid for it if we're incredibly lucky.  This isn't the only place we can write, so like the others have said, you can always place your more adult stuff elsewhere

      replyreport
2. 79

   kirstenblogposted 13 years ago

   I think this is similar to writing erotic stories and poetry, they are definitely a valid genre in writing but because google doesn't like having their ads on sites with this kind of content it's not acceptable here. They do have to make money and the fact that I can make money too means I have no complaints. If I ever want to write erotic fiction I expect I could find somewhere to post it, might even get paid for it elsewhere. So many of us are here to make money and treat this like a business, in business you don't get to do what you want, you do what will be successful. If cursing is not going to help me be successful then I think I can manage watching my language. I have to do it at work too, watch my language that is, I work with kids.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This is about right.    This site is all about Google and earnings thorugh advertising - so really the standards are closer to advertising than writing.
      
      This is what is behind the "writer starving in his garret" if you want to write in freedom then you have to do it yourself somewhere, the paying places are not interested - except a specialist book or magazine publisher maybe.

      replyreport
3. 66

   Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

   Hubpages respects the rules that Google Adsense and Amazon applies because this site exists as a conduit for their advertising.  How else do you think that we and Hubpages can earn money, blog for free, and have a much higher level of recognition?  Hubbers write within Adsense and Amazon perameters voluntarily.  If you have work that you feel might violate those rules it's easy to turn off the advertising on that hub or you can place those specific work at another website that you own and pay for.

   replyreport
4. 79

   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   I published a very rude poem by a well known Australian poet, but I also made sure it did not have adsense allowed.
   Hubpages has allowed it to stay. It is beautifully set in time and character, and the removal of any swear words would make it colorless in the setting.
   Maybe you just need to turn off adsense if the piece has literary merit?

   replyreport