why do educated people use bad words? i don't know. why do uneducated people use bad words? because they're punchy, expressive, definite, percussive, transgressive, fun? or: what would justify phonemic taboos, banning certain sounds, as though we all turned as a people against b-flat? of course, cussing couldn't have the effect it does, or be cussing at all, without the (mild) taboos surrounding it, so i guess that's good too, without actually making any sense. plus it gives hip hop emcees something to do. right. but why do white people use bad words? a profound mystery to the white people at the new york times.