Question about self-censoring your. . . self.

[Matt]

Maybe "Question about self-censorship" would have been a more-elegant title?   

I'm just wondering why it is, on boards without language filters, some people will use naughty words, but then edit the words themselves, so that they're not as naughty anymore.  You know what I mean, where "****" becomes "f#@k" or "bull****" becomes "bull****" or what have you.

And it's not just here that I've seen it, but other, filter-less boards as well.  I'm just curious about why people do this.  Do they not know that they can pretty much say whatever they want, within reason, without getting "in trouble?"  Or is it maybe a more-personal thing, where they don't want to actually use the dirty word themselves, or they don't want others to see them using these words?

Help me understand, won't you?

Th@%ghts?

[JesseVader08]

My guess is that most people don't know about our removable filter, or are simply used to doing it that way from other sites that don't have a removable filter.

So f*&$ you. 

[Rob]

Yeah but even if a site didn't have a removable filter, I'd just type '****' and let the filter turn it into '****' rather than actually take the time to type out the *'s by typing f**k or something similar.  That's the mystery...why would someone take the time to not just let the filter do it's thing.

[Morgbug]

No comment.

[Darth_Anton]

I don't really use cuss words in real life, so I try not write them either. If I feel strongly, I do the %&*$ thing to get the point across. Does it make sense? Not really.

[Darth Slothus]

haha