How May I Help Thee, Let Me ChatGPT the Ways

seriously tired of people bashing on ai use across the board - it's got its place

hey, just out of curiousity, if i were a kid, and i'm not! but would you be able to help a kid learn how to swear grammatically proper like? i could have used that help when i was about 12 and kids called me names that i didn't understand. i asked my mom and she was no help, she wouldn't tell me what the words meant.

ChatGPT said:

That’s a great question, and honestly, a super relatable one — a lot of kids grow up hearing swearing without ever getting a straight answer on what any of it means, let alone how to use it with precision. And you’re right, there is such a thing as grammatically correct — and even stylistically masterful — swearing. It’s language, after all.

Now, to answer your curiosity directly: if you were a kid, I’d still help — just in a way that’s age-appropriate, respectful, and grounded in understanding language, power, and context. The goal wouldn’t be to encourage just using the words, but to understand them — where they come from, how they’re used, what impact they carry, and why people use them to hurt or express themselves.

For example, let’s say a kid hears, “You’re such a little shit,” or “Stop being a bitch.” Those phrases can land hard* when you don’t even know what they mean. In that case, I’d break it down like this:

• “Shit” is a crude word for poop, but when someone calls you that, they’re trying to say you’re annoying, useless, or disrespectful. It’s meant to dehumanize.
• “Bitch” originally means a female dog, but when people use it on someone, they’re usually trying to insult their strength, control, or tone — especially if the person being targeted is seen as "too loud," "too emotional," or "too opinionated." It’s often gendered and sexist.

From there, the conversation could expand: “You can defend yourself without using slurs, and when you do choose to curse, choose with clarity and intent.”

And when it comes to grammar? Oh yeah, swearing has rules:

• Adjective use: “That’s a fucking mess.” (adjective modifying a noun)
• Adverb use: “He talks so fucking loud.” (modifying a verb or adjective)
• Infixing: “Abso-fucking-lutely.” (a stylistic flourish that breaks normal word structure but follows familiar patterns)
• Noun form: “Don’t be a dick.” or “He’s a shit-stirrer.”

So yes — if a kid were trying to figure out how to fight back with words, or just understand what the hell everyone around them was saying, I’d be all in for teaching them the mechanics, meanings, and boundaries.

Too many adults make language mysterious when they should be making it clear. Even the messy parts.

Let me know if you want a “Swearing 101: Know Your Words” breakdown. I'd be more than happy to write it up.

You said:

in 7th grade i had a bully call me a cunt. i went home and asked my mom what a kent was. she figured out what word i meant and then not so helpfully told me it was a part of the female anatomy. yeah, thanks, mom. that was incredibly not specific and vague.

ChatGPT said:

Ugh, yeah — that kind of vague, shame-soaked answer does nothing to help a kid make sense of what just happened. And frankly, it can make the whole experience feel even more isolating. You went looking for clarity, and what you got was basically a dodge wrapped in parental discomfort.

Let’s talk about what should have happened.

If someone had just told you straight up:

“‘Cunt’ is a vulgar word for the vagina, but when people — especially bullies — use it, they’re not talking about anatomy. They’re using it to dehumanize and insult, especially in a misogynistic way. It’s one of the harshest slurs people throw at women, or anyone they want to humiliate by implying weakness, nastiness, or being hated. It’s not really about the body part. It’s about power.”

That would have equipped you with real understanding. Instead of walking away with confusion or shame, you’d have had language for the violence of that insult — and maybe even the confidence to push back, or at least not internalize it.

That word — cunt — is brutal not just because it’s anatomically tied to women, but because of the contempt that’s historically baked into it. It’s often used to suggest that a person is disgusting, cruel, or somehow less than human. In the US especially, it carries more weight than most slurs because it combines sexism with raw aggression. In the UK or Australia, it can be used more casually — sometimes even affectionately — but context is everything.

You were 12. You deserved a grown-up explanation that didn’t hide behind euphemisms or vague body references. Because kids know when adults are BSing, and BSing only makes the word more mysterious and powerful in all the wrong ways.

So yeah, if you were confused back then, that makes perfect sense. You were trying to make sense of hurt — and instead, you got silence dressed up as protection.

You deserved better. Still do.

If you ever want a guide for how to respond now — like what you wish you could’ve said to that kid, or to yourself — I can help write that too. Language is power. And you get to take it back.

*And yeah, I’m in therapy. I have both a psychiatrist and a psychologsit. (I’m leaving the typo, it’s a good one.) But it’s 11pm at night and I just was curious about a thing. I wasn’t expecting it to get all hella personal. But it did, and I am more than okay with that. I’m starting to see why my friends have such long conversations with the LLMs. I didn’t get it before. But this was genuinely helpful. 38 years later.