Ask HN: Would you submit this paper with its literal title? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Would you submit this paper with its literal title?

32 pointsyannis9 comments

I came across this paper titled Fuck. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=896790 It is a 78 page paper that explores all aspects of the word, which I thought would interest the polymaths here.

It also has some very unusual information like the piece that:

     ..during the last Egyptian dynasties, legal documents were 
       sealed with the phrase, "As for him who shall disregard it, 
       may he be fucked by a donkey." The hieroglyphic for the 
       phrase—two large erect penises—makes the message clear.

which gave me immediately a different outlook of ancient Egypt.

I apologize if the subject of the paper offends some people here and hence my question.

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I suspect you don't really care about our answers to your title question, and you just wanted to post the link and a quote from this paper. All of which is fine with me, by the way!

You partly right. I was sure that the mighty filter would have chewed it up and that I would have done the author and the community a disservice submitting it with a different title. I believe in not changing article titles.

I was sure that the mighty filter would have chewed it up

If that happened, you surely could have resubmitted it with a slightly amended title. Something like FCUK, F U C K or F$#@. I suspect most people here would have understood.

No, the current title lacks any description of the piece in question. (Other than on containing an offensive word.) I think a title should be able to stand alone to some degree.

I see the author's intent to stampete through any prudishness surrounding the term but I think a more description title including the title would be better.

Possiblities.

* Analysis of Fuck

* Fuck: Legalities and Taboos

* Fuck: First Amendment, broadcast regulation, sexual harassment, and education

(This comment has been edited a couple of times to get my idea across, sorry about that)

I'd be more likely to read it if it was just "Fuck" (it makes me curious), and then I'd be more likely to upvote it once I saw that that actually is an appropriate title for it.

I had exactly the same idea with you - before I read the article. However, I changed my mind after reading it and pondering over some of his writings. For example fucking brilliant will not offend but fucking idiot will and then that donkey stuff threw me totally out.

Sure. It's a paper all about the word "fuck", why not title it Fuck? It's not like someone's going to say, "I was ok with him spending 78 pages talking about the word "fuck", but titling it Fuck took it too far!" They're either going to be offended because it's a whole paper about the word "fuck", or they're not. Might as well let them know what they're getting into as soon as possible so they don't waste their time.

Click-able link http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=896790

Interesting read. I hate however the amount of footnotes. I find the CS style (references at the end, almost not footnotes) much more readable.

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