Censor And Sensibility

My boyfriend is very smart, but he curses. A lot. Even in front of my family. He says I shouldn't try to curtail his free expression and mentioned some news report that said smarter people curse more. Am I being a tight-xxx? Or is he full of xxxx?

--Upset

When you ask your boyfriend to talk dirty to you, you shouldn't need to specify, "Except at my grandma's wake." And no, there's no evidence that smarter people curse more -- though that's what popped up in headlines across Clickbaitville. The actual finding -- by swearing researchers Kristin and Timothy Jay -- is that people who can rattle off a lot of words (those who have "verbal fluency") can also rattle off a lot of swearwords. Quelle #&*@$ surprise. I'm no priss about profanity. However, as I explain in (heh) "Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck," "at the root of manners is empathy" -- caring about the impact your behavior has on other people. Your parents are likely to see your boyfriend's bratty insistence on talking however he effin' pleases, no matter who's in earshot, as a sign of disrespect. It suggests an aggressive, narcissistic lack of interest in others' feelings -- including yours. That's not exactly a selling point in a partner, plus it could lead you to dread being around your family: "You havin' a psychotic break, son, or you just anglin' for more pie?"