But I have heard this word said on U.S. network television - all because no one in this country attaches the stigma of profanity to it. Whether someone just cut you off on the freeway, or you had to make 15 phone calls to your HMO just to make one doctor's appointment, or the financial aid office just lost your grant money, swearing can release tension. Two or three in a row can relieve even more tense feelings. It allows you to vent without doing physical damage to anything or anyone. However, I don't think anyone should go around swearing for no reason.
Words have power, but they lose that power through over-use.
It is far better to give someone a good shock than to desensitize them entirely. All words are useful tools. It actually requires intelligence to swear effectively. When Americans realize that words only have as much power as you give them, then true communication can take place. Until that time, we will continue to tiptoe around each other, scared of provoking a fight.