Serving C*nt: The Consequences of Slang in an Atomized Culture

Context is Everything in your Writing

We live in an atomized culture. We don’t watch the same shows, listen to the same music, or follow the same celebrities. Increasingly, we don’t even use the same words to express ourselves. Or, if we do, we don’t think they mean the same things.

It’s a big problem, especially for writers and other communicators. A recent contribution to the Ask a Manager advice column highlighted this perfectly.

Most everyone has worked in an office. So please read this and reflect on how this would have been received at any of your past jobs: (Question and response have been abridged)

Mentee Fired for a Vulgar Term

by Alison Green on March 25, 2025

1. My mentee was fired for using a vulgar term

I work in a regulated industry and there are specific education and license requirements to work here. My company has a mentorship program for those who are new to the industry. I was assigned an entry-level employee from my company, “Wendy.”

I thought things were going well. Wendy was bright and on the ball. But We…