Actually, that was a semi-serious question on my part. Etymylogically speaking, what makes a swear/curse/profane word any different than all the other words? In the English language there are tens of thousands of words, yet a handful of them have some sort of special power.
Why?
Perhaps the person making the comment is looking for a reaction of some sort from those listening around them, or a means of releasing anger verbally, or perhaps the person making those comments may not realize that those words are "uncalled" for by "social standards". Yes, then I realize the question is what and who determines social standards and who determines what is uncalled for?
My first thought is it would be your parents.
Yes, I do swear, however at least to myself, there is a time and place. On a roof doing work with contractors is one thing, at a dinner table with your wife and friends is another. I would also guess that depending on your work place, swear words may have to be kept to a minimum if you want to keep your job, and this leads me to think that people can be "trained" not to use swear words if the consequences (sp?) are great enough to lose your job over if you need the money. Walmart comes to example. I'd guess you aren't making mega bucks working there, education level on average wouldn't be on "the high side", but how many times do you hear the person at the register ask "is that all the fu*k you want?"
As a child, when I first started hearing some swear words, I thought I'd get into the act. Interesting enough, when I repeated what I had heard my mother say when I knew she was extremely angry (thus they must of been "bad" words), the kids didn't understand Russian, thus I didn't get a reaction from them, they looked at me like I was off the wall (no jokes please), and I found that I didn't use those phrases anymore because they didn't have any effect on those people who could not understand them. I have however found that in some instances now as an adult, that those exact same phrases have come in handy when I use them, because for the most part, no one understands them, and if I say them without expression, you'd have no clue I was cursing.
Have a person who speaks a language you don't understand tell you "Mary had a little lamb" in a soft gentle voice. Have them say the same phrase screaming at you, and although you may have no clue what they are saying per the last example, you may assume they are swearing at you. Why? probably due to facial expressions and tone in their voice.
By the way Dave, I had an idea that your "pink" comment was semi serious (and I've actually used that same example in the past with other words), thus the reason for my overkill, sarcastic comment in response with good ol curse words that I would think you would understand
