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What is the biggest taboo topic in modern society?

spotifiedman

They say that cannibalism is the most taboo thing in almost all societies but I disagree. I think that it's death and suicide. From talking to people day to day and looking at online forums, there seems to be huge knee-jerk reaction compared to any other topic discussed. Don't know if people have found this as well.

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[Deleted User]

That's easy. Challenging the all-pervasive, incessant cult of fundamentalist consumerism which marks all societies following the Anglo-American "free world" model is the outstanding taboo of our age.

The "spend, spend, spend" propaganda of today is far, far, far more pervasive than any religion has ever been in my lifetime anyway. Its role in wars - Iraq being the obvious one - and the destruction of our environment is never confronted.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Conformity.

For all the talk about individualism, there are incredible pressures in society to make you conform to someone else's approved way of life.

Surely then conformity is very far removed from anything taboo? It is more valued in todays society to conform rather than be on the fringes.

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

That's easy. Challenging the all-pervasive, incessant cult of fundamentalist consumerism which marks all societies following the Anglo-American "free world" model is the outstanding taboo of our age.

The "spend, spend, spend" propaganda of today is far, far, far more pervasive than any religion has ever been in my lifetime anyway. Its role in wars - Iraq being the obvious one - and the destruction of our environment is never confronted.

Spending had nothing to do with the Iraq war.

Purple Mountain

I think we still have a long way to go on Ireland to break free from the taboos around mental health.
It's still not culturally acceptable to return to work after a week's sick leave and announce that you were off because of a relapse of depression.

c.p.w.g.w

A dignified death.

One eyed Jack

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I think we still have a long way to go on Ireland to break free from the taboos around mental health.
It's still not culturally acceptable to return to work after a week's sick leave and announce that you were off because of a relapse of depression.

I don’t think that’s specifically to do with mental health though? I would be surprised at anyone announcing any reason for their absence on their return to work. Explain their absence to their employer without going into details, but announcing it to people would have me thinking it was a bit odd on their part. Is that what you mean by culturally unacceptable?

There’s no taboo around mental health nowadays IMO, in fact employers are far more aware of their employees and even their own mental health. It’s just that not everyone feels they need to discuss it in the workplace is all with their co-workers. That’s more a personal choice for their own privacy to be respected than it has any relation to any perceived taboo around mental health.

I really can’t think of any taboo subjects, though I wish some things were taboo, it would save me having to tell the person I don’t want to hear what they’re thinking.

suicide_circus

Paedophilia. Abhorrent to all but many things that were abhorrent have become acceptable. I don't see child abuse becoming accepted but I see the vilification of the condition coming to an end at some stage.

erica74

Abortion, gender and sexuality, mental health. I think these are specific to Ireland, I don't know if these topics are taboo elsewhere in the world although I think abortion is probably quite a taboo subject in many countries.

[Deleted User]

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Spending had nothing to do with the Iraq war.

Of course not. The invasion of Iraq was all about overthrowing an evil dictator and securing freedom for the Iraqis. Nothing to do with securing control of oil supplies for the United States and its allies...

Wanderer78

Deleted User wrote:

Of course not. The invasion of Iraq was all about overthrowing an evil dictator and securing freedom for the Iraqis. Nothing to do with securing control of oil supplies for the United States and its allies...

Don't forget about the importance of implementing 'democracy'!

James Brown

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Spending had nothing to do with the Iraq war.

The pursuit of profit was.

steamsey

Graces7 wrote: »

This is not a taboo as it comes up many times a day here on boards, but a repetetive verbal.. explosion

taboo is something never ever spoken of in public.. viewed from behind net curtains....untouchable, unmentionable. Decades ago it would be for example. someone sleeping with ( euphemism and taboo go together) someone else's wife. It was so shocking it was taboo

I understand your point but I would argue that this is a taboo in public in Ireland. Politicians won't go near it. The media won't go near it and in fact the media do the opposite - they portray these types as poor unfortunates who have been abandoned by society. I think we badly need a public (non boards.ie) debate on this topic.

Basically, at the moment, we are all supposed to feel terrible for the wasters in society - and the Varadkar example I think is a good one. It's the closest I've seen in a while to someone trying to address this topic and he was shot down - hence, no one will go near it again - it's taboo - in the public sphere at least. I wish I was wrong.

Tell me how

Antisemitism.

You think the state of Israel is responsible (through the actions of its government and military) of crimes against humanity and you are an antisemite.

Hector Bellend

myshirt wrote: »

Toss up between agalmatophilia, rubberists, and dollification.

Speaking of fetishes?

This reminds me of the documentary on youtube about the guys who are sexually attracted to their cars.

This isnt a mid life crisis thing or a mickey extension.

They are "actually" attracted to their cars.

It's called "my car is my lover".

One guy in it claims to have had sex with airwolf.

It's a dinger

kunst nugget

Farting loudly at a busy public urinal.

Grayson

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I don’t think that’s specifically to do with mental health though? I would be surprised at anyone announcing any reason for their absence on their return to work. Explain their absence to their employer without going into details, but announcing it to people would have me thinking it was a bit odd on their part. Is that what you mean by culturally unacceptable?

There’s no taboo around mental health nowadays IMO, in fact employers are far more aware of their employees and even their own mental health. It’s just that not everyone feels they need to discuss it in the workplace is all with their co-workers. That’s more a personal choice for their own privacy to be respected than it has any relation to any perceived taboo around mental health.

I really can’t think of any taboo subjects, though I wish some things were taboo, it would save me having to tell the person I don’t want to hear what they’re thinking.

That's what makes it taboo. If you were off because you broke a leg you can say that openly. If you contracted a nasty stomach bug you can say that openly, although maybe the details are taboo. If you take time off for depression, then that's not something that can be said openly without people thinking you're weird.
We have greater awareness of mental health issues but that doesn't mean that talking about it isn't taboo.

kunst nugget

Grayson wrote: »

That's what makes it taboo. If you were off because you broke a leg you can say that openly. If you contracted a nasty stomach bug you can say that openly, although maybe the details are taboo. If you take time off for depression, then that's not something that can be said openly without people thinking you're weird.
We have greater awareness of mental health issues but that doesn't mean that talking about it isn't taboo.

I took time off to have a vasectomy but I didn't come in telling everyone about it afterwards. Similarly, if I had a fight with the missus, I wouldn't be talking about it to the people in work the next day. There's lots of things people don't particularly feel like sharing with their work colleagues because at the end of it all, they are just people you work with, nothing more.

Grayson

kunst nugget wrote: »

I took time off to have a vasectomy but I didn't come in telling everyone about it afterwards. Similarly, if I had a fight with the missus, I wouldn't be talking about it to the people in work the next day. There's lots of things people don't particularly feel like sharing with their work colleagues because at the end of it all, they are just people you work with, nothing more.

It's not about what you want to share though, it's about how they take it when you said it. It could be said that sexual things are taboo. You could take some time off to get a different operation and it's normal but saying a vasectomy is likely to get some eyebrows raised.

Edit tp add: I guess with an operation or illness it depends on what it is that makes it taboo. For example of you were off sick for three days with a bad cold you just say I have a bad cold. If you had the runs for three days you say you caught a bug

But all of mental illness is off topic.

sbsquarepants

Hector Bellend wrote: »

Speaking of fetishes?

This reminds me of the documentary on youtube about the guys who are sexually attracted to their cars.

I heard an interview on the radio (Moncrieff - who else!) with a woman who was attracted to objects instead of people. It's called objectum sexual and is apparently recognised as an orientation rather than a fetish.

Technology was her thing more so than say rampant rabbits (which would have at least made some sense) She's had a string of relationships with calculators, osciloscopes and a couple of computers and other gadgets, I think there was a brief fling with a spread sheet mentioned and she was planning on getting married in a couple of months time..........to Tetris.

She sounded like a perfectly nice normal woman apart from that!

ohnonotgmail

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I heard an interview on the radio (Moncrieff - who else!) with a woman who was attracted to objects instead of people. It's called objectum sexual and is apparently recognised as an orientation rather than a fetish.

Technology was her thing more so than say rampant rabbits (which would have at least made some sense) She's had a string of relationships with calculators, osciloscopes and a couple of computers and other gadgets, I think there was a brief fling with a spread sheet mentioned and she was planning on getting married in a couple of months time..........to Tetris.

She sounded like a perfectly nice normal woman apart from that!

that sounds nearly as odd as the woman who married a bridge.

Fuzzytrooper

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

that sounds nearly as odd as the woman who married a bridge.

I hear it took her family a while to.....get over it. YEAH!!!!!

ohnonotgmail

Fuzzytrooper wrote: »

I hear it took her family a while to.....get over it. YEAH!!!!!

ARF!!

Grayson

Fuzzytrooper wrote: »

I hear it took her family a while to.....get over it. YEAH!!!!!

took a toll on them?

The One Doctor

Angus2018 wrote: »

Overpopulation and its effect on the future of our planet.

Everyone talks about global warming, famine, housing problems, poverty, mass food production, unemployment etc but so few people will say the actual reason because of the repercussions.

People, usually the privileged and students, have yacked about overpopulation for more than a century. China tried to limit the population and it failed miserably. If the world's most powerful country can't beat OP then nothing serious can be done.

In reality, it's a moot point. Contraceptives have contributed hugely to limiting population growth, as has the waning influence of the Catholic Church. Farming, logistics and cheaper food production have limited the problem further.

ohnonotgmail

The One Doctor wrote: »

People, usually the privileged and students, have yacked about overpopulation for more than a century. China tried to limit the population and it failed miserably. If the world's most powerful country can't beat OP then nothing serious can be done.

In reality, it's a moot point. Contraceptives have contributed hugely to limiting population growth, as has the waning influence of the Catholic Church. Farming, logistics and cheaper food production have limited the problem further.

It really isn't. The issue is not population growth. The issue is the disparity in growth. Europes population has increased by approx 25% since 1950. Africas by nearly 400%. Asias by 300% thanks to mostly china and india. So while we may be comfortable in europe how are asia and africa feeding all these people? The answer is that they are not. They both have issues with grinding poverty and malnutrition.

corks finest

Dundalk winning the LOI this year (not)

TheShockmaster

It's not the biggest taboo but I was watching the history of comedy tonight, and I have to say, I don't find women comedians funny. I certainly don't find them anywhere near as funny as their male counterparts.

I know it's hacky and untrue to say women aren't funny, they are, but I don't think they are as good at stand up as men. Take out the context (man centred profession, harder for a woman to succeed, the audience is largely male, comedy is subjective, etc.) and I think you would be hard pressed to argue the point.

So there's a taboo for you, if you said in a mixed group that you don't find women comedians funny, I bet you would be judged.

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Of course not. The invasion of Iraq was all about overthrowing an evil dictator and securing freedom for the Iraqis. Nothing to do with securing control of oil supplies for the United States and its allies...

Firstly you’ve changed your argument from spending causes wars to the wars being to secure oil supplies. These are completely different arguments.

The oil was being sold anyway.

The yanks invaded because of neoconservative lies and pressure, Bush was a dupe.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Tell me how wrote: »

Antisemitism.

You think the state of Israel is responsible (through the actions of its government and military) of crimes against humanity and you are an antisemite.

Yes this is the biggest taboo in the world English speaking world right now.

Franz Von Peppercorn

The One Doctor wrote: »

People, usually the privileged and students, have yacked about overpopulation for more than a century. China tried to limit the population and it failed miserably. If the world's most powerful country can't beat OP then nothing serious can be done.

In reality, it's a moot point. Contraceptives have contributed hugely to limiting population growth, as has the waning influence of the Catholic Church. Farming, logistics and cheaper food production have limited the problem further.

Only in the first world is contraceptive use reducing birth rates. Africa will have more people in 2050 than the world had in 1970