What is the biggest taboo topic in modern society?

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.

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.

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 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'!

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.

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 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 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 wrote: »

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

ARF!!

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.

Dundalk winning the LOI this year (not)