Taboo

[Nick]

What's a taboo in our society that you generally don't understand what the big deal about it is?

 

[Master Magikarp]

I don't see why using curse words is a taboo. They are just words. When I ask people why they are a taboo, they seem incapable are providing a sensible answer. It's seems that it's just a remnant of past societies.

 

[Alfieri]

I second that about curse words. They are just words.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

BDSM. Its consensual, its private, and most people into it don't harm others or push others into it. Why do people care?

 

[Magic Christmas Lights]

I don't see why talking about and celebrating the bad moments in your life as landmarks is so taboo. I got raped a bunch of times. That had as big of an impact on my life as graduating college did. Of COURSE I'm going to want to talk about it. Why are you getting so uncomfortable about it, positive things happen just as much as negative things. Don't want to hear about it? Well, I didn't want to hear about you reciting the football season, but I listened to you out of respect. Give me the same respect. Making these things taboo to talk about just isolates victims and other people who have had bad experiences that shaped the course of their life.

 

[Mittens95]

Homosexuality. I had a strongly religious relative say that gay people "making excuses" to live how they want because of genetics is analogical to murderers/rapists pleading insanity because they were born like that. That makes absolutely NO sense because gays aren't harming anyone or themselves. On that note, why do so many churches waste so much time and money protesting and campaigning against gay marriage when they could fight against things that are actually harmful? Like say - poverty, sexism, racism, violence? People need to drop this dark age mentality that because someone happens to act different that makes him/her "evil".

 

[Kanzler]

BDSM. Its consensual, its private, and most people into it don't harm others or push others into it. Why do people care?

There's a big sex scandal in Canada which touches on BDSM, which is what the accused is using to defend his allegedly abusive behaviour. It is the Supreme Court of Canada's opinion that you cannot consent to BDSM, which makes it a legal grey area. If you someone accuses you of abuse during what was a consensual BDSM act, you can still be charged for assault because it is legally impossible for another person to consent to whatever physical abuse may come out of BDSM (whether you verbally or in writing - the hell do I know - consented, had safe words etc. or not).

The section of consent with regards to assault (from https://yourlaws.ca/criminal-code-canada/265-assault):

Consent

(3) For the purposes of this section, no consent is obtained where the complainant submits or does not resist by reason of

(a) the application of force to the complainant or to a person other than the complainant;

(b) threats or fear of the application of force to the complainant or to a person other than the complainant;

(c) fraud; or

(d) the exercise of authority.

I'm gonna BDSM with somebody and it may involve the use of force (spanking, whips, use your imagination). Because this is consensual BDSM and we've been planning this for weeks in advance because we don't want anybody walking in on us and we've gone over safe words and it has been explicitly and implicitly stated that we are both okay with this and there has been no regrets during the sex acts, they submit to it. In the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada, however, I have not obtained their consent because in the process of BDSM I have applied force (perhaps in the manners mentioned above) and therefore could be charged for assault, notwithstanding every precaution the two of us may have undertaken as I have mentioned above.

I want to point out that the law is open to such an interpretation, given the present wording, and so there may be perverse consequences in the case one person regrets the act after it has happened even though consent may have been given in the opinion of an average rational bystander rather than the Supreme Court.

I guess I'm not reallly addressing your post but well I think my point is that the laws are behind the times as much as a lot of people's opinions and since law can be regarded as a reflection of a society's values (think of Psycho-Pass) such a taboo isn't going to disappear any time soon.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

It is the Supreme Court of Canada's opinion that you cannot consent to BDSM, which makes it a legal grey area.

Wow, as someone who partakes in softcore stuff sometimes that's completely untrue. Who the hell came up with that?

I think the difference that people not into it don't see is that there is another way to communicate a lack of consent in cases of hard core stuff, which is what most people think that is all the time. The softcore stuff is just like regular sex really, but with certain strings attached (DON'T SHOOT ME). The hardcore stuff pretty much always has some sort of alternate communication so that if your mouth is restrained then you can say "no" in another way. These rules are made up before partaking in these things.

It's true that there is probably some screwball who goes around and ties up people without consent but that's definitely not normal.

Kind of sad really. At least here there are no laws in Michigan that are specifically against it, but the moment that someone brings it up in court, people lose their minds.

 

[Lotus the Cat]

I think miscarriage in pregnancy is a taboo subject that shouldn't be. Approximately 1 in 5 known pregnancies end in miscarriage but most people are completely unaware of just how prevalent they are until they or someone they love goes through one. It's quite sad and many people go through the ordeal and no one except their partner is aware because most couples don't share the news that they're pregnant until the 2nd trimester (past the time when most miscarriages occur).

 

[gimmepie]

Curse words for me too
I mean, I get that it's irritating and grating to constantly hear the same things out of context again and again but I feel the stigma of "these are bad words" is a bit stupid. It's the intent of the user that makes a word bad, not the definition.

I feel as though there's a fairly stupid taboo on perfectly reasonable age gaps in relationships, especially those that are not yet sexual, that don't really have any logic to them. Let's say a couple where one is fifteen and the other has recently turned 18. It's technically legal but society frowns upon it, and it can cause trouble for the pair. Why? Because there's supposedly a huge jump in maturity between 15 and 16.

I'm not saying a thirty-year-old man should be going after schoolgirls or anything, but come on people let's try and apply some logic.

 

[Shining Raichu]

The anti-ginger thing struck me a bit odd. It started out as a joke but then it kind of morphed into a real prejudice where kids are being legit bullied at school for it. Kids are stupid, they ruin everything. Even ginger jokes.

 

[gimmepie]

The anti-ginger thing struck me a bit odd. It started out as a joke but then it kind of morphed into a real prejudice where kids are being legit bullied at school for it. Kids are stupid, they ruin everything. Even ginger jokes.

As a ginger I second this.
I mean, I make plenty of ginger jokes myself and legitimately love making ginger humour but there got to be a real nasty prejudice for a while. It seems to have died down a lot recently at least, well certainly in my area.

I'm just glad I wasn't one of the real targets for bullies back at school, I still copped the ginger-hate though.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Topless women, if a man can freely show off his nipples in public, then why can't a woman? Besides, women with small breasts don't have a need for them, since they don't get in the way or become saggy compared to women with larger breasts. Speaking of saggyness, I've heard that bras don't help prevent women's breasts from becoming saggy at all, so there's very little reason to wear one.

 

[Winston-Harlem]

I don't appreciate how so many people have some remark or comment over how my fiancée and I interact. They see me as some sort of doggish aggressor for being dominant and in charge of our relationship as a male, as if I'm some closet rapist abusing her in secret or something... she's shown nothing but desire in letting me lead and decide. She trusts me to look out for her, and I do. How I dress her and have her act reflects what she brings into our love, which is emotional support and comfort in bed. She's happy, and I'm happy. I'm in control and there's quite the opposite of conflict happening with us. :o

 

[Lotus the Cat]

Topless women, if a man can freely show off his nipples in public, then why can't a woman? Besides, women with small breasts don't have a need for them, since they don't get in the way or become saggy compared to women with larger breasts. Speaking of saggyness, I've heard that bras don't help prevent women's breasts from becoming saggy at all, so there's very little reason to wear one.

The idea of preventing sagging boobs isn't the main reason women wear bras. I personally wear them for comfort as do many larger chested women. Feeling them move with gravity is not a pleasant sensation for many. Probably the main reason though is because they make you look better in the clothing you wear. They can enhance your cleavage and lift and position everything to make them look more attractive. They also ensure that no one gets a glimpse of nipple when it's cold.

 

[Sydian]

WHAT GIRLS WEAR TO GOD DAMN SCHOOL. You can see my bra strap? OH THE TRAVESTY!! What will you do?! Grow up. It's a piece of clothing just like everything else on me. If my bra strap showing distracts you, you have another problem to work out, not me. I don't need to go home and get a change of clothes. Why should my education get borked for your sake, boys?

^ What I wanted to say in high school. Hair color applies to this, too. I never got a chance to dye my hair something funky because my high school didn't allow it because it's "distracting." With my jobs now, I can't dye it either and obviously I need my jobs. "Distraction" could easily be compromised. When else can you live a little and do that? High school, right? WRONG!

Basically stupid dress code rules in general are taboo and stupid and everyone needs to grow up.

And yes to swearing as well.

 

[Shining Raichu]

Also abortion. If I want to expel a baby from my stomach goddamn it I will.

 

[Kanzler]

Probably the main reason though is because they make you look better in the clothing you wear. They can enhance your cleavage and lift and position everything to make them look more attractive. They also ensure that no one gets a glimpse of nipple when it's cold.

not the most politically correct thing to say, but i concur.

 

[Oryx]

Dressing outside dress codes in general. I work much worse when I'm restrained by slacks and shirts that are less comfortable than what I wear at home. I work worse when I don't feel confident in myself because I'm not wearing my own style. I think dress codes are the dumbest things ever; I'll adhere to them because I have to, but if someone wants to wear jeans or a tank top to work, what do I care?

 

[gimmepie]

Also abortion. If I want to expel a baby from my stomach goddamn it I will.

I feel our sex education needs to make progress if people are still using this sentence ;)

Joking aside

Sex education.
It tiptoes around important information and it is only taught in any semblance of "properly" too late. There's a taboo about certain aspects of such important information (like providing information for homosexuals - male and female alike) or teaching it at all out of fear of "corrupting innocence".