Social & Cultural Taboos

Something can be near universal and irrational. That’s more or less the definition of a cultural taboo.

as for me I wouldn’t resent a women for showing an interest in me. I might rebuff her if I wasn’t interested but I wouldn’t resent her approaching me much less looking. Anyway I’m too dense and oblivious to notice any one starring at me for the most part.

If the girls were chanting ‘get your kit off.’ Then maybe I’d get the message. But frankly at this stage in my life where I don’t get much female attention the idea of that doesn’t sound all that bad.

I think its more universal than you think, you might resent the 'wrong' woman showing an interest. 

Scanning a room of people is fine if literally that, but noticing a particular person too much (lingering looks, or staring) is likely to creep women (or anyone really) and you have to accept that, its a subtle social cue - being uninvited to linger (or keep coming back to look at).

Here’s one. Looking at women. I don’t mean just sitting and staring at one woman for ages. I mean going out to a bar or nightclub and letting your eyes scan the room taking in the dancing, the clothing, the make up and yes the excellent figures and pretty faces.

so many of them have gone to such lengths to look attractive for a night out yet irrationality they resent you noticing and appreciating this.

I guess because you are not the sort of attention they wanted to attract. That’s fine no one is forced to want me. But resenting people appreciating it, resenting them just looking, whether you were thinking of them or not is Irrational. 

It’s like hanging up the Mona Lisa and then tapping poor people visiting the museum on the shoulder and telling them to jog on because art like this is too good for plebes like them.

That made me smile

Jokes about work from workmates e.g. ''Go tell the lorry driver to f..off'', must be taboo since asking multiple times ''Please no jokes about work'' have no effect

Totally agree. I'm constantly being ushered into events and opportunities to spend time with others. My family mean well, but often I just want to be alone, to quietly think, without disruption.

If I can choose, I like to have the option, but elect to be in my own space. So alone, but no risk of feeling lonely

It's a mine field for others to understand though, I get that. I don't understand it

Preferring my own company to that of others seems to be Taboo. 

I would love to get rid of my phone, but in the end rely too much on it for my job

You are my hero

Billy87 said:

Liking politically incorrect humou

today I had an amazing chat with elderly customer about Prime Minister, nicely sarcastic

I stopped supporting polish football team in 2002, when fans where throwing banana skins at Emmanuel Olisadebe, after his first game in polish team

I really enjoyed this list, it amused me. If you managed to have sex in a DIY shop that is quite extraordinary lol! The Donald Trump one made me chuckle too. 

As for living without a TV, I would add living without a smartphone. I used to do that and I am trying to do it again. Nothing wierds people out in the modern world more than saying you dont have a smartphone. People will say "oh ill add you to the whats app group" and when you say you dont have one they look at you like you say you dont have an inside lavatory. I used to love telling the teenagers I taught that I didnt have a phone. One of them just stared at me and went "what do you do all day?" I just said, I read, I go out in nature, I watch TV. All the things people enjoyed before the i phone was invented.

Other taboo things include.....

Not pretending to like Christmas ( I think everyone else is just pretending to be honest, I love the original meaning but dont see the point of any of what it is now)

Not using social media

Liking so called "girly" movies if your a guy. I love Mean Girls for instance and Im not afraid to say so

Supporting other countries instead of England at sports

Liking politically incorrect humour and comedies

Wanting to be with your family rather than "going out for the night"

Not liking the summer and loving the winter

Being a communist 

I dont support England much even when they are playing. I pick countries that I have an interest in their culture, like Germany , Hungary, Switzerland and Argentina

Oh and since 1998 I have supported Croatia in every tournament 

Think you have found a type of sub-cultural taboo there

I can't go to a pub when they are watching football there because watching it makes me sleepy, despite the fact that I like to play it, but I'm rubbish in it, I'm not a chaser LOL

Imagine what would happen to me if I had fallen asleep in a middle of a crowd of drunken fans watching their favourite team? I reckon I would get lynched right there asleep

I have no qualms with that, just those people who find it bizarre if you don't. Grr

I like Football; but don't watch it. Keep tabs with the scores, online.

A very geo specific list, but I like it. Many of those are akin to coloquial mutterings that appear down here in the South of England.

Silence in the presence of other men, so follows a question from the depths of small talk hell; 'so which team do you support?'

..I've learned to just say a team, say any team!

Perish the thought that you MIGHT NOT WATCH OR LIKE FOOTBALL??

...kill me now... Sorry, death is probably a taboo

In Ireland, you're talked down to - like a Wain - and expected just to respond 'That's Right!'

Supporting Northern Ireland, in a GAA area, is a major Taboo; even though I once saw a man from Strabane wear a Northern Ireland Shell Suit in Carrickmore; the Republican Capital of Tyrone.

Not knowing a man someone else knows is also a major Taboo.

Criticising the Irish News and the Sunday World is also a major no-no in a Culchie area.

Not listening to Country Music is also Taboo.

A Catholic - like me - associating with Born-Again Christians - like I do - is also Room 101 stuff.

It seems people won't even talk about the subject of taboos. It is a taboo in itself

those I find most annoying, there is more little ones, that are just curiosities