On taboos, ways they are valid, and obligation to examine them

[raincrystal]

The ever-analytical eclective has written a piece on the function of perceptions and taboos that I think everyone should read. She points out why we should figure out the reasons for our discomfort with certain things. It's refreshing to see someone online discuss the idea of taboos (gah, I typoed that as "tabooks") without framing their entire argument by

Comments

[eclective]

Actually, that was a subject I'd meant to bring up in the rant, by way of example; I used to frequent a lesbian forum a lot, and I remember the discussion periodically coming up of whether lesbian incest was bad, even though no children could result.

I think one non-genetic argument runs that if siblings fall in love and then something goes wrong with the relationship, it can disrupt the family really badly, but family relationships can go wrong in any case.

[luna_manar]

Examining taboos is something I've done subconsciously all my life. I am fascinated by the cultural and personal don't-dos and no-nos, and enjoy exploring them.

...Maybe that's why I get so annoyed with people who don't like facing their fears. Oftentimes, it's because they're unwilling to analyze their personal taboos, and I think that's a very important thing to do that most people don't.

[bobtheguy]

At least you didn't say taboobs.

Very interesting read. I'm not very good at waxing eloquent, so that's about you're gonna get out of me for now. :P

[eclective]

Tabooks! Reminds me of that Tanooki Suit in Mario 3. ^_^

But thank you for the analysis! You really got to the point of what I was trying to say, and yes, you're right, the piint of examining our taboos is not just to enlighten us, but because it helps us to sort out our personal morality from universal morality, and to (hopefully) avoid making judgements, and, worse, laws, based on thinsg that are really personal morality.

[imperialmog]

What would be interesting is seeing how societal taboos change over time, especially if they alternate one way or the other on the same issue. One thing would also be is to try to figure out why someone has a particular taboo as well. It's hard since we are trying to explore who we are in all our possible biases and prejudices but self-anaylisis is an important step towards self-improvment

[raincrystal]

One thing would also be is to try to figure out why someone has a particular taboo as well.

That's what eclective's argument was essentially about, I think... the idea that the taboos come from somewhere (argh... I wrote "tabooks" yet again.)

[imperialmog]

The taboos seem to most oftentimes comes from what enviroment your were raised in and the like. I got some real stressful things right now as well, like finals and being likely to have to take a class over too.

[raincrystal]

Oh, good luck-- I'm in finals week too.
Are you teaching/TAing?