It seems to many that modern society is devoid of taboos. Nothing is true, everything is allowed. Are there any topics that cause people to reject and resent? Are there new bans that did not exist before? What are some examples of taboos in modern society?
The traditional meaning of taboo
Taboo means a strict ban on any action, as it is considered sacred or carries a curse. This is something that belongs to the gods, inaccessible to mere mortals.
Scientists took the term from Polynesian culture, but the system itself was observed among all peoples in one form or another.
At a later stage in the development of society, prohibitions were associated with superstitions and signs. Especially such restrictions were common among the peasantry. So, it was impossible to pronounce the names of diseases aloud, so as not to incur them on yourself.
Taboo in Polynesia
The inhabitants of the islands have created a system of norms and restrictions to protect what is sacred to them. Under the ban were totems, things in temples, some birds, animals, plants, waters of sacred rivers. It was impossible to touch something, to talk about something, to eat something.
The bans also extended to those who have a direct connection with the gods. Everything that the leader touched passed into his property. Be it the house he entered, or any valuable item.
Ordinary people had no right to look into the eyes of the local nobility. Under pain of damnation, it was impossible to contradict these "governors of the gods."
When the local population saw that Europeans freely violated their taboos, and no heavenly punishment followed, many Polynesians began to violate their prohibitions.
A Modern Understanding of Taboo
Today the word ātabooā no longer has a sacred meaning and can be considered as any prohibition, violation of which is harmful to society. Although what kind of harm is not always clear.
Since taboos are the result of the development of society, they can easily change over time. In the early twentieth century, there was a taboo on smoking for women. Now we can only shrug our shoulders after hearing about such a ban.
According to Freud, a taboo becomes a ban after it has been violated. The psychoanalyst argued that a person in the subconscious always has a desire to break the inhibitions and surrender to natural instincts. An example of a taboo in this sense is incest. In the animal kingdom, this is a common thing, and in people it is strictly forbidden from ancient times.
Examples of taboos in modern society perceived as something ordinary or at least not shocking:
- sex life;
- nudity
- functions of the human body;
- killing a person.
The development of the media has made many topics acceptable. So, talking about sex since the 60s has firmly entered everyday life. Naked bodies flicker on screens, intimate nuances are discussed in talk shows.
Examples of taboos that have lost relevance are sexual relationships before marriage and single mothers. Unlike past centuries, these realities do not cause anyone to condemn.
The killing taboo still exists. But during wars, his violation is justified and encouraged.
Also, people may have personal taboos, depending on the nature, upbringing and life circumstances. Even a modern girl herself can set herself a taboo for sex before the wedding. And someone will blush densely, listening to jokes from the category of āouthouse humorā.
All that causes fear or disgust are examples of the taboo of social norms. We donāt want to talk about AIDS and turn away from dirty ragged beggars.
Two examples of taboos in modern culture
1. "Dance of the Bees" very quickly circled the entire Internet and caused a storm of public indignation. The fact is that minor girls on the stage of the House of Culture performed an erotic dance in ambiguous costumes. The authorities even intervened. The taboo on child pornography worked here.
2. The director Kirill Serebrennikov received public complaints for āobscene language and pornography on stageā. And this also entailed interference by the authorities. And if in films these realities have long been considered the norm, then in the theater taboos are still preserved.
Taboo topics and words
āIn the house of the hanged man they donāt talk about the ropeā - this proverb suggests that you should not talk about things that can cause a violent reaction of others. Such topics can be fatal or venereal disease, intimate details of life.
But the speaker always decides for himself whether to abide by him or her or to break it. This can be caused by necessity or pronounced with the aim of provocation, but the responsibility lies with the author of the statement.
Profanity can be easily perceived in a bar. But if you decide to make a toast for her friendās wedding, itās unlikely that they will let you finish.
The modern mat is largely composed of words that were sacred in the past. So his taboo was originally sacred.
Surviving historical taboos
- In Yakutia, it is forbidden to kill wolves in a small group of Evenks, as they are considered totem animals.
- The Buryats taboo is associated with space and magic. Mountains are considered holy, and women cannot climb the highest of them. After all, women personify the energy of the earth, and men - the sky. So for them there are forbidden places corresponding to this logic.
- Bushmen do not name the dead aloud.
- This nation also has food taboos. Due to poverty, a ban on throwing food has arisen. Because of the cowardice of a jackal, it is forbidden to eat his heart.
- Another interesting taboo of Bushmen is marriage with a woman bearing the name of the mother or sister of the groom. Such relationships are considered incest.
- In India and Africa one cannot transmit something with the left hand, as it is considered unclean.
- Wagner was Hitler's favorite composer, and this music was often played in concentration camps. Which gave rise to the unwritten taboo among the Jews on the composition of Wagner.
- In France, for more than a hundred years, there has been a ban on kisses on the platform. This is due to the fact that the loving French were often late for their trains. Now they are no longer fined for this, but the taboo has been preserved.
- In many countries, there is a ban on names. The indignation of society is caused by people who bear the names of Lucifer, Hitler, Cain, Judah.
- In countries with strict customs, they can be fined for kisses in public places and even imprisoned.
Taboo in modern society has lost its ancient sacred meaning, now it is more associated with morality. And although there is a lot of talk about the absence of any prohibitions, nevertheless, people do not often walk down the street naked, and children do not swear with their teachers. Modern punishment for violations is public censure, sometimes imprisonment and fines. But as you know, the rules are created in order to break them ...