Monday, 14 April 2014

Shhhhh! It's taboo!



I have never been fully able to comprehend the point of a taboo. Why can't we talk about certain things? Speech and language is one of the things that human beings have mastered, our ability to communicate with each other is an amazing and beautiful thing - yet we censor ourselves for risk of offending. I understand certain things shouldn't be said - Momma always taught me that if I have nothing nice to say then shut the hell up. Insulting things aren't taboo, they shouldn't be said for the pure fact its not nice to hurt someone. Words cause scars that can't be seen. Anyway, getting away from the point. I have of course wrote a shortish list about certain taboos that I just don't understand.

Swearing
Personally I swear like a fucking sailor (I don't have proof they swear anymore than the average man though). I like swearing. They are words that just roll off the tongue with such a punch. My favourite swearword is probably 'fuck'. Just the action you create with your mouth releases such a pop, the word has power. Also I think it is the only word in the english dictionary that you can put anywhere in a sentence and it makes sense. What I don't understand is that we have literally created words that we can't say. Who decided certain words were swear/curse words? I honestly think that if these words became normal in conversation that they would lose all their power, and they wouldn't become a big deal. Although hearing a child swear will always be funny.

Pooping
We all do it, literally every living thing on this planet has to expel waste at some point. Yet, we can't talk about it. Its apparently disgusting. If anyone has an issue with any other bodily function you can talk about it with someone, tell someone you have had a particular difficult shit and suddenly alarm bells ring and you're been inappropriate. I am been slightly hypocritical, I never talk about my toilet habits. Its a shame, I think I have been conditioned by society not to acknowledge it. Another damn shame is when you walk into a public bathroom, the cubicles are locked and there is dead silence. There is a man waiting for you to leave or turn on the hand-dryer so he can drop his load. Personally I don't mind if someone wants to fart, especially in a toilet - they are funny! We need to get over this. Having to drop the kids off at the pool is as normal as breathing.

Sex
Conversations regarding sex are kept mainly amongst close friends. We all share secrets and tales to only the people that we can trust. Like its a shameful thing. I'm sorry but how do you think you got here? Sex is the most primal normal thing we do. It is a shame that in 2014 we still have to talk about sex in hushed tones. What is even more shameful is that the legal age for sex on the UK is 16, but hold your horses Mary - you can't watch someone have sex until you are 18. Everyone has seen porn, yet we all pretend we haven't. It is really not a big deal - at all! Aslong as all contributors are doing it at free will, then why not watch it. If you enjoy it don't be ashamed - even call it art if it makes it more comfortable for you.

Love
This may confuse you but stay with me. Yes we all express love in many different ways. 'I love cheese', 'I loved that film' and 'I love my mum' are things that slip off the tongue with ease. Love is accepted in the majority. Unfortunately not in all cases. As a male trying to become a man I have noticed the word 'love' isn't used as often as it should be. To say you love your best male friend is considered gay. It really doesn't mean that. You can have love for someone without wanting to marry them and share a life together. Love is an emotion and emotions are often uncontrollable, this does not mean you have to keep them to yourselves. I love all my friends I really do, they are an extension of my family. Its a shame that manly men can't feel the freedom to express their love for their amigos.

I am not saying that we should just start blurting out whatever we want now and try and diminish taboos. I just think that if more people feel more freedom to talk about whatever they want then the power will be taken away from the taboo. It won't be too shocking.

This post kind of reminds me of a post I previously did about mental illness, depression in particular. Mental illness is a huge taboo subject. This lies in the fact that people don't understand, because no one is talking about it. We could help so many people if we just talk. If anyone ever wants to share anything with me than I have 2 ears to listen with and 2 shoulders to cry on. Nothing is taboo with me (except maybe pooping, but I will get their one day).

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