Culture Taboos & Religion

[Xerces]

Culture norms PISS me off, yes some culture can be fun, intriguing, tasty if related to food, but for me, culture says to me that I as a person, depending on where I live, MUST accept these predetermined rules of how I should live. Why is there a problem? Because I have one life, and I want to use it how I see fit, it may feel comfortable and secure to be a follower, but its also a deprivation, a theft of personal freedom perpetrated by those with authority, who use tools such as religion and politics to further their agenda, convincing people it would be beneath them to not follow these "rules", even worse carrying out penalties and judgment for not adhering to the rules.

 

Its just something I have started to cultivate ever since I left the religious system of oppression, I don't want to blindly live a way out of fear of repercussions from sheeple who decry a person(s) for not sticking to the guidelines. Some of the most demeaning, limiting, and oppressive rules are thrown at us like mud, degrading my quality of life by limiting my choices with which I can choose to experience my one time existence.

 

Now you just as equally say that by casting these judgments on the people that try to force everyone else to live like they do, that you are arguing against their right to use their life to oppress people, but ah! In a world where we all have to work together, and reciprocation is essential to survival these "people" are obstructing and harming others ways of life, while not giving anything in return, the right to live free should be reciprocated while simultaneously coming to the compromise to not infringe upon the freedoms of others. That freedom consists of doing whatever the fuck you want, as long as its not destructive or hurts other human beings.

some of my thoughts on things:

*Marriage

I could see getting married for the legal perks, but the almost ritualistic act of getting married really seems unnecessary, why does there have to be rings, or fancy clothes, and a preacher "unifying" two people under "god"? While I am sure marriage has a lengthy history with varied reasons for its use being applied to life, the fact many people regard it as something every couple SHOULD do is stupid.

 

 

 

*Cursing

From media to the workplace, to your home, the public, around you family, people are conditioned to believe that cursing is wrong, most of the opposition comes from religion. I see no problem with anyone cursing, even kids, does it undermine their "innocence"? Does it damage them psychologically to hear the word "fuck"? Any word can be used to hurt people given the right circumstances, but to steam roll all curse words out because someone might get "offended" is ridiculous, and it undermines personal freedom. It really irritates me when someone tries to tell me cursing is wrong and not give me a reason for it being wrong, if someone could give me concrete reasons why it is destructive to use curse words, I wouldn't use them.

 

(some reading material for the curious)

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Swearing.aspx#1-1G2:3045302073-full

 

 

 

*Nudity

Latin nudus meaning "naked," "bare,"

Face it, we're born nude, however somehow, being nude in public is a criminal offense, granted I can see how bothering other citizens with your nudity could be considered a small crime, but if you aren't bothering anyone why should it be considered "wrong"? If I was offended by the way you dress or how you cut your hair, or how you smell, should I very well try to make it law that you DON'T present yourself in that manner? How is it also that men can walk around with nothing but some thin clothing covering their cock while women are suppressed and pressured to cover their body in "modesty" and "integrity" ? Fuck that.

 

(reading for the curious)

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3424300549.html

 

 

Is there a cultural practice that pisses you off? Post about it!

[Sybaris]

Marriage - No, YOU don't have to have the pomp and ceremony. To have all the bells and whistles though has become a socially conditioned expectation.

 

Cursing - Well it is far more admirable to express yourself eloquently without it than with, IMO. Ever read Twain? The man was colorful, expressive, entertaining, and could reduce a person to a pea without cursing.

 

Nudity - For one there are personal and public safety issues that are reduced by wearing clothes. Really, with some peoples bathing habits, would you want to sit naked where they were?

[Vomit Comet]

Nudity - For one there are personal and public safety issues that are reduced by wearing clothes. Really, with some peoples bathing habits, would you want to sit naked where they were?

 

I don't think it's too much to ask that women be allowed (and encouraged ) to go topless everywhere during the warmer months. As for public safety, that's what sunblock is for.

[Phanta]

*Cursing

From media to the workplace, to your home, the public, around you family, people are conditioned to believe that cursing is wrong, most of the opposition comes from religion. I see no problem with anyone cursing, even kids, does it undermine their "innocence"? Does it damage them psychologically to hear the word "fuck"? Any word can be used to hurt people given the right circumstances, but to steam roll all curse words out because someone might get "offended" is ridiculous, and it undermines personal freedom. It really irritates me when someone tries to tell me cursing is wrong and not give me a reason for it being wrong, if someone could give me concrete reasons why it is destructive to use curse words, I wouldn't use them.

 

I swear a ton. That said, I am trying to curb some of the behavior. I grew up in a swearing household, so it is hard...

 

Here is what I am trying to curb-- "fuck", "screwed" and "sucks".

 

These are all popular cusses that take something associated with women (or homosexual males), and make it into a bad, dirty thing.

 

"Fuck you". "Get fucked". "Screw you." "I was screwed." I.e someone is on the receiving end of getting pounded. In other words, they are like a female (or homosexual male) on the receiving end of sex. Implicit is that this is the powerless, degraded end of the experience.

 

Nice.

 

"That sucks". Whatever it is that sucks is really bad. What is it that sucks? Why the mouth on the penis. Whose mouth? The woman's (or homosexual male's). So, which is the bad thing here-- the thing being sucked (penis) or the thing doing the sucking (woman)? The woman. Once again her role in sex is degraded.

 

A swear I have never used is "cunt". Cunt is an obvious one. It's a women's private parts. And that's bad...how? The male equivalent is "dick", which doesn't hold the same power in our culture. That's no surprise, considering the trend of swears in our culture are all about degrading female roles.

 

<3 patriarchy/paternalism.

 

I don't need to be a part of that, and I don't want to encourage kids to propagate the tradition either.

 

Phanta

[SoulofSilver]

There are people in this world that I don't want to see naked. I don't even want a hint of it.

 

 

That is all.

[Vigile]

Nudity - For one there are personal and public safety issues that are reduced by wearing clothes. Really, with some peoples bathing habits, would you want to sit naked where they were?

 

I don't think it's too much to ask that women be allowed (and encouraged ) to go topless everywhere during the warmer months. As for public safety, that's what sunblock is for.

 

Be careful what you ask for.

 

I was at a hotsprings when a bunch of bikers and biker gals showed up and started stripping. Not a pretty sight.

[Overcame Faith]

The local Waffle House has a sign that says, "No one will be served unless they wear a shirt and shoes." It's a fairly liberal place since pants are not required.

[Xerces]

Marriage - No, YOU don't have to have the pomp and ceremony. To have all the bells and whistles though has become a socially conditioned expectation.

 

Cursing - Well it is far more admirable to express yourself eloquently without it than with, IMO. Ever read Twain? The man was colorful, expressive, entertaining, and could reduce a person to a pea without cursing.

 

Nudity - For one there are personal and public safety issues that are reduced by wearing clothes. Really, with some peoples bathing habits, would you want to sit naked where they were?

 

I didn't say anything about sitting in public places nude. Just because cursing isn't "proper" doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to use it, and yeah marriage has become a expectation I agree.

[Xerces]

There are people in this world that I don't want to see naked. I don't even want a hint of it.

 

 

That is all.

 

But for example if they want to sun bathe nude or swim nude or something to that effect they should be allowed to. Its also about viewing our bodies as beautiful, we let people shun nudity as something that is "wrong" but it really should not be because it doesn't hurt anyone.

[Xerces]

 

<3 patriarchy/paternalism.

 

I don't need to be a part of that, and I don't want to encourage kids to propagate the tradition either.

 

Phanta

 

 

Do you have some material to where I could go read about what you posted about? Its not that I don't believe what you say its just I'd like to know the source.

[stryper]

The local Waffle House has a sign that says, "No one will be served unless they wear a shirt and shoes." It's a fairly liberal place since pants are not required.

 

 

ha

 

though the don't explain the joke part of me says the un named assumption is that pants would already be on.

 

 

I personally have little problem with nudity. Though since having a kid I don't walk around the house totally naked most times now.

 

Marriage - its important to some. I really didn't care one way or the other, but I figured out that my wife wanted it. Despite not talking about it.

 

Which leads too

 

Gender Roles: Why do women seem to think us guys must not love them if we can't read their minds as to what they want? Especially if they never asked for it.

 

Why is it assumed all men are neanderthals that only think with body parts around the waist?

 

 

Children: No family is "complete" without kids. this one was enculturated well before jebus.

 

 

Cursing: My take on it is sometimes curse words are just the most apporpriate for the situation. Getting news that your car needs $1600 in repairs, kinda deserves a "well, shit". That said, I once had an english teacher tell me that if the best insult you can give someone involves shit, fuck, or c***, then you are unimaginative. Since then, I do try to be more imaginative when the situtation warrents it.

[SilentLoner]

I don't think it's too much to ask that women be allowed (and encouraged ) to go topless everywhere during the warmer months. As for public safety, that's what sunblock is for.

 

Obviously you have not seen my overweight grandmother. Once I accidentally saw her with no shirt on when I was a little kid. I still twitch at the memory.

[SilentLoner]

*Marriage

I could see getting married for the legal perks, but the almost ritualistic act of getting married really seems unnecessary, why does there have to be rings, or fancy clothes, and a preacher "unifying" two people under "god"? While I am sure marriage has a lengthy history with varied reasons for its use being applied to life, the fact many people regard it as something every couple SHOULD do is stupid.

 

Maybe its just the anthropologist side of me, but I enjoy ritual and symbolism. I think in most cases it adds to life experience. I will agree that todays lavish weddings are over the top and show-offy. I would enjoy a small informal ceremony myself. Marriage isn't for everyone, but I do believe people who wants kids should be married though. Just my opinion.

 

*Cursing

From media to the workplace, to your home, the public, around you family, people are conditioned to believe that cursing is wrong, most of the opposition comes from religion. I see no problem with anyone cursing, even kids, does it undermine their "innocence"? Does it damage them psychologically to hear the word "fuck"? Any word can be used to hurt people given the right circumstances, but to steam roll all curse words out because someone might get "offended" is ridiculous, and it undermines personal freedom. It really irritates me when someone tries to tell me cursing is wrong and not give me a reason for it being wrong, if someone could give me concrete reasons why it is destructive to use curse words, I wouldn't use them.(some reading material for the curious)

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Swearing.aspx#1-1G2:3045302073-full

 

I don't think swearing is a big deal either, but having some class is never a bad thing. I do swear pretty liberally but I don't look for excuses to do it, I try and save it for situations that warrant it or people I'm familar with.

 

*Nudity

Latin nudus meaning "naked," "bare,"

Face it, we're born nude, however somehow, being nude in public is a criminal offense, granted I can see how bothering other citizens with your nudity could be considered a small crime, but if you aren't bothering anyone why should it be considered "wrong"? If I was offended by the way you dress or how you cut your hair, or how you smell, should I very well try to make it law that you DON'T present yourself in that manner? How is it also that men can walk around with nothing but some thin clothing covering their cock while women are suppressed and pressured to cover their body in "modesty" and "integrity" ? Fuck that.

 

I agree that nudity doesn't kill anyone. But look to my previous post for my personal reservations on the issue.

 

How is it also that men can walk around with nothing but some thin clothing covering their cock

 

Just curious, what do you mean by this? Do you mean walking around in underwear?

[SoulofSilver]

But for example if they want to sun bathe nude or swim nude or something to that effect they should be allowed to. Its also about viewing our bodies as beautiful, we let people shun nudity as something that is "wrong" but it really should not be because it doesn't hurt anyone.

For some people I could argue that it is wrong .

Seeing various nude body parts doesn't "hurt" me, but it's about respect. There is an appropriate place and time to have your body parts hanging out not only for safety reasons, but because other people don't want to see you nude. It's hard to draw a line outside of specific "nude friendly" places where nudity would be allowed. I just don't see the point I guess because we have nude beaches and you a re more than welcome to be nude in the privacy of your own home or backyard.

[CelticWhisper]

Gender Roles: Why do women seem to think us guys must not love them if we can't read their minds as to what they want? Especially if they never asked for it.

 

Why is it assumed all men are neanderthals that only think with body parts around the waist?

 

These and more.

 

Why do men assume women are all terrible drivers? This one's commonly answered with some stupid anecdote about a dumbshit collision caused by a female driver. As if male dumbshit drivers hadn't ever done anything equally idiotic. My mother's never been at fault in a collision in her life, never even had a speeding ticket. Conversely I know men who have lost their drivers' licenses after crashing into police cars whilst driving utterly pissed, sloshed, my-blood-is-85%-ethyl-alcohol drunk. Stupidity knows no sex.

 

Why do women assume men "just can't understand" certain things? This one's commonly answered with "Because they can't! There really are things they can't understand!" Fuck you, you're wrong and a fucking moron, and you're perpetuating the problem, the problem of a lack of understanding, that you yourself bewailed not 30 seconds ago. There are these things called words, called languages. Describe your concept with them and others will then be able to parse and comprehend it. YOU MOUTH-BREATHING, DROOL-CUP-WORTHY RETARD. (lack-of-a)god, these people ("it's a MAN THING","it's a grrl thang" people) are no better than the christards who spout "I can't explain it, you just have to have faaaaaith in it!" Eat shit and die. No, really, die. Keel over. Drop dead. Your existence does the world no service.

 

No, I'm not going to go any further. I'll just drive up my blood pressure. Suffice it to say that anything remotely sexist (misogynist or misandrist, doesn't matter, both are deplorable) boils my blood like nothing else in the world.

 

As far as cultural taboos go, the one that grinds my gears, and I don't know that it's specific to any one culture (though perhaps more influential in Muslim and Asian countries) is the ludicrous proscription placed on breaking tradition, specifically family tradition. Though I live in neither a Muslim nor an Asian country, I felt this one at Thanksgiving this year when I mentioned in passing that my girlfriend and I might just have our own celebration (and that they were more than welcome to join us) and was responded to by my mother's husband with "Well I think the appropriate person to ask would be your mother." 'Scuse me? Like fuck I will ask anyone for permission to do whatsoever I please in my own home. I realized it was because they thought that I was trying to disrupt the tradition of it always being held at my mother's house. Let's see...first of all: not what I was trying to do anyway, shitwit, but thanks for giving me the idea. Secondly: your tradition can spit-shine my rectum, Cap'n Fuckstick. Unless you're signing me a nice, fat paycheck, you don't issue me mandates. Ever. And blood has never been thicker than water.

 

I'm really surprised that, with all the popularity of the New Atheists and the general progress made in tearing down 1950s-vintage ideas of family values and traditionalism, more work hasn't been written on the tyranny of tradition itself. Seems to me that the only traditions worth following are the ones you make yourself, and you become irredeemable pond scum the instant you try to force them on anyone else.

[Phanta]

No, I'm not going to go any further. I'll just drive up my blood pressure. Suffice it to say that anything remotely sexist (misogynist or misandrist, doesn't matter, both are deplorable) boils my blood like nothing else in the world.

 

Wow, me too. There are so few people who are able to their fellow humans as non-gender-typed individuals. It's a very attractive quality...and rare!

 

 

Phanta

[JadedAtheist]

I swear like a motherfucker

 

Before I became a Christian people use to joke that I'd never be able to get a job because of my swearing. Every second word was "fuck" and every other person was a cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, wanker, and et cetera. Now I have pretty much have gone back to where I left off. Also, I'm not very PC and that rubs up a lot of people the wrong way. Sometimes I do it just to get a reaction (because I'm that immature, yes)

[OpheliaGinger]

Marriage: I don't ever want to get married, but if it ever turns out that I wind up with a partner that wants to get married, I would insist that it be a courthouse wedding because it is cheap.

 

Expletives: I try to avoid using expletives because it denotes a lack of a good vocabulary, but I don't fault anyone else for wanting to use them--if anything, I use expletives to emphasize something. My feeling is that words are just utterances that we put arbitrary meaning to (example would be the evolution of the word "fagot").

 

Nudity: I don't care if people choose not to wear clothes. We wear clothes to protect ourselves from the elements, but if you live in a comfortable environment that the need for such clothes is minimal--all power to you.

[♦ Fuego ♦]

"That sucks". Whatever it is that sucks is really bad. What is it that sucks? Why the mouth on the penis. Whose mouth? The woman's (or homosexual male's). So, which is the bad thing here-- the thing being sucked (penis) or the thing doing the sucking (woman)? The woman. Once again her role in sex is degraded.

 

I thought that "That sucks" was a shortened version of "That sucks shit", meaning from the source, and thus a disagreeable thing. Not sure when the phrase became popular, but I don't recall hearing it prior to 1980. That was around when "You've got a bad attitude" became "You've got an attitude", so I figured "That sucks" was just a shortened version also.

[Guest]

*Cursing

From media to the workplace, to your home, the public, around you family, people are conditioned to believe that cursing is wrong, most of the opposition comes from religion. I see no problem with anyone cursing, even kids, does it undermine their "innocence"? Does it damage them psychologically to hear the word "fuck"? Any word can be used to hurt people given the right circumstances, but to steam roll all curse words out because someone might get "offended" is ridiculous, and it undermines personal freedom. It really irritates me when someone tries to tell me cursing is wrong and not give me a reason for it being wrong, if someone could give me concrete reasons why it is destructive to use curse words, I wouldn't use them.

 

I swear a ton. That said, I am trying to curb some of the behavior. I grew up in a swearing household, so it is hard...

 

Here is what I am trying to curb-- "fuck", "screwed" and "sucks".

 

These are all popular cusses that take something associated with women (or homosexual males), and make it into a bad, dirty thing.

 

"Fuck you". "Get fucked". "Screw you." "I was screwed." I.e someone is on the receiving end of getting pounded. In other words, they are like a female (or homosexual male) on the receiving end of sex. Implicit is that this is the powerless, degraded end of the experience.

 

Nice.

 

"That sucks". Whatever it is that sucks is really bad. What is it that sucks? Why the mouth on the penis. Whose mouth? The woman's (or homosexual male's). So, which is the bad thing here-- the thing being sucked (penis) or the thing doing the sucking (woman)? The woman. Once again her role in sex is degraded.

 

A swear I have never used is "cunt". Cunt is an obvious one. It's a women's private parts. And that's bad...how? The male equivalent is "dick", which doesn't hold the same power in our culture. That's no surprise, considering the trend of swears in our culture are all about degrading female roles.

 

<3 patriarchy/paternalism.

 

I don't need to be a part of that, and I don't want to encourage kids to propagate the tradition either.

 

Phanta

 

This is brilliant! I curse a lot too, mostly fuck and shit, but I never broke the phrases down like you did here. I have been trying to curb my cursing for awhile now, but after reading this I am going to double my efforts...

[OpheliaGinger]

A swear I have never used is "cunt". Cunt is an obvious one. It's a women's private parts. And that's bad...how? The male equivalent is "dick", which doesn't hold the same power in our culture. That's no surprise, considering the trend of swears in our culture are all about degrading female roles.

 

I use cunt whenever I don't want to denigrate dogs by calling someone a bitch.

[lunaticheathen]

A swear I have never used is "cunt". Cunt is an obvious one. It's a women's private parts. And that's bad...how? The male equivalent is "dick", which doesn't hold the same power in our culture. That's no surprise, considering the trend of swears in our culture are all about degrading female roles.

 

I use cunt whenever I don't want to denigrate dogs by calling someone a bitch.

 

[Galien]

Culture norms PISS me off, yes some culture can be fun, intriguing, tasty if related to food, but for me, culture says to me that I as a person, depending on where I live, MUST accept these predetermined rules of how I should live. Why is there a problem? Because I have one life, and I want to use it how I see fit, it may feel comfortable and secure to be a follower, but its also a deprivation, a theft of personal freedom perpetrated by those with authority, who use tools such as religion and politics to further their agenda, convincing people it would be beneath them to not follow these "rules", even worse carrying out penalties and judgment for not adhering to the rules.

 

Its just something I have started to cultivate ever since I left the religious system of oppression, I don't want to blindly live a way out of fear of repercussions from sheeple who decry a person(s) for not sticking to the guidelines. Some of the most demeaning, limiting, and oppressive rules are thrown at us like mud, degrading my quality of life by limiting my choices with which I can choose to experience my one time existence.

 

 

Is there a cultural practice that pisses you off? Post about it!

 

Completely agree. Escaping from one set of ludicrous idiotic set of controls inspired me to study ALL of the things in my life I have been doing out of habit or expectation, and they covered a wide range of my life. I no longer do anything becaue it is a societal expectation, I am tired of knocking myself out to please everyone else.

 

What I have found is that people who refuse to conform make other people nervous. They don't want their conventional wisdom challenged, sometimes it bursts their little bubble and they don't want it burst. We spend a lot of time, trouble and effort socialising our kids in to being conformist consumers, because that is how we choose to run our society.

 

If we have all these free thinkers running around doing whatever the hell they want, chaos will surely ensue. Heaven forbid!

 

Cultural practices that piss me off :

Xmas and every other commercially driven festival or celebration throughout the year, and the assumption that I "should" give a shit about any of it

Women's liberation being set back 40 years because we are too stupid to realise we have more value than our own sexual allure

Worship of those who throw around a football, warble a tune or look prettier than the rest of us

Intelligent people who arent smart enough to realise what they have is a gift, who take pleasure in laughing at those less intelligent

Socially acceptable dishonesty

[Phanta]

 

<3 patriarchy/paternalism.

 

I don't need to be a part of that, and I don't want to encourage kids to propagate the tradition either.

 

Phanta

 

 

Do you have some material to where I could go read about what you posted about? Its not that I don't believe what you say its just I'd like to know the source.

 

The idea was first presented to me by a friend. I then thought the words through on my own, by looking at cultural usage...what's being described.

 

For instance, it is a bad thing to "get fucked", i.e. pounded (receiving), but we don't say "Go fuck!" (performing) as an insult unless it ends with "yourself", in which case the insultee is still on the receiving end.

 

Phanta

[Phanta]

*Cursing

From media to the workplace, to your home, the public, around you family, people are conditioned to believe that cursing is wrong, most of the opposition comes from religion. I see no problem with anyone cursing, even kids, does it undermine their "innocence"? Does it damage them psychologically to hear the word "fuck"? Any word can be used to hurt people given the right circumstances, but to steam roll all curse words out because someone might get "offended" is ridiculous, and it undermines personal freedom. It really irritates me when someone tries to tell me cursing is wrong and not give me a reason for it being wrong, if someone could give me concrete reasons why it is destructive to use curse words, I wouldn't use them.

 

I swear a ton. That said, I am trying to curb some of the behavior. I grew up in a swearing household, so it is hard...

 

Here is what I am trying to curb-- "fuck", "screwed" and "sucks".

 

These are all popular cusses that take something associated with women (or homosexual males), and make it into a bad, dirty thing.

 

"Fuck you". "Get fucked". "Screw you." "I was screwed." I.e someone is on the receiving end of getting pounded. In other words, they are like a female (or homosexual male) on the receiving end of sex. Implicit is that this is the powerless, degraded end of the experience.

 

Nice.

 

"That sucks". Whatever it is that sucks is really bad. What is it that sucks? Why the mouth on the penis. Whose mouth? The woman's (or homosexual male's). So, which is the bad thing here-- the thing being sucked (penis) or the thing doing the sucking (woman)? The woman. Once again her role in sex is degraded.

 

A swear I have never used is "cunt". Cunt is an obvious one. It's a women's private parts. And that's bad...how? The male equivalent is "dick", which doesn't hold the same power in our culture. That's no surprise, considering the trend of swears in our culture are all about degrading female roles.

 

<3 patriarchy/paternalism.

 

I don't need to be a part of that, and I don't want to encourage kids to propagate the tradition either.

 

Phanta

 

This is brilliant! I curse a lot too, mostly fuck and shit, but I never broke the phrases down like you did here. I have been trying to curb my cursing for awhile now, but after reading this I am going to double my efforts...

 

Good luck!

 

I am personally finding the habit hard to break, but I'm going to keep at it.

 

Phanta