Why do taboos exist

As we know, the society is full of taboos on many topics such as sex, drugs, etc But what are the reasons for the creation of taboos by humans? Shouldn't we be open-mind and free to discuss all topics because ignorance leads people to do wrong things? The traditional role of a taboo is prohibition of an action , not of discussion, but the two are often mixed when the term is used loosely, see e.

Gao's study of English "taboo" words. Volume 3 of a classical comparative study of mythology and religion, Frazer's Golden Bough , is called Taboo and the Perils of the Soul , and freely available online. Freud's Totem and Taboo is now considered discredited by antropologists, although some modern authors see residual value in it. Ellis authored an essay The Function of Taboos , where he argues that taboos play an adaptive evolutionary role and are found even in animal communities:.

That taboo is strictly analogous to human taboos; it is an adopted custom. It is not found everywhere among birds. When men first visit Virgin islands of the southern seas there are birds who do not regard human beings as taboo. The taboo is introduced later when human beings have become destructive to the bird society. It is, of course, completely unnecessary to be aware of the reason for the taboo, and if birds ever acquired speculative minds they would invent reasons. That is, as we know, exactly what human societies do.

We know that they will allow us the same or nearly the same degree of freedom and privilege that they claim for themselves. The individual in whom the taboos necessary for such organization are not either automatic or self-imposed is an anti-social individual, and his elimination would be for our benefit Old taboos can only be replaced by new taboos If they are thus to become of the nature of taboos they must be few in number, indisputable in value, and so urgent that they are felt to be on the way to become instinctive.

Sex taboos are at the centre of this process Even the "should be open-minded and free to discuss all topics" view, common in Western liberalism, is far from universally accepted.

In some cultures it is criticized for leading to social and political instability, for example. What is considered taboo can vary greatly from place to place. This is why it is so important to understand and be respectful of cultural and social norms. Review examples of culture to develop an understanding of some of the many ways people can different. All rights reserved. Examples of Religious or Cultural Taboos Many taboos are associated with religion or culture. The Hindu faith, which is the predominant religion in India, forbids consuming beef.

In her talk, Rachael also looked at the history of taboos in certain countries and explored why some taboos lead to censorship. So, what are taboos, how do they come about and what role do they have to play in our societies?

How long do they remain relevant, can taboos originally serve a purpose but become anachronistic as society progresses? And, why do they exist in the first place? Or, are they all too often implemented from above, allowing one societal group to censor and restrict others in order to consolidate its own position and beliefs? Rachael Jolley is the editor of the Index on Censorship magazine.