By Matija Šerić

The term taboo is of Polynesian origin and entered the English language only in the 18th century, from where it spread to other languages, including Croatian. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a taboo is defined as: “a prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behavior is either too sacred and consecrated or too dangerous and accursed for ordinary individuals. Taboos may include prohibitions on sexual acts such as incest, sex with inanimate objects, necrophilia, etc.” Another type of taboo refers to dietary restrictions, such as halal or kosher diets for Muslims and Jews, the prohibition of eating beef among Hindus, or cannibalism in most societies.

(Non)Universality of Taboos

Taboos may involve repulsive and horrific acts such as kidnapping and torture for certain purposes, or they may refer to behaviors that include showing certain body parts and performing indecent acts in public. Not all taboos are universal, and according to Sigmund Freud, incest may be the only possibly universal taboo. Another important set of taboos includes “compromise taboos,” which may involve assigning monetary value to “sacred” values such as life, love, friendship, or religion.

The Passage of Time Influences Taboos

The list of taboos and their significance may change over time. Some taboos may weaken or disappear altogether, while others may become stronger and more dominant. For example, child or life insurance were long considered taboos before becoming socially acceptable. The trade in human organs is still taboo in many societies, although certain forms of trade, such as kidney sales, have become more acceptable. There are different explanations for the origin of taboos. A typical anthropological argument is that taboos originate from cultural experience. An alternative explanation is psychoanalytic, emphasizing a strong subconscious inheritance of prohibitions passed down through generations.

“Thought Police”

This raises the question: what is the difference between taboos and social norms? According to one interpretation, taboos represent powerful social norms — norms so strong that they can be considered sacred, and their violation is punished by harsh social sanctions. The term taboo is often used when someone commits an unimaginable act. Even thinking about breaking a taboo can be problematic. Sanctions can apply to the mere contemplation of violating a taboo. In this interpretation, taboos act as a form of “thought police,” governing not only human behavior but also thought itself.

Social Punishment

There are also economic consequences of being unable to perform a certain act because a taboo deters an individual from doing so. A person must weigh a particular act to decide whether the profit outweighs the cost. Some taboos prohibit and penalize certain behaviors such as walking naked or engaging in sexual activity in public. Taboos are enforced through social punishment. The most common form of social punishment involves the attitudes and reactions of other community members—most often condemnation. For such punishment to occur, the behavior must be visible.

This raises the question: how can someone be punished for “dirty” thoughts? Thoughts are not visible, unlike actions. However, social punishment may occur when an individual punishes themselves. Taboos form an important part of social identity. Adopting an identity implies accepting the taboos and social norms associated with it. The desire to maintain one’s identity and perceive oneself as a moral person, defined by one’s identity, leads to self-punishment when thinking about breaking a taboo.

There are taboos whose violation is punishable by law, such as child pornography, human organ trafficking, consumption of certain foods and drinks, plagiarism, and alcoholism. Some taboos are also regulated by religious rules. Generally speaking, there are three types of incentives that guide human behavior: private benefits motivated by money, social incentives such as norms, taboos, and prestige, and legal rules that direct certain behaviors and penalize deviations. Some activities are both illegal and taboo.

Ambivalence of Social Attitudes

There is a broad consensus in sociology that taboo systems in any society are linked to objects and actions that hold significant meaning for social order and that taboos, as such, belong to the general system of social control. Freud perhaps offered the most original explanation for the seemingly irrational nature of taboos. According to his interpretation, taboos are generated by ambivalent social attitudes and, in fact, represent forbidden acts toward which there are strong unconscious inclinations despite all restrictions. Other key researchers and theorists of taboo include William Robertson Smith, Sir James G. Frazer, and Wilhelm Wundt.

The Complex Nature of Taboos

Unlike prejudices, which are entirely negative, taboos have both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of taboos include protecting children from pedophilia and pornography, preserving human life from cannibalism in times of war or scarcity, protecting friendships and family relationships from financial calculation, and safeguarding the traditions and cultures of certain communities — in general, maintaining accepted social order. The disadvantages of taboos include, broadly speaking, the marginalization of individuals or groups with different value systems from the majority, such as members of the LGBT+ community, ethnic and religious minorities, multicultural marriages, relationships between older women and younger men, the lack of quality sex education, etc. The key question is what the taboo concerns — and based on that, one should decide whether it is a credible one.

References:

Dovidio, J. F., Hewstone, M., Glick, P., Esses, V.M. (2013) „Prejudice, Stereotyping and Discrimination: Theoretical and Empirical Overview“,  SAGE Publications Ltd; 1 edition

Fersthman, C., Gneezy, U., Hoffman, M. (2011) „Taboos and Identity: Considering the Unthinkable“, American Economic Journal: Microeconomics 3 (May 2011): 139–164,

https://www.britannica.com/topic/taboo-sociology

https://rai.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9655.14098