Have you ever heard someone say that you shouldn’t talk about money, religion, sex, economics, or politics in polite conversation and with strangers? People have varied and strong opinions about each of these taboo topics, and not everyone wants to get intense subjects like these. Having discussions surrounding even one of these controversial topics could spur on an argument because of how strongly people can feel about them. If you want to venture into this territory, you must be careful or ensure you’re with like-minded people to not get into hot water.
Have these topics become even more heated these days, or have the topics always been taboo simply because we’re human? Recent politics have made Americans more passionate about their beliefs than ever before. People are taking sides like a sporting event, creating teams, so to speak. One team is pitted against the other based on a set of ideas, marking a line in the sand where the media has convinced people that there’s no gray area. The whole country is divided at this point.
Americans have always been sensitive about politics in social settings, but now the sensitivity level has reached its highest. It’s not that people shouldn’t talk about politics (or any other of the topics I mentioned at the beginning) – it’s more that people don’t want to talk to someone who disagrees with them. I am sure you have friends, family, and colleagues that have all different opinions. Everyone is happy to chat about any of the taboo topics with those who agree with them – the problems arise when someone doesn’t agree.
People can get really enraged when someone challenges their beliefs. Sure, some people will resign the conversation to ‘we agree to disagree,’ but many will take eternal offense and hold grudges. That person who gets enraged is often the person who will go off on their ideas, so not talking about any of these so-called controversial topics around them is a good choice.
As far as money, personal money is definitely a taboo topic. Talking about personal money is typically considered socially unacceptable because (1) if you have money, you’ll be perceived as boastful, or (2) if you don’t have money, people will think you’re begging. Nobody wants to hear either. Another reason is that people might feel judged, ridiculed, or exploited for not succeeding or having too much. Also, many think personal money is just that – personal and private, which doesn’t concern anyone else.
When I was an adolescent, my grandfather gave me the best advice. When I went over to his house to help him work, he gave me a lot of life lessons, one of which stuck with me. He said you can feed your family or your ego, but you can’t do both. I can apply his advice to personal, public, or work conversations.
Keep your opinions to yourself. You don’t want to take a stand on an issue and alienate yourself from your colleagues or customers. I never talk about politics or controversial issues because I don’t want to risk offending anyone, whether my internal or external customers. If you understand this, you can work with anyone and sell to everyone.
Whether in your personal or professional life, don’t get into the habit of telling people what you think about taboo or controversial issues. It will ruin your ability to be successful. You don’t need to preach and alienate half of the people surrounding you. You can donate and be as woke or unwoke as you want in your personal life – but in regard to your professional life, you need to be like Switzerland. The more people you can bring into your orbit, the more potential you have for success.
Preaching to an audience is what celebrities seem to do all the time. They announce what they’re upset about and why you should also feel that way. Don’t get it twisted! Just because you have an audience doesn’t mean it’s your duty or responsibility to tell them what you want them to hear. You will either feed your ego or your family, not both.
In my opinion, everyone needs to figure out a way to have discussions without battle-lines being drawn, screaming matches, and spews of lies & misinformation. We need to be able to have civil adult conversations without hostile effects that we see all over the Internet. But until that happens, avoid talking money, religion, sex, economics, or politics because getting involved in a confrontation about any of them is not worth the cost.
