Question for open-minded people????

Question

Why is it that things like racism and incest are seen as "taboo" and "unacceptable" when they are common in the U.S.(and possibly other coutries)?

Can someone please explain this to me?

btw, before anyone asks, I'm not racist and I've never had s*x with a family member. I'm kind of intrigued by it, is all.

Answer 1

it could sound common to us if we constantly keep hearing about it on the news.

Answer 2

Just because something is prevalent does not mean it is right.  Stealing and killing are unacceptable too, but they are also very common now.  Should they be accepted?

Answer 3

A norm is not defined by how commonly it occurs; norms are rules for appropriate behavior (often established by the majority) that govern what is socially acceptable and unacceptable. Just because something happens often does not mean it is normative or that it should be considered acceptable.

It is non-normative to be racist and incestuous, plain and simple.  Why that norm exists is irrelevant, although I would argue that it is logical to consider racism and incest as unacceptable because they both cause harm to other people or humanity as a whole.

Some Sociologists think that norms are established more arbitrarily. Peter Berger gives the analogy of a plane crashing on a beach with passengers for all different cultures. They would have to establish their own rules and language to survive, and that new culture would be passed down from generation to generation until it loses its original meaning and purpose. Cultural norms eventually become institutionalized into official rules - he even cites the incest taboo specifically as something that has become law in this way.

Whether or not racism and incest are taboo for a legitimate "reason," our culture is socialized to react very negatively to both concepts, which further reinforces the norm. Those engaging in racism or incest, however many of them they are, will be marginalized and denied access to some opportunities in society.

Edit- Something to keep in mind: majority and minority status has nothing to do with numbers. It's about power. A majority group can still be outnumbered by a minority group, but if they have more power it doesn't matter. This is another way to look at why things that are "common" are still taboo.

Answer 4

Well to begin with there are a lot of things that are common in the U.S. but just because its common does not make it acceptable. Racism and Incest are seen as either a taboo and unacceptable because in our society, it does not follow our norms.

Answer 5

Because they both cause major damage to individuals & society alike.

Answer 6

Incest is common where I am in the UK,in fact it is the top area in the country for this problem,

Racism is another question, the word racism was introduced by the UK Socialist Workers party to whip up distrust and discord amongst the people,it is used as a weapon for political ends and can be and is used as  discrimination against the white race who are in the minority in a good few area's in the UK.

Answer 7

While racism & incest do happen I dont think they are "common".  They are unacceptable because they cause harm to others.