“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About

Some things in the world are pretty universal, that’s true. However, one can’t argue that most things we say, do, or experience differ not only with each country but with each region or household, even; what is completely normal in one might be considered out of line in another.

Such out-of-line things are usually considered taboo – “a subject, word, or action that is avoided for religious or social reasons”, as dictionaries describe it. And they can relate to any and every thing there is, from food to periods, and beyond. According to the person who started the thread, redditor ‘Auelogic’, even such a seemingly humdrum thing as chewing gum can be a taboo in certain places.

“In my country, there are many minor taboos, like the idea that selling gum is frowned upon. This made me curious about what other taboos exist in different countries,” the OP told Bored Panda in a recent interview, sharing why they decided to ask this particular question.

Discussing the netizens’ answers, the OP shared that they were interesting to read, especially as they related to numerous different countries. “I’ve learned a lot from this,” they admitted.

It’s safe to assume that the redditor wasn’t the only one who learned new information while browsing the list, as while we might be well-familiar with things that are considered taboo in our country, we might also be completely oblivious to what we shouldn’t say or do elsewhere.

That’s because our morals and values, as well as our mindset, tend to be shaped—or at least, largely influenced—by the culture we find ourselves in. As one TED speaker put it, “We all see the world through cultural glasses.”

The aforementioned TED speaker, a cross-cultural expert and a rocket scientist, Julien S. Bourrelle, suggested that people tend to view the behavior or emotions of others through their own cultural glasses.

“The lens through which your brain sees the world shapes your reality,” he said, which explains why people might be surprised to find that something that seems completely normal to them is considered taboo in other places of the world.

That’s why lists as such can be not only fascinating, but useful, too, as not knowing that something is considered taboo when visiting a foreign country can create some rather awkward situations.

If you enjoy browsing content about cultural differences and life in different parts of the world, you might like this list of funny illustrations that depict the cultural differences between the East and the West, too. You might also want to consider viewing these stories about the biggest culture shocks people have ever encountered.