[Blindtlk] blindtlk Digest, Vol 83, Issue 17

[Mike Freeman]

My personal opinion is that in a perfect society, there ought not be *any* taboo subjects. In an imperfect society, one must decide whether answering a question would cause physical or emotional harm to oneself or others and whether such harm is tolerable. 

Mike Freeman


On May 17, 2013, at 10:31, "Gary Wunder" <gwunder at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I wonder how many of the questions that are taboo really should be. Should I
> be offended if someone asks my age? As a man the world would say no. If I
> were a woman, I should be offended by the question and you should be
> apologetic about asking. Why? If I'm asked how tall I am, I answer. If I'm
> asked how much I weigh, I hesitate and wonder why they want to know and then
> decide whether to tell them or fudge on the figure. Why is my weight less a
> subject for question than my height? Perhaps because I feel guilty about one
> and think I had no control over the other?
> 
> Gary
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of wogg le4
> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 12:23 PM
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] blindtlk Digest, Vol 83, Issue 17
> 
> It isn't that I am uncomfortable with the topic.
> 
> For me everything depends on context. As noted this person is not a
> friend - is not someone I particularly like and dropped the question
> right out of the blue - and I remain of the veiw that it shows really
> bad manners.
> 
> I mean, it is "respectable" to have a bank account - I doubt anyone is
> traumatized by having one but I trust none of you would dream of
> asking a stranger their bank balance for example!
> 
> It is not a question of trauma or embarrassement, it is a question of
> courticy, a question of some (not by any means all) people not
> affording the same respect that they would to anyone else about a
> range of subjects.
> 
> ps I of course dealt with the question in a way with which I was
> comfortable - but as I was bored on a train, I thought the question
> worth raising.
>