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“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About In Alaska you can be put in a phone registry to go and pick up a road kill moose off the side of the road. This is considered a super lucky phone call as even the worst road kill moose has 100’s of pounds of good meat. Everyone is normally stoked for you if you get this call also and if during the day time people will normally honk and cheer driving past you getting the dead moose. I never realized the weirdness of all of this till explaining the excitement of road kill moose to some friends in San Diego. .

Next_Emphasis_9424 , hitbug Report

97points

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Mia Black 2 days ago

Afaik in Germany only hunters are allowed to take road kill for food and the veterinary still had to check it if it's safe to eat.

20points

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Sitting on a desk or table. In Maori culture it's insulting to plonk your a**e on a surface where food might be prepared.

TooOldToBePunk , Pavel Danilyuk Report

84points

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Kathi Coyle 2 days ago

Tables are for plates and glasses, not feet and a$$es

39points

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.

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

asfacadabra , Kaboompics.com Report

81points

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Tobias Reaper 2 days ago

I don't understand why so many yanks are opposed to this its nice to have to worry about how much it costs to go in an ambulance or get treated at hospital. Its absolutely scandalous how much you have to pay for things And health insurance being linked to you job that just takes the p**s.

41points

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Not offering a cup of tea to anyone entering the home including servicemen.
In the UK not doing so is punishable by death.

Captain_Parsley , Ahmed Aqtai Report

77points

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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago

I have black teas, yellow teas, green teas, purple teas, red read and more. if drink the teas in the correct order then later on in the day I am pissing a rainbow.

18points

Hungry-Calendar-5532 , sina drakhshani Report

“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.

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About As an iranian, where do you want me to start?

68points

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SirWriteALot 2 days ago

ok, you win!

33points

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About I just went to Germany for the first time (I’m from the US). My colleague (from Germany) went to grab me a glass for my beer and I said that I could just drink it from the bottle, and you could almost hear a pin drop when about 10 Germans spun around to stare at me. One of them said “….. wafflekween, that’s a WHEAT beer. It must be drank out of a glass!”.

wafflekween , Darlene Alderson Report

66points

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Ralph Kretschmer 2 days ago

And he's right.

32points

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Child marriage (thank god).

Piece-of-Whit , Pixabay Report

62points

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WindySwede 2 days ago

Please go vote!

27points

Remarkable-Escape267 , www.pexels.com Report

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.”

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Foraging or even walking through private land (“safe passage”) -

In many countries foraging on private property is quite acceptable if you are only taking small amounts, as well as safe passage (hiking through private property but not staying there).

But in the USA, even WALKING onto someone’s personal property without express permission can get you shot. And taking something?? Omfg you have a death wish.

Foraging isn’t permitted on most public lands either. “Take nothing, leave nothing,” is the rule.

Every European person I have told this to is stunned.

61points

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Simon Chen 2 days ago

Then this person has not been to germany yet. Walking trough someones garden here is not something normal. You will not get shot, most likely, but people are not very excited about it either. That is why we have fences and hedges....

23points

#10

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About USA: eating horse meat. Apparently this is relatively common in France or Italy, but would be greeted by horror over here.

Ulfhethinn09 , Pixabay Report

58points

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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago

Used to be common in the UK. Gained popularity in WW2 as beef was rationed, horse meat wasn't. Also became unknowingly common not so long back when horse meat was found in Iceland beef lasagnes.

18points

#11

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Standing next to a stranger closer than 6 ft, unless the lack of space forces you to stand thay close.

(Google "Finnish bus stop".).

AavaMeri_247 , Lucas Prado Report

55points

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William Teach 2 days ago

The best part of COVID: keep your distance.

21points

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.

#12

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

MahWahf , Monstera Production Report

50points

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Pyla 2 days ago

Dangerous in Turkey

8points

#13

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Any kind of physical punishment for children. Maybe not exactly a taboo, rather downright illegal, but it’s shocking how normalised using physical punishment is in so many parts of the world.

digl3tt , Yan Krukau Report

48points

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Cammy Mack 2 days ago

For the right age, and the right temperament, there's absolutely no harm with a little swat on the bum. This is not beating, just light reinforcement. It is not always appropriate, though. Discipline takes many forms. Kids get away with murder these days.

14points

Pyla 2 days ago

Punishment only rewards the punisher. People who spank kids know they are bigger. Try that with a 16.3 sport horse. I see dogs get janked around by people, too. ......Punishment ONLY rewards the punisher.

19points

Goth Vixen 1 day ago

Violence against children is abhorrent. End of. I imagine some disgusting brute looking at their newborn, thinking they can't wait to be able to slap the child in a few years.

0points

LonelyLittleLeafSheep 2 days ago

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Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 days ago

Personally i feel like punishments shouldn't lead to fear or physical pain. Just understanding consequences of their actions idk not a parent tho

6points

Elin Sandman 1 day ago

This!

1point

Roxie Carter 2 days ago

If they're too young to understand words, they won't understand spanking. If they're old enough to understand words, use them instead of spanking.

5points

Kelly Scott 1 day ago

I guess your kids are the ones who will only be told NO by a cop then, one day.

0points

Kimberly Bailey 2 days ago

I'm a step mother to a 28 and 27 year old. They were three and two when I entered their lives. I never laid a hand on them to punish them. Taking away something they like or wanted or sitting in time out, when they were older I would make them write lines. I will not hit my sister 500 times gets the message thru nicely. When they were really bad I'd ground them. No phone, tv, video games, ect. I'd let them have a book to read. We have an amazing relationship. My daughter is expecting in February I'm so excited to be a grandma! :)

5points

XanthippeⓐWulf🇨🇦️️🇬🇧 1 day ago

My parents never laid a hand on us either. We were disciplined in pretty much the same way as you did your kids. Honestly though, by the time we were teenagers, we didn't really need it. Same with my partner. His father got the belt a lot growing up, so he swore no child of his would ever be hit. We're all well adjusted & happy and we all dearly love our parents. Congrats on being a grandma!

3points

Torben Møller-Nielsen 1 day ago

Violence is violence. You can call it a little swat or a spanking, but if someone was to do that to you as an adult against your will and no way to avoid it, I bet you would press charges!

4points

Hobby Hopper 2 days ago

Unfortunately, I grew up with spanking as a punishment, but it was never ever administered in anger. It was always calmly explained to me what I had done wrong and why I was being punished. Because of this, when other people talked about spanking being wrong, I thought they must just be doing it wrong. I was brainwashed with all that spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child nonsense. Until I had a child of my own. To my great regret, it took my wife and I far too long to realize that spanking simply did not work for our child, that no matter how calmly, rationally, and consistently we administered it as a punishment, they simply did not and would not respond positively, nor did it change their behaviors. It absolutely broke our hearts, but the books we'd read, the older people in our lives, the sermons we'd heard, all said this was what you were supposed to do, and that it was an act of love, because as painful as it was, it was ultimately for the child's good.

2points

Hobby Hopper 2 days ago

I'm absolutely appalled now, looking back on that. My "child" is an adult now, and I do have a good relationship with them. I only hope for their sake they don't remember those times when they were a toddler.

9points

Barry 2 days ago

A lot of American parents still smack their kids 😬

1point

El Dee 1 day ago

Was banned years ago for schools in my country and I was one of the last to receive corporal punishment. More recently banned everywhere so parents have no right to 'physically chastise' their children. Weirdly it's still legal in England tho..

0points

Ralph Watkins 1 day ago

My culture shock coming back to the US from Iraq was how terrible our kids are in the US. Iraqi children are very well behaved around their parents. Many other nations I have been to are the same way. Then you come to the US where physical punishment is forbidden & we have nasty little monsters.

0points

Kelly Scott 1 day ago

Agreed. We have some of the worst behaved kids in the world and just reading the comments of some of the parents here tells you why. Kids in the US are used to demanding their own way from their parents, yelling and hitting them if they want to, and doing whatever they please. American kids are out of control and their parents are totally to blame. But don't worry. Eventually these kids will meet with someone or something they can't bully, like a cop, a judge, or prison. And serve their parents right.

0points

The Scout 2 days ago

While it is illegal in all of Europe, the U.S. educational system still uses it in public schools in some states.

0points

Big Bear Buchko 2 days ago

You'll also find that those children are vastly more intelligent, well-adjusted, and more well-behaved than their punishment-ignored counterparts.

-2points

Cathy Roberts 2 days ago (edited)

Also, try to wrap your head around this - there are other ways to make a point. Refusing to hit does NOT equal refusing to punish. Some of us just prefer to use our brains while parenting. PS My kids are grown and doing very well, thanks, before you try to hit me with "can't wait to see how your kids turn out" BS.

15points

Kelly Scott 2 days ago (edited)

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Cathy Roberts 2 days ago

Which goes against absolutely every study out there but, sure. IME they are just sneakier. Period.

5points

Pandarosa 2 days ago

Yeah, right, good one.

1point

LaserBrain 2 days ago

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tracy black 2 days ago

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Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 days ago

Respect and fear aren't the same thing. Don't hit ur kids. Teach them.

7points

disgruntledhoneybee , Helena Lopes Report

#14

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About The word “c**t”. It’s a HUGE insult here in the US but it’s barely a swear in the UK and practically term of affection in Australia. (I might be stereotyping a little here though).

46points

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Ace 2 days ago

Not really true. Yes, it can be, carefully, used between friends, but use it as a real insult it's still pretty much as 'strong' a swearword as is possible.

17points

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.

#15

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Waltzing in someone's home wearing shoes.

Frick-It_Ralf , Erik Mclean Report

45points

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LaserBrain 2 days ago

I grew up in Japan and I still find it mildly shocking if someone walks into a house with their outside shoes on.

19points

#16

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Any form of nudity shown in public. Americans sexualize everything, so nudity here is far more taboo than in France, for example.

ChewingGumPubis , Ximena Mora Report

45points

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Cathy Roberts 2 days ago

Which is dumb, right? It's a human body. We were all assigned one at birth.

15points

#17

“Mowing Your Lawn On A Sunday”: 30 Taboo Things Other Countries Don’t Think Twice About Mowing your lawn or other noisy activities on a Sunday.

OctoMatter , Magic K Report

44points

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Jihana 2 days ago

Must be Germany

21points