Gallup apparently got the idea to conduct this survey from the Mark Sanford mess, but beyond that, the data presents some interesting comparisons. Are there any taboos left in American life on which we can have broad agreement? Yes there are, although surprisingly few. Here are the taboos still getting majority agreement:
- Married men and women having affairs: 92%
- Polygamy: 91%
- Cloning humans: 88%
- Suicide: 80%
- Cloning animals: 63%
- Abortion: 56%
Compare the above list to those issues that are no longer considered taboos by the majority. Sex between unmarried adults only gets 40% support as a taboo, but gay or lesbian relations are 47% taboo, with 49% calling them morally acceptable, the only statistical tie on the list. Bearing children outside of marriage is narrowly considered morally acceptable, 51%-45%. Of all the choices, divorce and the death penalty have the least amount of support for being taboo, only 30%. Gambling and wearing fur are more taboo, as is medical research on animals.
On affairs, the polling on that is remarkably consistent across time and political viewpoints. The number calling it a taboo has increased over the last eight years, from 89% to 92%. Republicans oppose it more than Democrats, but the difference is hardly remarkable (97% and 89%, respectively). Clearly, politicians expecting a long and successful career could hardly do worse than to get caught in an extramarital affair in either party. They’d be better off being polygamists, except for the legal bills.
What got left off the list entirely is also interesting. Gallup didn’t ask about incest, pedophilia/pederasty, murder, or theft. Apparently (and thankfully), those are such universally-accepted taboos that Gallup didn’t feel the need to ask. Let’s hope that continues. (via US News)
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