Who exactly came up with this absurdity?
In certain societies, the obsession with silence around these 4 pillars of human existence borders on insanity.
I remember someone taught me this when I was a young teenager. Already debating, asking questions. A way to silence me.
I accepted the silence for a while. But I never stoped questioning or being deeply curious and interested in these topics.
1. Money: the dirty secret
In France, it's polite to say someone has "done well." But dare to ask exactly how much they earn? You're met with awkward silence, raised eyebrows, and judgment.
In France, openly making money feels suspicious - almost immoral.
Talking about numbers is disturbing.
And it's not just France, some cultures worldwide stigmatize discussions about money.
Yet, anyone truly involved in business or strategic intelligence knows that avoiding conversations about money is completely stupid and strategically reckless.
Money is power.
Money is a fundamental lever of manipulation.
Silence around it preserves inequality and secrecy.
It fosters exploitation, misinformation, and resentment.
The powerful openly discuss money, while everyone else stays politely silent... and vulnerable.
2. Religion: the forbidden identity
Ahhhh my favorite.
Religion shapes worldviews, morals, and decisions. Yet we pretend discussing it openly invites conflict.
Worse, we (westerners), have established non-belief, science, and secularism as dogmas.
"Those who believe are fools, who cling to a "God" by default, in order to navigate their own lives serenely."
But the thing is, NOT discussing religion doesn't prevent conflict: it fuels radicalization by isolating beliefs.
When beliefs stay unchallenged, dialogue disappears and extremism thrives.
Religion isn't the danger. Silence about religion is.
Open dialogue about beliefs fosters understanding, empathy, and nuance.
Silence fosters ignorance, extremism, and division.
3. Politics: democracy’s quiet sabotage
In France (again), telling others who you vote for is considered almost obscene. Your political choices are kept a guarded secret, buried deep within silence.
This is absurd.
The republic, by definition, is "la chose publique," literally the public affair.
Yet, avoiding political conversation means surrendering democratic debate to extremes.
Today, friends tell me tragically that politics have fractured their own family bonds. Parents can no longer speak openly with their children, politics becoming an invisible wall of unspoken tension.
Do you grasp how dangerous this is?
Politics isn't dangerous. Silence around politics is.
It fractures families, polarizes society, and empowers radical voices.
4. Sex: the silent manipulator
Perhaps the deepest taboo of all... sex.
We pretend sexuality is purely private.
Yet it influences every aspect of human behavior (hi Freud and friends): power dynamics, decision-making, relationships, and even professional success.
Avoiding this conversation doesn't remove its influence... it actually amplifies it, hidden in shadows and shame.
Sexual secrecy breeds abuse, manipulation, and exploitation.
If you want to understand the deepest human motivations, refusing to address sexuality openly is like walking blindfolded through a minefield.
Silence is a TOOL.
As someone who spends her life navigating the Grey Zone of human influence, power, and strategic behavior, I’ve learned one essential truth:
Silence is never neutral.
It’s strategic surrender.
Polite silence around money, religion, politics, or sex hands feeds ignorance, fear, and shame.
- Silence doesn't prevent conflict. It incubates it.
- Silence doesn't create harmony. It erodes understanding.
- Silence doesn't protect families. It fractures them.
And the price of silence is far higher than the temporary discomfort of open conversation.
Stay sharp,
Oriane