Eva alés tr by Institut Pompeu Fabra

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

0. INTRODUCTION My project titled “Taboos: New generations, Renewed mentalities?” is a comparison of how the same taboos - sex, drugs and death - have evolved in two different societies. On the one hand, it involves Badalona, the city in which I live, and on the other hand, the North-American society from Canada and the USA. The main thesis is to demonstrate that despite their common origin, both societies have followed different paths to overcome and threat these taboos already mentioned; getting to a close situation with drugs and death, and a completely different one in terms of sex. The methodology used for doing this project was: surveys, interviews and the extraction of reliably objective data which corroborate my thesis. This unusual topic was chosen because of a personal experience in a summer arts camp in Canada called Centauri, to which I have been twice. In this camp, the 95% of the campers were from Canada or the USA; only a 3% were European foreigners. On the summer of 2013, when I was 14 years old, I went there for the first time. I got shocked due to their attitude towards certain taboos that I did not expect to see. The most curious part is the fact that all the Europeans to whom I talked agreed that North-Americans had really strange taboos related to sex and their own bodies. On account of this, do North-Americans have a problem with sex? Is Badalona more advanced than the USA, the country of opportunities, and Canada, the land of diversity? If you want to discover the incredible progress made by societies and stroll along taboos, go on reading, you will not regret!

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlÃ©s Cosano

THEORETICAL PART

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

1. TABOOS Taboos have existed through the ages since human beings became aware of themselves not as mere animals, but as something different in the Universe. They started to talk, to bury the dead bodies in their communities, to think and... as a result, they started to have taboos. Every society has developed its own taboos, depending on their culture, religion, geographical facts, etc... We, as humans, learn through imitation; so taboos are maintained from generation to generation and can only be broken by rebel thinkers during revolutions. But, what is the difference between taboos and morality? Where is the line that delimits a rational behaviour and unconscious indoctrination? If you have been taught some ideas and behaviours since your childhood not only by your family, but also by the entire society, how can you know what is actually wrong and what is a simple acquired taboo? Since taboos are the main topic of my project, which involves two different located occidental societies, the comprehension of a proper definition of this term is absolutely essential in order to understand the entire project itself.

1.1. What does the term “taboo” mean? Taboo: the action or custom of forbidding something considered improper due to religious, social or psychological conventions. The word taboo comes from the Polynesian languages (Maori, Tongan, Samoan, Hawaiian...), specifically from the term tapu (prohibition), exactly from Ta (= to touch) and Pu (=No): not to touch. It used to be related to something super natural and dangerous. So dangerous, that it was not even allowed to be pronounced and whoever pronounced it, would receive physical punishments. Only witch doctors had a sacred power, mana, to dominate the taboo. The term taboo was introduced into Europe in the year 1777 by the captain James Cook.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

Nowadays, the term taboo expresses morally unacceptable behaviour by a society, religion or group of human beings. It is the prohibition with no justified reason, based on unfound prejudices, of something supposedly odd or strange (in some societies), of religious, economic, political, social or cultural content. Breaking a taboo is considered an unforgivable offence by the society which imposes it. Some taboos are directly precedents of the law; indeed, some taboos can be punished crimes. There are some taboos strongly related to some traditions of some cultures, while others respond to political interests.

1.2. Which types of taboos exist? There are around 7,214,960,000 people on the Earth, all of them clumped together by various societies and cultures. Therefore, it is completely impossible to name all the existent taboos. However, taboos are frequently divided into different groups depending on the topic that they are related to. Some examples are:

 Restrictions on sexual activities and sex itself. Examples: homosexuality, bisexuality, masturbation (especially in some religions), pornography, premarital and extramarital sex, incest, necrophilia, paedophilia, fetishism, bestiality, sexual torture, sadomasochism and some paraphilias.

 Restrictions on the use of the language. Examples: curse words or oaths.

 Restrictions on the diet. Examples: religious vegetarianism, cannibalism, pork and beef prohibition (in some societies due to religions).



Restrictions on rituals considered banned. Examples: cannibalism, torture, games with dead bodies, Satanism, human sacrifices allowed by the subject and occultism.

 Restrictions on the nomination of bodily functions. Examples: menstruation, pregnancy, to urinate and to defecate.

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2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

1.3. The origin of taboos According to Dr. Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow, taboos are known from virtually all human societies. Most religions declare certain actions proper and others improper for human behaviour. Dietary rules and regulations, which can also be delimited by religions, may govern particular phases of the human life cycle and may be associated with special events such as menstrual period, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and – in traditional societies – preparation for the hunt, battle, wedding, funeral, etc. On a comparative basis many food taboos seem to make no sense at all, as to what may be declared unfit by one group may be perfectly acceptable to another. On the other hand, food taboos have a long history and one ought to expect a sound explanation for the existence (and persistence) of certain dietary customs in a given culture. Yet, this is a highly debated view and no single theory may explain why people employ special food taboos. An ecological or medical background is apparent for many, including some that are seen as religious or spiritual in origin. On the one hand, food taboos can help to utilize a resource more efficiently; on the other, food taboos can lead to the protection of a resource. Food taboos, whether scientifically correct or not, are often meant to protect the human individual and the observation, for example, that certain allergies and illnesses are associated with a specific kind of food. This fact could have led to declaring some food items taboo when they were identified as causal agents for the allergies or for the transmission of illnesses. Another research on this field states that any society requires the existence of some sexual prohibitions and regulations. These, however, can take any different form. There nowhere exists a society where the individual is authorized to satisfy all his sexual desires (and so also fantasies). In societies with basic sexual rules, men and women cooperate to bring up their children as a unit with family ties. Therefore, the possibilities of survival increase exponentially. Taking this into account, could we think this is the main purpose of sexual taboos? Consequently, any taboo, acknowledged by a particular group of people as part of its ways, aids in the cohesion of this group, helps that particular group to maintain its identity in the face of others, and therefore creates a feeling of "belonging". Maybe, this is the origin of taboos: to benefit the welfare of each particular group of humans.

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2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

2. EUPHEMISMS AND DYSPHEMISMS Human beings are the only animals on Earth which can talk. Every single culture has developed a network of sounds to which we relate ideas. Perhaps, it is the most complex act ever performed by a living being. This wonderful action makes us able to express our inner thoughts, feelings and opinions as no other creature in the world does. But as we have really complicated societies and cultures, we have invented different ways to express the same ideas. We could divide them into three types: the proper way, the straight one and the improper way. Sometimes, the improper way of communicating is improper itself, as well as unpleasant, because it refers to terms considered taboo; that is why they sound obnoxious or rude to us. For these situations, we have created euphemisms. On the other hand, when we want to follow the improper path consciously, we tend to use dysphemisms.

2.1. What is a euphemism? Euphemism: an inoffensive word or phrase substituted for one considered offensive or hurtful, especially one concerned with religion, sex, death, or excreta. Examples of euphemisms are sleep with for have sexual intercourse with; departed for dead; relieve oneself for urinate.

2.1.1. Examples EUPHEMISM

NEUTRAL TERM

To go to the other side

To die

To do it / Come together

To have sex

To pass away

To die

On the streets

Homeless

Adult entertainment

Pornography

Comfort woman

Prostitute

To be between jobs

To be unemployed

Economically disadvantaged

Poor

Substandard housing

Slum

Pre-loved / Pre- enjoyed (car)

Used (car)

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

Adult beverages

Alcoholic drinks

Mature / Senior

Old

2.2. What is a dysphemism? Dysphemism: a harsh and unpleasant word or phrase which ridicules and substitutes a neutral word using a pejorative expression in order to lower its category. It is opposite to the euphemism. Dysphemisms are generally used to shock or offend, therefore they are usually considered part of the slang vocabulary.

2.2.1. Examples DYSPHEMISM

NEUTRAL TERM

Shrink

Psychologist

Silk

Lawyer

The idiot box

Television

Hoe / Whore

Prostitute

To be worm food

To be dead

Quack

Doctor

Cancer stick

Cigarette

Egghead

Genius

Snail mail

Postal mail

Bullshit

Lies / Nonsense

Dead-tree-edition

The paper version of publication that can be found online

Fag / Faggot

Homosexual man

Dyke

Homosexual woman

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

3. LINGUISTIC INTERDICTION Linguistic Interdiction is a psychological impediment to the use of certain words considered taboos due to social, cultural or existential factors; since that sort of terms cause unpleasant, vulgar or socially improper mental associations; therefore, as a consequence, it is tended to substitute or soften them by the use of another neutral word, which is named “euphemism”.

3.1. Attenuation and taboos Usually, in the linguistic interdiction we can recognise two different processes: the taboo term and the attenuation. The taboo term is the one which the speaker identifies as unpleasant and, therefore, socially unacceptable. Taboos, in general, are conditioned by principles and social convictions as the morality or superstitions. To sum up, the taboo refers -in linguisticsto the prohibition of pronouncing a word due to its content. The most interesting aspect of the linguistic taboo is the fact that it can spread to phonetically similar voices. For instance, in English the words cock (bird) and cockroach (insect) have been substituted by rooster and roach in order to avoid the evocation of the term cock (penis). Likewise, in Japanese, the number four (shi) is considered taboo because of the homophone of the word death. On the other hand, the attenuation consists in resorting to forms, euphemisms, metaphors, figures of the language and even signs in order to avoid the use of the term or expression stigmatized. By this means, taboos are modified, substituted or just avoided. To achieve that effect, different means are employed:  The unpleasant term is softened by the addition of a diminutive. For example, it is preferable to say little old lady instead of old lady.  The stigmatised term is represented with its initials. For example, it is preferable to say S.O.B instead of Son of a Bitch.  The phonetic distortion is utilised in order to elude the term taboo. For example, in Spanish it is frequently used the term miércoles instead of mierda.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

 The taboo word is substituted by another one. For example, the use of backside when referring to the butt or arse.  Finally, you can also turn to signs in order to substitute the word or expression. However, even signs are eventually considered taboos.

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2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

4. NORTH-AMERICAN SOCIETY 4.1. Canada

Canada is a country, consisting of ten provinces and three territories, in the northern part of the continent of North America. It extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres in total, making it the world's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area. Canada

a federal parliamentary

democracy and

a constitutional

monarchy,

Queen Elizabeth II being the current head of state. The country is officially bilingual (English and French) at the federal level. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries, with a population of approximately 35 million as of 2015. Its advanced economy is the eleventh largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture. Canada is a developed country and one of the wealthiest in the world, with the tenth highest nominal per capita income globally, and the eighth highest ranking in the Human

Development

Index.

It ranks

among

the

highest in

international

measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom,

and

education.

Canada

a Commonwealth

Realm member

the Commonwealth of Nations, a member of the Francophonie, and part of several IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

major international and intergovernmental institutions or groupings including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the G8, the Group of Ten, the G20, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

4.1.1. Geography As the world’s second largest country, Canada’s geography changes significantly depending on which part you are in. And with the differences in each region, there is a very different accompanying landscape and climate. In almost every part of Canada there are lakes and rivers. Canada has over 2 million lakes covering 7% of the land mass. The largest lake is the Northwest Territories’ Great Bear Lake. It is estimated that Canada is home to one-seventh of the world’s fresh water. Canada has a land mass of 9,970,610 square kilometres and occupies the northern half of North America. From east to west, Canada encompasses six time zones. Canada has coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific and the Arctic Ocean, giving it the longest coastline of any country. Canada’s southern boundary is an 8,892 kilometre border with the United States. Northern Canada’s Arctic islands come within 800 kilometres of the North Pole. In northernmost Canada only 12 per cent of the land is suitable for agriculture because of the harsh climate. As a result, most of the population of Canada live within a few hundred kilometres of the southern border, where the climate is milder.

4.1.2. Closest history influences The land now called Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aboriginal people. In the late 15th century, British and French colonies were established on the region of Atlantic coast. As a consequence of various conflicts, the United Kingdom gained and lost North American territories until left, in the late 18th century, with what IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

mostly comprises Canada today. Pursuant to the British North America Act, on July 1, 1867, three colonies joined to form the autonomous federal Dominion of Canada. This began an accretion of provinces and territories to the new self-governing Dominion. In 1931, Britain granted Canada near total independence with the Statute of Westminster 1931 and full sovereignty was attained when the Canada Act 1982 severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament.

4.1.3. Taboos treatment In order to go in depth into Canadian society, it is necessary to keep an eye on how they act in front of death and drugs.

4.1.3.1. Death rituals Funeral practices consist of customary observances for the dead and arrangements made for disposition of the body. There is a network of social and legal requirements to be met that usually involve the services of various professionals. Funeral services differ according to religious and cultural practices. Today, prearranged funerals are more the norm in Canada than they were in the last century. A person may dictate the nature and type of funeral, arrange for the final disposition of the remains, and even prepare the newspaper announcement ahead of time. An individual may be pronounced dead if the vital signs are missing or if brain waves are no longer detected. If sudden death is involved or if there is no clear reason for death, the provincial coroner or medical examiner requires an autopsy to be performed. Since health care is a provincial responsibility, the legal requirements are specified in provincial legislation. In all cases, legal requirements take precedence over religious views. Funeral homes are a service industry in Canada and most funerals in remote areas take place in funeral homes. For the majority of Canadians the funeral director prepares the body, washes it, ejects blood from the veins and substitutes embalming fluid (thus removing the discoloration of the skin), cleans and disinfects the chest and abdominal IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

cavity, applies makeup, fixes the hair and dresses the body in clothes provided by the next of kin. Restorative work, if the face has been damaged, may also be done. What was at one time called "the wake" is now a visitation or vigil. It is held in the presence of the deceased prior to burial. In the past, it commonly took place at the home of the family of the deceased. Although this custom still exists, especially in families that have recently come from Europe, vigils have commonly been replaced by viewing times at the funeral home with members of the family who respond to the condolences of visitors. For many years it was customary for friends and relatives to buy flowers, and the size of the floral spray varied according to the relationship with the deceased. In recent years a marked trend is to request gifts to charities instead of flowers. Funeral processions are headed by cars containing the mourners and followed by the hearse and friends of the family. The norm for interment is ground burial in ethnically and religiously appropriate cemeteries. Cremation (reducing the body to ashes by burning) is increasingly common in Canada. No set period is allocated for the bereavement process; traditional Jewish law specifies one week of mourning, after which reintegration with the community is enjoined. Widows in some traditions, such as Coptic Christian, are required to wear black clothing for a year, at the end of which a memorial service is held. Some Catholics adhere to the practice of holding a mass on the first anniversary of the death and some have masses said for the deceased, but Protestants have eschewed this remembrance of the dead. Some Muslims have a memorial dinner annually, especially if the individual was well-known in the community. For most Canadians, the funeral service is the last public occasion for relating to the dead. For those who leave a will, an executor will call the beneficiaries together for its reading, and the memory of the deceased lives on in the disposal of the inheritance. Private grave visitation may serve to bolster the memory but, except for those who follow ancestral traditions, there is little overt link with the dead.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

CEMETERIES may be either private or public, though there are legislated restrictions on private cemeteries. A gravesite is regarded by law as a piece of real estate and a deed is issued for the lot. The "deed" is frequently a form of rental and not a complete transfer of title. Most cemeteries have regulations regarding tombstones, markers and even flowers; contemporary cemeteries often try to create a park-like setting rather than traditional rows of graves. Ethnic, religious and even sectarian cemeteries are common in Canada and have restrictions based on memberships.

4.1.3.2. Social drugs acceptation Many Canadians report that they have used illicit drugs. At some point in their lives, 24% of Canadians have used one or more of the following illegal drugs: cannabis, cocaine. LSD, speed/amphetamines, heroin. More males than females report having used these drugs (30% versus 18%). Cannabis (marijuana/hashish) is the most widely used illegal drug in Canada. Just over 23% of Canadians report having used cannabis at some point in their life. Current use is around 7.5%. Twice as many males (10%) as females (5%) report use in the past 12 months. The percentage of Canadians reporting that they have ever used cocaine or crackcocaine is just under 4%. The number of current users (in the past 12 months) has dropped to 0.7% of the population. LSD, Amphetamines (Speed) and Heroin: the percentage of Canadians reporting use of one or more of these drugs in the past 12 months is just over 1%. More males (1.5%) than females (0.7%) use these drugs. The proportion of Canadians who have used these drugs at least once in their lives has risen to 6% from 4% in 1989. *Source: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

In Canada the politics of prohibition form a huge barrier to public health efforts to stem the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other pathogens. More than 45 per cent of new HIV infections in Canada and the United States are related to the injection of drugs. In the name of the War against Drugs, human rights are violated, environments damaged IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

and prisons filled with drug "offenders", many with no other crime than simple possession of drugs for personal use. In Canada each province and territory defines the legal drinking age for purchasing, possessing, consuming and supplying alcohol. It is between 18 and 19 years old. However, the most extended age is 19 years old. Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRDG) help Canadians moderate their alcohol consumption and reduce their immediate and long-term alcohol-related harm. The Guidelines recommend no more than two drinks a day, 10 per week for women, and three drinks a day, 15 per week for men, with an extra drink allowed on special occasions. Alcohol pricing is a proven, effective way of controlling the availability and consumption of alcohol and supporting a culture of moderation. As a general rule, higher prices translate into lower consumption and reduced alcohol-related harm, while lower prices lead to increases in consumption and related harm. Therefore, the increase on alcohol taxes is a tool for Canadian Governments to promote a culture of moderation. Smoking in Canada is banned in indoor public spaces and workplaces (including bars, restaurants and casinos), by all territories and provinces, and by the federal government. Some municipalities have bylaws restricting smoking further than the applicable national legislation. As of 2014, 18.1% of Canadians smoke.

4.2. The United States of America

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

The United States of America (USA), commonly referred to as the United

States (U.S.)

republic composed

or America, 50 states,

a federal

a district,

federal five

major territories and various possessions. The 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is located in the north western part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. At 3.8 million square miles (9.842 million km2) and with over 320 million people, the country is the world's third or fourth-largest by total area and the third most populous. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The geography and climate of the United States are also extremely diverse, and the country is home to a wide variety of wildlife. The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic and representative democracy, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law". The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document. For 2013, the U.S. ranked 19th on the Democracy Index and 17th on the Corruption Perceptions Index. In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government: federal, state, and local. The local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district. The United States is a developed country and has the world's largest economy by nominal and real GDP, benefiting from an abundance of natural resources and high worker productivity. While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial, the country continues to be one of the world's largest manufacturers. Accounting for 34% of global military spending and 23% of world GDP, it is the world's foremost military and economic power, a prominent political and cultural force, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

4.2.1. Geography The United States is the world's third or fourth largest nation by total area (land and water), ranking behind Russia and Canada. The U.S. borders both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and is bordered by Canada and Mexico. It is the third largest country in the world by area and has a varied topography. The eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains while the central interior is a vast plain (called the Great Plains region) and the west has high rugged mountain ranges (some of which are volcanic in the Pacific Northwest). Alaska also features rugged mountains as well as river valleys. Hawaii's landscape

varies

but

dominated

volcanic

topography.

Like its topography, the climate of the U.S. also varies depending on location. It is considered mostly temperate but is tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest.

4.2.2. Closest history influences Indigenous people lived in what is now the United States for thousands of years before European colonists began to arrive, mostly from England, after 1600. The Spanish had small settlements in Florida and the Southwest, and the French along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast. The original 13 colonies of the United States were formed in 1732. Each of these had local governments and their populations grew quickly throughout the mid-1700s. However, during this time tensions between the American colonies and the British government began to arise as the American colonists were subject to British taxation but had no representation in the British Parliament. These tensions eventually led to the American Revolution which was fought from 1775-1781. On July 4, 1776, the colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence and following the American victory over the British in the war, the U.S. was recognized as independent of England. In 1788, the U.S. Constitution was adopted IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

and in 1789, the first president, George Washington, took office. Following its independence, the U.S. grew rapidly. Despite its growth, the U.S. also had severe racial tensions in the mid-1800s as African slaves were used as labourers in some states. Tensions between the slave states and non-slave states led to the Civil War and eleven states declared their secession from the union and formed the Confederate States of America in 1860. The Civil War lasted from 1861-1865 when the Confederate States were defeated. Following the Civil War, racial tensions remained through the 20th century. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. continued to grow and remained neutral at the beginning of World War I in 1914. It later joined the Allies in 1917. The 1920s were a time of economic growth in the U.S. and the country began to grow into a world power. In 1929 however the Great Depression began and the economy suffered until World War II. The U.S. also remained neutral during this war until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, at which time the U.S. joined the Allies. Following WWII, the U.S. economy again began to improve. The Cold War followed shortly thereafter as did the Korean War from 1950-1953 and the Vietnam War from 1964-1975. Following these wars, the U.S. economy grew industrially and the nation became a world superpower concerned with its domestic affairs because public support waivered during previous wars. On September 11, 2001, the U.S. was subject to terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., which led to the government pursuing a policy of reworking world governments, particularly those in the Middle East.

4.2.3. Taboos treatment In order to go in depth into Canadian society, it is necessary to keep an eye on how they act in front of death and drugs.

4.2.3.1. Death rituals Within the United States and Canada, in most cultural groups and regions, the funeral rituals can be divided into three parts: Visitation, Funeral, and the Burial Service.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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Visitation. At the visitation (also called a "viewing" or "wake") the embalmed body of the deceased person is placed on display in the coffin (also called a casket). At the viewing, the friends and relations greet the more distant relatives and friends of the deceased in a social gathering with little in the way of ritual. The viewing often takes place on one or two evenings before the funeral. Frequently, the attendees sign a book kept by the deceased's survivors to record who attended and the attendees are expected to view the deceased's body in the casket. In addition, a family may choose to display photographs taken of the deceased person during his/her life, prized possessions and other items representing his/her hobbies and/or accomplishments. The decedent's closest friends and relatives who are unable to attend usually send flowers to the viewing, with the exception of a Jewish Funeral, where flowers would not be appropriate.

Funeral. A memorial service often called a funeral and often officiated by clergy from the decedent's church or religion. A funeral may take place at either a funeral home, church or even someone's home. Funeral services include prayers; readings from the Bible or other sacred texts; hymns (sung either by the attendees or a hired vocalist); and words of comfort by the clergy. Frequently, a relative or close friend will be asked to give a eulogy, which details happy memories and accomplishments. The immediate family is always the very last to view the loved one before the coffin is closed.

Burial Service. A burial service, conducted at the side of the grave, tomb, mausoleum or crematorium, at which the body of the decedent is buried or cremated at the conclusion. If the decedent served in a branch of the Armed forces, military rites are often accorded at the burial service.

Luncheon or Gathering. In many traditions, a meal or other gathering activities follow the burial service, either at the decedent's church or another off-site location.

Green funerals. In the United States, more and more people are opting for environmentally friendly burials. This means skipping embalming processes, nixing traditional concrete vaults and getting biodegradable, woven-willow caskets, which decompose into the ground. The Green Burial Council has approved 40 environmentally friendly cemeteries in the U.S. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; way up from a decade ago. Another option: becoming IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

a memorial “reef ball.” A company called Eternal Reefs compresses remains into a sphere that is attached to a reef in the ocean, providing a habitat for sea life.

4.2.3.2. Social drugs acceptation Illicit drug use in the United States has been increasing. In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older—9.4 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug in the past month. This number is up from 8.3 percent in 2002. The increase mostly reflects a recent rise in use of marijuana, the most commonly used illicit drug. Marijuana use has increased since 2007. In 2013, there were 19.8 million current users—about 7.5 percent of people aged 12 or older—up from 14.5 million (5.8 percent) in 2007. Use of most drugs other than marijuana has stabilized over the past decade or has declined. Cocaine use has gone down in the last few years. Methamphetamine use was higher in 2013, with 595,000 current users, compared with 353,000 users in 2010. Most people use drugs for the first time when they are teenagers. More than half of new illicit drug users begin with marijuana. Next most common are prescription pain relievers, followed by inhalants Drug use is highest among people in their late teens and twenties. 22.6 per cent of 18- to 20-year-olds reported using an illicit drug in the past month.

*Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

Drinking by underage persons (ages 12 to 20) has declined. Current alcohol use by this age group declined from 28.8 to 22.7 percent. Binge and heavy drinking are more widespread among men than women. In 2013, 30.2 percent of men and 16.0 percent of women who were 12 and older reported binge drinking. Fewer Americans are smoking. In 2013, an estimated 55.8 million Americans aged 12 or older, or 21.3 percent of the population, were current cigarette smokers. This reflects a continual but slow downward trend from 2002, when the rate was 26 percent. Teen smoking is declining more rapidly. The rate of past-month cigarette use among 12- to 17-year-olds went from 13 percent in 2002 to 5.6 percent in 2013. The policy related to drugs in the U.S. is extremely different and variable depending on the state treated. Nevertheless, lately there is being an acceptance to legalize the consumption, possession, and sale of marijuana in various states, like Alaska and Colorado, among others. Being Colorado and Washington the pioneers.

What People Think While people in the U.S. are reluctant to legalize hard drugs such as heroin, meth and cocaine, attitudes are more lenient when it comes to marijuana, as reflected in the following surveys:

"Do you favour or oppose the legalization of marijuana?" Favour: 34 % Oppose: 59 % Not sure: 7 %

"Assuming marijuana is not legalized, do you think people arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana should be put in jail, or just have to pay a fine but without serving any time in jail?" Put in jail: 19% Just pay a fine: 72% Both: 2% Neither: 4% Not sure: 3% IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

"Do you think adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if their doctor prescribes it or do you think that marijuana should remain illegal even for medical purposes?" Allow medical use: 80% Illegal even for medical purposes: 17% Not sure: 3%

"According to statistics, lots of people have tried marijuana at least once. How about you, have you tried marijuana at least once?" Yes: 47% No: 50% Not sure: 3%

*Source: CNN/ORC Poll.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

5. SOCIETY FROM BADALONA 5.1. Badalona

Badalona is a city in eastern Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the region of Barcelonès, joined to Barcelona and part of its metropolitan area. It is situated on the left bank of the small Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea, backed by the Serra de la Marina mountain range. It covers an area of 21 km2 which is varied in relief, running from the sea to an altitude of 465 metres and has a population of 218,000 inhabitants. Badalona is the third most-populated municipality in Catalonia after Barcelona and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. The harbour is chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades, while in town there are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works, as well as the manufacture of woollen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy. The surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit. The city is home to the historic distillery which produces Anís Del Mono, a spirit made of herbs and anise, the most famous anisette in Europe. The city is especially renowned for sport, in particular basketball, thanks to the mark made on it by the Club Joventut de Badalona. The town was the venue for basketball and boxing events in the Barcelona Olympic Games of 1992. And, about culture, we have to highlight the traditional Cremada del Dimoni ("burning of the devil") on the night of 10th May, St. Anastasius eve, which has been declared an event of tourist interest. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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5.1.1. Geography Badalona is a mountain and coastal city. The mountain chain Serralada de Marina is on the north and west, and the Mediterranean Sea on the east. It should be pointed out that due to this fact there are some important riverbeds, which is typical of the Maresme area. Actually, the four wavy blue lines on the flag refer to the most important riverbeds in the town. Badalona has a sub humid Mediterranean climate, which is warm, without extreme temperatures. It often rains in autumn and spring and summers are hot and dry.

5.2. Closest history influences Badalona was founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC, with the name of Baetulo, although human settlements in the area existed from 3500-2500 BC. The Iberians had fortified villages on the Melasas and Boscà hills since the 7th century BC. In the 1st century BC it had 15,000 inhabitants. Nowadays it is a town with plenty of history and a significant Roman archaeological legacy. The current Badalona was formed in the 10th century, as a new urban nucleus built over and around the old Roman city. It comprised a group of houses built around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This rural and urban dichotomy would remain until the mid-18th century. Sant Jeroni de la Murtra Monastery, built in the 14th century, housed the Catholic Monarchs of Spain where they would spend their summers. This is also where they received Christopher Columbus after his first voyage to the Americas. Badalona was one of the most important towns during the Spanish industrialization process, from the 19th century onwards. It became a city in 1897. During the Civil War in Spain (1936 –1939), Badalona was bombed 27 times by fascist Italian planes which were helping Franco. Like the rest of Spain, Badalona suffered Franco’s Catholic ultra national military dictatorship for 37 years. This fact had a strong influence on the population, not only on politics, but also on the regression of society.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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5.3. Taboos treatment In order to go depth into Badalonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society, it is necessary to keep an eye on how they act in front of death and drugs.

5.3.1. Death rituals In Badalona, the death of a loved one is treated differently than in English speaking countries. Funerals usually occur within 24 hours of the death, while funerals in England and other places might be held three or more days later. This period can be extended if the family wish to wait for relatives, but the burial usually occurs rapidly by most comparisons. Once a death occurs in Badalona, a certain protocol must be followed. First, the proper authorities need to be informed. If the death takes place in a hospital or some other care facility, this will be done automatically. If not, the Local Police need being informed. They will, in turn, advise the Forensic Judge, who will be summoned to come to the place of death to authorise the removal of the body. The deceased person's physician should also be informed of the death. Normally an autopsy is not required if there is no doubt of the cause of death. It is of the utmost importance to remember that once you sign any paperwork given to you, even by the police, you are tied to that Funeral Director. A traditional burial usually follows the church service. The body must be buried although cremation is currently more accepted and popular considering that people are less religious and do not want to visit cemeteries. In fact, nowadays there are more cremations than burials. In Badalona, if cremation is chosen, family can accompany the dead until the process starts; because it is done in the basement of the building of the funeral home, located in the mountain. Friends and extended family members commonly accompany the immediate family at the funeral home. Thinking ahead, there are ways by which you can lower the level of stress your death causes upon your loved ones by pre-planning. It is the sensible way of making sure that your wishes are obeyed and that your family is not forced to make important decisions. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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Pre-planning also offers a way by which you can protect yourself from the everincreasing prices of funeral services. FUNERAL INSURANCE - More than 60% of the population in Badalona has funeral insurance. With it, the insurance company takes care of the expense of everything (move, flowers, paperwork, preparing the body and burial or cremation).

5.3.2. Social drugs acceptation The Law on the Protection of Citizens’ Security (1992) establishes drug consumption in public and illegal possession as serious order offences punishable by administrative sanctions, primarily fines of 300€–30,000€. In 2010 the organic law enacted amendments to the penal code in reference to drug-related provisions. Fines are the usual punishment, but the law anticipates that the execution of the fine can be suspended if the person freely attends an official drug treatment programme. Spanish law lays down penalties for trafficking in line with the seriousness of the health damages associated with the drugs and any aggravating and mitigating circumstances that may exist, such as selling to minors under 18 or the sale of large quantities. Sentences can be between 1–3 years if the drugs do not cause serious health damage, and, in line with the amendments enacted in 2010, up to six years when they do. When aggravating circumstances exist, penalties can be up to 20 years and 3 months in prison. In all cases, a fine is also imposed. In 2011 the Royal Decree 840 set out a procedure for the suspension of enforcement of prison sentences of five years and less for those sentenced for offences committed due to the use of illicit substances in cases when the offender agrees to participate in a treatment programme. A general population survey on drug use

(Source: EDADES)

among people aged 15–64

living in family households has been carried out in Spain on a biennial basis since 1995. The latest survey was carried out in 2013 with a sample of 23,136 respondents. The survey found that cannabis was the most commonly used illicit substance in Spain, with 30.4 % of the respondents reporting lifetime use, followed by cocaine at 10.3 %, ecstasy at 4.3 % and amphetamines at 3.8 %. There are some indications that the prevalence of recent use for most illicit substances has declined slightly since 2009. In 2013, last year prevalence of cannabis use was 9.2 % (9.6 % in 2011; 10.6 % in 2009), and last month IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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prevalence was 6.6 % (7.0 % in 2011; 7.6 % in 2009). Last year use of cocaine declined from 2.7 % in 2009 to 2.2 % in 2013, while experimentation was 1.3 % 2009 and 1.0 % in 2013. Reported prevalence of recent ecstasy and amphetamine use did not change significantly in the period 2009–13 and their use has remained at low levels. Prevalence of illicit substance use is higher in younger age groups. Thus lifetime prevalence of cannabis use was 40.2 % among young adults (aged 15–34), which indicates a slight increase between 2011 and 2013 and might highlight that ‘experimentation’ with cannabis has become more ‘habitual’ among today’s younger generation. However, continuity of use is fairly low. Only 17 % had used cannabis within the last year, and 12.2 % within the last month. Those aged 15–24 were the most frequent users of cannabis in the last month (14.7 % in 2011 and 2013). There are also indications that although the overall prevalence of cannabis use seems to be declining, those who continue to use it do so almost daily. Recent use of cocaine is also most prevalent among those aged 15–34, while in general reported lifetime prevalence of cocaine base and heroin use was higher among people over the age of 34. Use of all illicit substances remains more prevalent among males than females. The study indicates the prevalence of use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) remained stable between 2011–13, with 3 % of adults reporting ever having used them and with the highest prevalence rates among respondents aged 25–34. As with other illicit substances, the use of new psychoactive drugs was reported by more males than females. The use of illicit psychoactive drugs is concentrated in sub-groups of people who have often used several different drugs in a given period. Polydrug use remains a very common consumption pattern, with about half of those who used psychoactive substances reporting having used two or more substances in a given period, with licit drugs (particularly alcohol) almost always present, and with greater prevalence among those aged 18 and over. The most recent national survey on drug use among students aged 14–18 ESTUDES)

(Source:

was conducted in 2012. It found that the most commonly used illicit drug was

cannabis, with lifetime prevalence of 33.6 %, compared to 33.0 % in 2010. Lifetime prevalence rates for other illicit drugs were 3.6 % for cocaine, 3.1 % for hallucinogens and ecstasy, 2.4 % for amphetamines and 1.0 % for heroin. Use of cannabis in the last 30 days was reported by 16.1 % of the sample.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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 It is forbidden to drink alcohol on the street; if the police pick you up drinking in public you can be fined on the spot.

 Possession of drugs for personal use in Badalona does not constitute a criminal offence under Spanish law. However, public consumption is penalised with administrative fines.

 Public possession of less than two ounces of cannabis is not a criminal offence, although heavy administrative fines can be imposed. Possession of more than two ounces or growing for sale is considered a criminal offence, but prison terms are not as severe as in the UK or USA.

 Spain’s drinking age is 18. Accordingly, admittance to bars and clubs that serve alcohol is restricted to people aged 18 and over.

 Spain’s minimum age to buy cigarettes is 18.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlÃ©s Cosano

PRACTICAL PART

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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6. INTRODUCTION In order to make clear the main points of this project, different technical aspects are concreted below.

6.1. Theme of study The theme of study is investigating the different ways of treating the same taboos (sex, drugs and death) in North America (USA and Canada) and Badalona on behalf of European continent.

6.2. Thesis  In spite of their common origin, both societies have followed different paths to overcome and treat these taboos already mentioned, getting to a close situation with drugs and death and an extremely different one in terms of sex.

6.3. Objectives  To prove if the societies from Badalona and North America are equally advanced with respect to drugs and death.  To prove if the society from Badalona has beaten the taboo of sex better than the North American society.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

7. METHODOLOGY For the experimental part of the project, data extracted from interviews and a survey will be analysed. On the one hand, the same survey will be asked to young people, who will be between 13 and 30 years old, from Badalona, Canada and the USA. On the other hand, two different interviews will be done; one of them to a specialist in social behaviour and the other to six people, three of them from Badalona and the other three from North America.

7.1. Survey The exactly same survey was asked to 50 young people in Badalona and to 50 young people from the USA and Canada. It consisted of 15 questions with 3 indirect questions which only could be answered depending on the response of a previous question. With the responses got from the surveys, different aspects can be pointed out: for instance, whether the person knows what the term taboo means; or if they would feel embarrassed talking about whomever state of pregnancy to whoever; among various queries related to death, sex and drugs. *The actual survey is attached in the annex.

7.2. Interview In order to delve into the treatment of these taboos, an interview was composed so that this investigation could be more accurate. The same questions were asked to 6 people between 15 and 19 years old, 3 of them from Badalona and the rest from North America; there are two American people and a Canadian person. In addition, an educational psychologist was also interviewed in order to get rigorous information.

7.2.1. North American people As it has been explained previously, three people from North America were interviewed by email so that accurate information could be extracted. They are between 15 and 19 years old. Two of them are from the USA and one of them from Canada. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

On the basis of the responses got from the interviews, it can be admitted that they, on behalf of their societies, do not show to have problems when talking about dead people with their relatives or closest environments. However, they do show how society has molded their minds in order to make them use euphemisms when referring to a dead person because it is supposed to sound more polite. The most curious fact is that they all recognise that the use of the term “dead” has no negative connotations for them. In addition, they all show that their North-American society accepts and assumes the consumption of alcohol by the young. Besides this fact, two of them, the ones who are 17 and 19 and have already drunk alcohol, share the place in which they consumed alcohol for the first time: in a celebration or party. This means that young people start drinking alcohol in situations with friends or reliable young relatives. Therefore, we can suppose that the main reason to start consuming drugs is peer pressure. Finally, in the sphere of sex they all have shown that although the schools’ concern about making sex something normal and common, they do not feel really comfortable when talking about it to their parents; nevertheless, they have no problems with friends. Moreover, they all recognise it as a taboo in their culture, in spite of the fact that they personally might not recognise it as it. Luckily, they do receive some information by the already mentioned schools; although this information is not actually valued by them since they consider it sometimes so basic or simple that it becomes useless. In conclusion, the death and soft drugs are not a taboo for them; however, sex and hard drugs are. *The actual responses are attached in the annex.

7.2.2. People from Badalona As it has been explained previously, three people from Badalona were interviewed by email so that accurate information could be extracted. They are between 17 and 18 years old. According to the responses got from the interviews, it can be declared that they, on behalf of their society, do not show any kind of inhibition when talking about a dead person with their closest environment. Nevertheless, they agree in the fact that they all IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

use euphemisms in Spanish in order to sound less sharp or hurtful; that is to say, they recognise the influence society has had on them in terms of vocabulary. Moreover, in the field of drugs, they all show that society accepts the fact of consuming the drug of alcohol, even being a minor, during teenage years. In their personal case, their parents know it or would know it if they consumed. However, they would not explain them their consumption of other hard drugs, like cocaine. This shows us that society is concerned and worried about this highly detrimental consumption. The most curious fact is that the two people who have consumed alcohol recognised having done it when they were at a party or surrounded by friends, but then one of the subjects states that he did not do it due to peer pressure. Indeed, although he admits it or not, he was encouraged by his friends and that environment to try it. Last but not least, they all acknowledge that in their culture sex is not a taboo. Despite of this, they prefer to discuss it with their friends than with their parents. Two of the subjects confess to having been given a talk about puberty or body changes previously to teenage years either by their mothers or at school. This manifests a general awareness of the known need of explaining the natural process of changing of our bodies. In conclusion, sex, soft drugs and death are not taboos; nevertheless, hard drugs are. *The actual responses are attached in the annex.

7.2.3. Educational psychologist In order to obtain precise conclusions from this project, an educational psychologist was interviewed by email due to the fact that the young are the subject of the project and she works with them every day. Her name is Esther Crisol GonzĂĄlez and she is a pleasant educational psychologist who answered extremely kindly to the questions. As a professional, she states a taboo is a restriction imposed by a society in a particular field based on prejudices. She also declares schools are an important tool to break taboos, but not the only one. It is also said that the Judeo-Christian culture is the base of our current society, and it does influence; however, taboos evolve with their society. That is why we do not still have or treat taboos as we used to. A curious remark she made was the fact that nowadays the death is not such a taboo; the actual fear is IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

becoming old. She also affirmed that although the North-American society and the Spanish one share the same cultural base, their history has been sufficiently different to make them evolve into having different taboos, as well as distinct moral values. About the death, she firmly thinks that it is a big stranger for us, and we usually fear strangers. Therefore, the existent taboo related to it is a defence mechanism. She also averred that despite the fact that there are many societies which accept the death as a mere step in the life cycle, all of them regard the child death as an aberration; and none of them manage or suffer it in a normal way. She was also asked if the acceptation of some drugs, like tobacco, and the extreme taboo imposed to others is hypocritical. She responded that neither tobacco nor somniferous cause immediate harm; heroin and cocaine do. They are frequently associated to delinquency and a certain kind of behaviour, while somniferous or anxiolytics are good to make us function or solve a momentary period of our lives. She did not answer clearly, but we can deduce she bases her opinion in two points: whether it is harmful and whether it is necessary to let us life with normality. Therefore, I assume she thinks it is not hypocritical because the soft ones either are needed or do not damage us. *The actual responses are attached in the annex.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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8. PRESENTATION OF TWO SUITABLE PROFILES Now, two profiles of subjects who have average and minimum qualities to answer the survey, as well as the interviews, are shown; with the exception of the educational psychologist.

8.1. North-American suitable profile Name: irrelevant. Gender: male and female. Age: 13 – 30 years old in the case of the surveys / 15 – 19 years old in the case of the interviews. Studies: attending high school, college or university. Religion: irrelevant. Nationality: Canadian or American.

8.2. Suitable profile from Badalona Name: irrelevant. Gender: male and female. Age: 13 – 30 years old in the case of the surveys / 15 – 19 years old in the case of the interviews. Studies: attending high school, college or university. Religion: irrelevant. Nationality: Spanish, concretely a Badalona inhabitant.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

9. COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS GOT FROM THE SURVEYS

In order to expose, contrast and make the information and responses got from the surveys more easily visual, each question with its answers is shown below. The answers of people from Badalona are blue, and the North-American ones are red.  You are a

50%

Female

50%

Male

50%

Female Male

 Tick depending on your age:

20%

13-15

20%

13-15

16-19

20-30

60%

 Where are you from?

Badalona

50%

The USA Canada

100%

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 Do you know what the term “taboo” means?

20% Yes

Yes

No 80%

92%

 If you do, do you think sex is a taboo in your environment?

32%

Yes

30%

Yes

68%

No 70%

 Have you ever talked about sex with your parents?

34%

Yes

47% 53%

66%

Yes No

*In case you haven’t, why? This was usually justified by stating that either they would feel embarrassed or, simply, that situation has never occurred.

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 How did you receive some information about sex? 4%

10%

Parental information

20%

A school talk By some friends or older relatives

56%

Parental information

20%

A school talk

30% 40%

Others

By some friends or older relatives Others

**Most North-Americans who chose “others” added the fact that films were the means which made them get some information related to sex.

 Would you feel embarrassed talking with whomever about the state of pregnancy of a friend of yours?

8% Yes No

Yes

49% 51%

92%

 Do you think it is given enough information about drugs and their addiction in your environment?

Yes

9% 42% 49%

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16%

More or less No, at all

2015/16

34%

Yes More or less

50%

No, at all

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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 Which one do you think it is the main reason that leads someone young to consume drugs (obviously not as medication)?

6% The peer pressure 20%

Curiosity 74%

The peer pressure

34%

Personal problems

40%

Curiosity Personal problems

26%

 Have you ever tried any drugs? (REMEMBER: alcohol and cigarettes are also drugs, as well as cocaine among others.)

30%

40%

Yes No 70%

Yes No

60%

 If you have, do your parents know about it?

Yes 6%

Yes

12%

30% No, but they guess so

82%

No, at all

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54% 16%

No, but they guess so No, at all

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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 Has anyone important in your life died?

42%

Yes

30%

Yes

58%

No 70%

 If somebody has, do you talk about it with your family?

23%

33%

Yes

67%

No 77%

 When talking about a hypothetical situation related with death do you touch wood or knock on it?

Yes, just in case

44% 56%

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Yes, just in case

38% 62%

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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 Does a patient deserve to know the truth about his/her illness when there are no possibilities to survive? 6% 14% Yes

Yes

No 86%

94%

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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10. VERIFICATIONS EXTRACTED FROM REAL FACTS 10.1. Breasts of Janet Jackson / Sabrina and reactions

Sabrina, New Year’s Eve 1987 (Spain)

Janet Jackson, Super Bowl 2004 (USA)

In the bold world of pop music, women are often asked to be extremely appealing to attract more audience. This includes wearing provocative garments which sometimes can become a problem with which they have to deal while dancing. On New Year’s Eve 1987, the singer Sabrina Salerno was performing her hit “Boys” for the national Spanish TV channel, which was really followed due to the only existence of two channels in total. During her performance, her right breast came out of her top; being seen by the audience. After the astonishment showed by the witnesses, the anecdote became the national joke; without any sort of controversial polemic. Seventeen years later, in the performance of Janet Jackson with Justin Timberlake for the Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League in the USA, Janet’s right breast also came out to everyone’s surprise, being named “Nipplegate”. This fact was even categorised as a “tragedy, shame and trauma for our children and teens” by the Parents Television Council (PTC) from America. The most conservative associations started a tough campaign in order to preserve the American morality. An Associated Press poll taken nearly three weeks after the Super Bowl found that 54% of American adults considered the exposure distasteful; while in Australia and Europe the children who watched the televised breast were somehow unaffected by the sight, as if by magic. In Europe, public reaction was widely affected by incomprehension to the indignation of the American media and audience and not in terms to the bare breast of Janet Jackson. *Actual drawings from American traumatised children are attached in the annex. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

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10.2. Cinematography Cinematography (from Greek: κίνημα, kinema "movements" and γράφειν, graphein "to record")

the

art of

motion-picture photography by

recording light or

other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as film stock. What is actually interesting is the fact that a lot of films, as well as art in general, are a reflection of the daily life of the society in which the action takes place. Therefore, different aspects of the world of cinema have been subject of study in this project.

10.2.1. Age rating Films are rated by each country in order to warn the future possible watchers from their content. Therefore, the scale used can be different depending on the conservatism of the society in question. On the one hand, in Spain, a film is classified “+18”when its content is not proper for people under eighteen due to the presence of extreme violence and apology for drugs consumption. Sex is leniently taken into account when rating a film. However, in Spain the rating is just a recommendation; there only exists prohibition under eighteen for X films. On the other hand, in North America, a film is restricted for adults when it is unsuitable for children due to the presence of extreme violence, strongly implied sex or graphic language. While violence is permissively taken into account when rating, sex is excessively restricted. In some cases, even the presence of an adult or guardian is necessary to watch the film.

SPANISH AGE RATING General admission

APTA 7

Not recommended for audiences under 7

Not recommended for audiences under 12

Not recommended for audiences under 16

Not recommended for audiences under 18 Prohibited for audiences under 18

Película X

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NORTH-AMERICAN AGE RATING All ages admitted

G (General Audiences)

Some material may not be suitable for children

PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) PG – 13 (Parents strongly cautioned)

Some material may be unsuitable for children under 13 Under 17 requires accompanying adult guardian

R (Restricted) NC – 17 (Adults only)

No one 17 and under admitted

10.2.2. Pedro Almodóvar - ¡Átame! (Tie me up! Tie me down!)

Almodóvar’s 1990 film ¡Átame! (Tie me up! Tie me down!) is a dark romantic film starring by Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abril. It tells the story about Ricky, a 23year-old psychiatric patient, who has been deemed as cured and is released from a mental institution. Until then he has been the lover of the woman director of the hospital. As an orphan, free, and alone, his goal is to have a normal life with Marina Ozores, an actress, former porn star, and recovering drug addict, with whom he once slept during an escape from the asylum. In order to achieve his goals, he kidnaps her and their complicated love story starts. Things got so hot that the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) wanted to give the film a “X” rating, which was normally reserved for hard-core pornography. As the film is far from pornography, the studio handling the distribution rights in the US fought for an “R” rating. At the end, the studio lost its case in court and the film was ultimately released as “unrated”; but it gave rise to a general debate on cinema, censorship, and sexuality in the United States. Therefore, a few months after the polemic, the “NC-17” rating was born. Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abril, really offended by the “X” rating, made some comments in order to point out their disapproval. He stated: “Because of a scene of love and not violence the MPAA classifies us as an X, but they do not give us any explanation. I think life is X. If Picasso and El Bosco are X, I want to be X”.

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

10.3.

The Simpsons: it is a series which is a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture, society, television, and many aspects of the human condition. Taking the information above into account, an extract from the fifth episode of the twentieth season, called “Dangerous Curves”, has been analysed due to the relation with the taboo of sex in North America. SEASON 20 – EPISODE 5: Dangerous Curves The whole speech of the sequence has been written down, as well as some photos of the scene have been attached, in order to expose the ironic and critical content. *The actual scene is attached in the annex.

The conclusions which can be deduced from the sarcastic scene are that, on the one hand, in the USA children can be naturally exposed to guns, arms and dead people , but they cannot witness acts of love neither, obviously, actual sex. On the other hand, the final comment of Homer, which is associated with videogames, also implies that videogames stupefy people, especially the new generation of children who have grown up entirely with them.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

11. CONCLUSIONS After the realization of this project, different affirmations can be pointed out, taking into account the information gathered. In the sphere of drugs, there is a huge difference between hard drugs and the soft ones. On the one hand, hard drugs are completely a taboo in both societies due to the harm they cause; therefore, consumers try their best to keep it secret. On the other hand, soft drugs, as alcohol or marijuana, are treated more naturally; especially by young people. In addition, parents and adults accept and regard the idea of consuming these drugs during young ages as something completely reasonable and normal. In the field of death, both societies present certain similarities and variations. Definitely it can be affirmed that neither of them has problems when talking about a dead person; however, in both societies euphemisms are usually used, although it is recognised that this happens because of trying to be more polite due to the social connotation. Nevertheless, North-American society conducts better and more naturally the sorrow of the loss through their rituals, in which people gather together and honour the dead person; while in Badalona the process is much less social and more private. That is why Badalona could improve the way in which death is focused, trying to be able to make the process more open and natural. Even though, dealing with the death of whoever loved is never an easy path. In the area of sex is where an extreme contrast can be found. Obviously both societies have immense differences in their attitude towards sex. North-American society has developed a deep taboo in reference to everything related to sex and being prudish as well as proper. Everything associated with sex is considered indecent and immoral enough to try to keep children and teens away from it, achieving ridiculous levels; while in Badalona this topic is frequently commonly accepted as part of life. Taking this into consideration, North-American society ought to work hard on this matter; as they have a big problem. Therefore, they should face their prudish attitude and realize it has already been overcome by most modern societies; and if they do not want to stay behind, in the end they will have to change their minds and order their priorities, in which violence is proudly shown off, meanwhile there is a national scandal because of a breast. Definitely their behaviour is not actually reasonable at all.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

“Fight for change? Thirst for difference? Start talking what men avoid talking about.” Toba Beta, Master of Stupidity

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

ANNEX

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

12. BIBLIOGRAPHY, WEBLIOGRAPHY AND OTHER RESOURCES FREUD, SIGMUND. Totem and Taboo. Routledge, London, 1919. LÓPEZ QUINTAS, ALFONSO. Estrategia del lenguaje y manipulación del hombre. Narcea, Madrid, 1988. WILLOCK, BRENT; CURTIS, REBECCA C. and BOHM, LORI C. Taboo or Not Taboo: Forbidden Thoughts, Forbidden Acts in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. Karnak Books, London, 2009. http://es.globedia.com/la-religion-en-espana https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religi%C3%B3n_en_Espa%C3%B1a http://geology.com/world/canada-satellite-image.shtml https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada http://yourcanada.ca/geography/ http://www.borealbirds.org/blog/2011/03/25/protecting-the%25e2%2580%259cblue%25e2%2580%259d-forest http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/funeral-practices/ http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/362/ille/rep/rep-nov98-e.htm https://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/160/3-drugs.htm http://www.ccsa.ca/Eng/topics/alcohol/Pages/Legal-Drinking-Age-for-Alcohol-inCanada.aspx https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Canada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States http://geography.about.com/od/unitedstatesofamerica/a/unitedstatesgeography.htm http://ideas.ted.com/11-fascinating-funeral-traditions-from-around-the-globe/ http://thefuneralsource.org/trad01.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_drug_trade_in_the_United_States IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva AlĂŠs Cosano

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends http://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics http://ebooks.cambridge.org/chapter.jsf?bid=CBO9780511617881&cid=CBO97805116 17881A008 https://unit3englishlanguageaos2.wikispaces.com/Week+4+Taboo+Origin+and+Histori cal+Change http://savageminds.org/2006/01/20/on-the-origins-of-sexual-prohibitions/ https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/taboo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_drug_prohibition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badalona http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?id=080155&lang=es http://beyondsilos.eu/pilots/badalona-spain/ http://www.history.com/topics/francisco-franco https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badalona http://dying.lovetoknow.com/death-cultures-around-world/hispanic-culture-death-dying http://correduriamdctest.grapa.ws.mialias.net/ca/content/asseguranca-de-decessos http://www.tanatoribadalona.com/es/ http://www.barcelonaconnect.com/info-barcelona-laws-customs/ http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/countries/spain http://www.kisspanda.net/the-simpsons-season-20-episode-5-dangerous-curves/ http://genius.com/Ra-the-rugged-man-make-you-famous-lyrics#note-1745179 http://www.blogodisea.com/recuerdos-navidad-nochevieja-destape-sabrina-salerno.html http://www.theonion.com/article/us-children-still-traumatized-one-year-after-seein-1285

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXVIII_halftime_show_controversy#Unit ed_States http://gotopless.org/news.php?extend.11 https://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/family-life/Media/Paginas/Movie-Ratingsand-What-They-Mean.aspx https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_rating_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tie_Me_Up!_Tie_Me_Down! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Association_of_America https://www.filmin.es/blog/las-40-peliculas-mas-polemicas-de-nuestra-historia https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/taboo

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

13. SURVEY 1. You are a

 Male  Female

2. Tick depending on your age:  13-15  16-19  20-30

3. Where are you from?    

The United States The United Kingdom Canada Badalona

4. Do you know what the term “taboo” means?  Yes  No If you do, do you think sex is a taboo in your environment?  Yes  No

5. Have you ever talked about sex with your parents?  Yes  No In case you haven’t, why?

6. How did you receive some information about sex?    

Due to parental information. Due to a school talk. Due to some friends or older relatives. Others (.........................................................)

7. Would you feel embarrassed talking with whomever about the state of pregnancy of a friend of yours?  Yes  No IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

8. Do you think it is given enough information about drugs and their addiction in your environment?  Yes  More or less, although we could have received more  No, at all

9. Which one do you think it is the main reason that leads someone young to consume drugs (obviously not as medication)?  The peer pressure  Curiosity  Personal problems

10. Have you ever tried any drugs? (REMEMBER: alcohol and cigarettes are also drugs, as well as cocaine among others.)  Yes  No If you have, do your parents know about it?  Yes  No, but they guess I’ve already tried some  No, at all

11. Do you talk about the death easily?  Yes  No

12. Has anyone important in your life died?  Yes  No If somebody has, do you talk about it with your family?  Yes  No

13. When talking about a hypothetical situation related with death do you touch wood or knock on it?  Yes, just in case  No

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

14. Does a patient deserve to know the truth about his/her illness when there are no possibilities to survive?  Yes  No

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

14. INTERVIEWS ANSWERS ANDREA SANCERNI 1. Por favor, preséntate (nombre, edad, dónde vives, a qué te dedicas...). Me llamo Andrea Sancerni Sánchez y tengo 18 años. Vivo en Badalona, concretamente en el barrio de Morera. Actualmente, estoy estudiando Enfermería en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) de Sant Pau. 2. ¿Qué se hace en tu país cuando una persona muere? ¿Qué clase de ceremonias se siguen? En mi país cuando una persona muere lo más común es que se entierre, aunque también es habitual que se incinere el cuerpo. Tenemos que tener en cuenta que no sólo hay esas dos opciones, también se puede ser donador de órganos o dar tu cuerpo a la ciencia. Dependiendo de si la persona fallecida es o no creyente, se celebraran diferentes tipos de ceremonias religiosas, según las propias creencias. 3. ¿Ha muerto alguien importante en tu vida? En caso afirmativo, ¿hablas sobre el muerto y sobre su muerte con tu ambiente más cercano con normalidad, es decir, sin problema alguno? Sí, lamentablemente han muerto personas importantes en mi vida y muy queridas. En su momento, cuando el tema era reciente, costaba hablar de ello porque te vienen recuerdos a la mente y no has tenido tiempo de asimilar todo lo que está pasando porque está muy reciente. Pero a medida que pasan los años, te vas haciendo más a la idea, aunque nunca lo olvidas, y por lo tanto, puedes hablar con más naturalidad. Respondiendo a la pregunta, sí hablo de las personas fallecidas con mi ambiente más cercano sin ningún tipo de problema y siempre recordando los buenos recuerdos que nos dejaron. 4. ¿Qué piensas sobre el uso de eufemismos como “fallecido” para referirnos a un muerto? La verdad que nunca me he puesto a pensar sobre ello, pero encuentro que la palabra “fallecido” suena más suave que la de “muerto”, sinceramente, no sé el porqué, tal vez, porque se ha estipulado así en la sociedad y nos resulta más normal llamarlo de esta manera. Considero que la palabra “fallecido” crea un cierto respeto hacia esta persona, aunque, no creo que la palabra “muerto” tenga nada negativo. 5. ¿Has consumido drogas alguna vez? (Obviamente no como medicación.) No, nunca he consumido drogas. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

6. ¿Podrías describir en qué tipo de ambiente estabas y que te llevó a probarlas? Como he dicho antes, no he consumido, por lo tanto, no puedo describir el ambiente. He de decir, que si me encontrara en un ambiente para consumir, las rechazaría, sea el ambiente que sea. 7. ¿Crees que los jóvenes reciben suficiente información sobre las drogas en tu país? ¿Por qué? Considero que hay muchas campañas creadas por la Salud Pública sobre los diferentes tipos de drogas y que algunas de ellas han hecho efecto. Por otro lado, también considero que debería haber más para concienciar todavía más a los jóvenes, debido a que en la sociedad de hoy en día, encontramos a muchos niños que empiezan a fumar o a beber alcohol muy pronto y esto puede afectar gravemente a su salud física y mental. 8. ¿Hablarías sobre tu propio consumo de drogas con tu familia? No se ha dado el caso, pero en el hipotético caso de que yo misma consumiera drogas imagino que no lo hablaría. También depende del tipo de drogas, por ejemplo, si fumo tabaco o bebo alcohol, sí que lo diría, en cambio si consumo otro tipo de drogas la verdad es que no lo sé; me tendría que ver en esa situación para saber responder con total sinceridad. 9. ¿Crees que el sexo es considerado un tabú en tu cultura? ¿Por qué? La verdad creo que el sexo no es ningún tabú en mi cultura. La gente habla de ello con total normalidad porque realmente es algo que está en nuestro día a día y por lo tanto, no veo motivo de que sea un tema tabú. También opino que a muchas personas este tema les produce algo de vergüenza, por algún motivo que desconozco. 10. ¿Te avergüenzas al hablar de sexo con tus padres? ¿Y con tus amigos? Normalmente sí. No suelo hablar sobre el sexo, no por nada en especial, sino porque no es un tema de conversación que me venga a la mente. También es importante remarcar que normalmente es más llevadero este tema si lo hablas con tus amigos que con tus padres, aunque hay de todo y creo que todo se basa en la relación de confianza que mantienes tanto con tus padres como con tus amigos. 11. ¿Recibiste algún tipo de información sobre la menstruación y los cambios corporales cuando aún no eras un adolescente? Pues la verdad que no lo recuerdo. Tal vez algún tipo de información recibí, pero debió ser poca porque no lo recuerdo con claridad. La que me aportó información fue mi madre.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

12. ¿Te dieron alguna charla sobre sexo en el colegio/instituto? Sí, bastantes. Sobre todo en el instituto, que suele ser más habitual. Considero que estas charlas están muy bien para concienciar a los jóvenes de la importancia del preservativo y para fomentar su uso. Además es importante para posteriormente evitar, tanto enfermedades de transmisión sexual como posibles embarazos no deseados cuando eres solamente un niño.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

SERGI BERLANGA 1. Por favor, preséntate (nombre, edad, dónde vives, a qué te dedicas...). Me llamo Sergi Berlanga, tengo 18 años y soy de Badalona. Actualmente estudio el grado universitario de Mitjans Audiovisuals en la Universidad Pompeu Fabra. 2. ¿Qué se hace en tu país cuando una persona muere? ¿Qué clase de ceremonias se siguen? Se celebra un velatorio en el que las personas pueden despedirse de quien ha muerto y al día siguiente una misa oficiada por un cura en la que las personas conmemoran el paso a la otra vida. Todo está lleno de religión pero es cierto que es emotivo. Asimismo, podría ser emotivo sin necesidad de hacer referencia a historias cristianas. 3. ¿Ha muerto alguien importante en tu vida? En caso afirmativo, ¿hablas sobre el muerto y sobre su muerte con tu ambiente más cercano con normalidad, es decir, sin problema alguno? Sí, pero era bastante pequeño cuando esto pasó. Aún así, respondiendo a la segunda pregunta, me es fácil hablar de la muerte de gente cercana a mí (y de la no cercana también, claro), porque aunque tengo mucho miedo a la muerte, encuentro que es algo que tenemos que aceptar cuando llega. De hecho, hace falta aceptar todo como llega porque si lo tienes que aceptar es señal de que ya ha pasado, y si ya ha pasado es señal de que no puedes volver a atrás. 4. ¿Qué piensas sobre el uso de eufemismos como “fallecido” para referirnos a un muerto? Encuentro que “no hacen daño”, que como están tan incorporados a nuestro lenguaje no tienen especial importancia. Lo que sí que hace falta es ser conscientes sobre qué significa morir y de qué podemos morir, y hablar las cosas tal como son para evitar falsas expectativas o maquillar una realidad que es la que es y, como digo, tenemos que aceptar. 5. ¿Has consumido drogas alguna vez? (Obviamente no como medicación.) Si drogas supone alcohol, sí. 6. ¿Podrías describir en qué tipo de ambiente estabas y que te llevó a probarlas? Estaba con amigos, de fiesta o tomando algo en un bar. No sé qué me llevó a probar el alcohol, pero lo que sí sé seguro es que no fue por la presión de nadie ni por intentar parecer un hombre grande que bebe. 7. ¿Crees que los jóvenes reciben suficiente información sobre las drogas en tu país? ¿Por qué? IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

Considero que mucha y de mala manera. Las charlas no son para concienciar y incitar al no-consumo, sino explicativas, y encuentro que esto tiene un efecto contrario. El hecho de tener información nueva y querer saber más puede instar a probar estas sustancias estupefacientes. Yo recuerdo las charlas de drogas con risas y burlas, donde lo más interesante era una imagen de alguien estirado en el suelo borracho. 8. ¿Hablarías sobre tu propio consumo de drogas con tu familia? Sí, y de hecho lo hago. Saben que no me excedo con el alcohol y que consumo por saborear nuevos sabores. 9. ¿Crees que el sexo es considerado un tabú en tu cultura? ¿Por qué? No. El sexo es una actividad cuotidiana, sana y necesaria, y es divertido hablar de los tópicos del sexo y se hace. Si a alguien le gusta más o menos hacerlo ya es cuestión de la personalidad y la forma de ser de cada uno. 10. ¿Te avergüenzas al hablar de sexo con tus padres? ¿Y con tus amigos? Con mis padres sí, porque el tipo de relación que tengo con ellos y la manera de pensar que creo que tienen no da pie a que hablemos de esto, pero con mis amigos no, porque todos vivimos el sexo de manera similar y todos tenemos dudas y experiencias similares. 11. ¿Recibiste algún tipo de información sobre la menstruación y los cambios corporales cuando aún no eras un adolescente? No, que yo recuerde. Las informaciones y los descubrimientos eran fruto de conversaciones con amigos. Ejecutábamos la inteligencia colectiva (un término muy audiovisual, que se note que estoy aprendiendo), que consiste, como buenamente se puede intuir, en poner en común situaciones y vivencias e ir aprendiendo de aquello que le ha pasado al otro. 12. ¿Te dieron alguna charla sobre sexo en el colegio/instituto? Sí, pero de la misma manera que la charla de drogas, me pareció una parafernalia, que ni instruía, ni se adentraba en el tema y que, como actividad principal, tenía colocar un preservativo en un pene de plástico. Que sí, que es importante, pero entre la poca dedicación de quien dirigía la charla y que a nuestra edad lo más lúcido era decir a qué compañero pertenecía el pene más pequeño, el resultado es un desastre y una hora de clase perdida; que bien, para aguantar las clases que tenemos que aguantar, gracias a este sistema educativo, no sé qué era peor.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

SARA DÍAZ 1. Por favor, preséntate (nombre, edad, dónde vives, a qué te dedicas...). Me llamo Sara Díaz y tengo 17 años. Vivo en Badalona y actualmente curso 2º de Bachillerato. 2. ¿Qué se hace en tu país cuando una persona muere? ¿Qué clase de ceremonias se siguen? En mi país cuando una persona fallece lo más normal es que ésta sea incinerada o enterrada. Previamente, se le hace un velatorio en el tanatorio que dura 1 día. A veces se celebra una misa si la persona o la familia son creyentes. 3. ¿Ha muerto alguien importante en tu vida? En caso afirmativo, ¿hablas sobre el muerto y sobre su muerte con tu ambiente más cercano con normalidad, es decir, sin problema alguno? Afortunadamente, nadie excesivamente importante en mi vida ha muerto. De todos modos, sí que ha muerto alguna persona conocida; en este caso siempre he hablado de una forma muy natural con mi ambiente más cercano. 4. ¿Qué piensas sobre el uso de eufemismos como “fallecido” para referirnos a un muerto? Creo firmemente que los usamos para intentar desprender más respeto hacia el fallecido, ya que decir “el muerto” suena un tanto brusco. Realmente, son convenciones sociales. 5. ¿Has consumido drogas alguna vez? (Obviamente no como medicación.) Sí, alcohol. 6. ¿Podrías describir en qué tipo de ambiente estabas y que te llevó a probarlas? Estaba con mucha gente joven y amigos en una fiesta de cumpleaños en la que se reservó toda una discoteca para el cumpleañero. 7. ¿Crees que los jóvenes reciben suficiente información sobre las drogas en tu país? ¿Por qué? Sí. Ya que yo a lo largo de mis estudios he asistido a diferentes charlas, que eran obligatorias, sobre las drogas y sus efectos. Con lo cual, creo que desde nuestra más temprana madurez ya nos enseñan el camino correcto a seguir; aún así, la elección es sólo nuestra. 8. ¿Hablarías sobre tu propio consumo de drogas con tu familia?

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

Sí, de hecho mis padres saben que bebo alcohol cuando salgo de fiesta. Imagino que si consumiese drogas más fuertes, como cocaína, no se lo explicaría tan alegremente. 9. ¿Crees que el sexo es considerado un tabú en tu cultura? ¿Por qué? No lo creo. Aunque quizás sí hay gente que se siente incómoda hablando sobre este tema, creo que es un mínimo. En general, creo que es tratado de forma completamente natural y normal, dado que es algo bastante básico. 10. ¿Te avergüenzas al hablar de sexo con tus padres? ¿Y con tus amigos? No en ambos casos. Obviamente, si me diesen a elegir, preferiría hablar con mis amigos sobre sexo, ya que es más natural y hacemos mucha más coña; aún así, también lo he hablado con mis padres sin ningún tipo de problema o pudor. 11. ¿Recibiste algún tipo de información sobre la menstruación y los cambios corporales cuando aún no eras un adolescente? Sí, por parte de mi madre especialmente. En mi colegio, en sexto de primaria, me dieron una charla sobre sexo y pubertad. 12. ¿Te dieron alguna charla sobre sexo en el colegio/instituto? Sí, muchas. Especialmente en el instituto. Si no recuerdo mal, durante la ESO me dieron una cada año en la que nos explicaban los diferentes métodos anticonceptivos, a dónde acudir en caso de embarazo indeseado y la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres a la hora de mantener sexo con personas que no son tu pareja (en la que las personas de ambos sexos son triunfadores), entre otros temas como las enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Las charlas fueron bastante útiles para concienciarnos.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

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TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

JULIA BOHM 1. Please, introduce yourself (name, age, where you live, what you do...). My name is Julia and I am a student residing in Michigan (USA). 2. What is it done when a person dies in your country? What kind of ceremonies is followed? When someone dies in my country there is usually a funeral conducted by friends and family of the deceased. 3. Has anybody important in your life died? In case someone has, do you talk about the dead and its death with your near environment with no problems? No one important in my life has died. 4. What do you think about the use of euphemisms as “passed away or departed” to refer to a dead? I have no objections to those euphemisms but I prefer to just speak plainly about death. 5. Have you ever consumed drugs, obviously not as a medication? I’ve never consumed drugs. 6. Could you describe in which kind of environment you were and what led you to try them? N/A 7. Do you think that young people get enough information about drugs in your country? Why? I think young people in my country don’t get enough information about the dangers of drugs because school health classes do not effectively teach about the harm drugs can do. 8. Would you talk about yourself consuming drugs with your family? I don’t think so. 9. Do you thing sex is considered a taboo in your culture? Why? I think generally speaking it is, but I don’t feel uncomfortable talking about it. 10. Do you feel embarrassed talking about sex with your parents? And with your friends? I don’t feel embarrassed talking about sex to either my friends or my family. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

11. Did you get any information about the menstruation and body changes when you weren’t a teenager yet? I did get information about menstruation and puberty before teenage years. 12. Were you given any talk about sex in your school? Yes, sex education was a required class at my school.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

ZACHARY STONEMAN 1. Please, introduce yourself (name, age, where you live, what you do...). My name is Zachary and I’m a 17-year-old student from Maryland, in the USA. 2. What is it done when a person dies in your country? What kind of ceremonies is followed? Firstly, the person is usually placed in a coffin so that people who love them can visit them. Then, this is followed by a funeral and finally they are buried or cremated. 3. Has anybody important in your life died? In case someone has, do you talk about the dead and its death with your near environment with no problems? Yes, my grandparents died when I was 8 and 10 years old. Yes, although it isn’t a usual topic. However, when I talk about them I do it normally. 4. What do you think about the use of euphemisms as “passed away or departed” to refer to a dead? I usually use them, especially in formal environments, because in the eyes of society it detaches more respect to the deceased. 5. Have you ever consumed drugs, obviously not as a medication? Yes, I have consumed alcohol and I tried marijuana twice. 6. Could you describe in which kind of environment you were and what led you to try them? I was with my friends. The first time I tried alcohol I was in a friend’s basement because he was celebrating a kind of little party. 7. Do you think that young people get enough information about drugs in your country? Why? Actually, I live in a really big country, so I’m not sure about how things work, for example, in Nebraska or California. Nevertheless, I think young people don’t get enough information about drugs, at least in Maryland. We luckily get some, but it does not show enough its future destructive effects. 8. Would you talk about yourself consuming drugs with your family? Yes, actually I have already done it. They know I drink alcohol occasionally at parties or celebrations. 9. Do you think sex is considered a taboo in your culture? Why?

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

Yes, because it isn’t treated normally when a young person asks older people, like parents or a teacher, about it. So you end up searching on the net basic questions, especially when you are 13 or 14. However, among the young it is treated commonly. Also, when watching a movie and there’s a sex scene with your parents they tend to become nervous or feel awkward. 10. Do you feel embarrassed talking about sex with your parents? And with your friends? Obviously not with my friends, but kind of with my parents because they’ve never liked to talk about actual sex. 11. Did you get any information about the menstruation and body changes when you weren’t a teenager yet? Yes, at school in 6th grade we were given a talk about puberty. 12. Were you given any talk about sex in your school? Yes, at school I was given a talk about sex education in 7th and 9th grade. In my opinion, they weren’t very useful, though.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

LIANE NEWMAN 1. Please, introduce yourself (name, age, where you live, what you do...). My name’s Liane and I’m 19 years old. I’m currently studying Film in Toronto, where I’m from. 2. What is it done when a person dies in your country? What kind of ceremonies is followed? It depends on the religion of the deceased. Funeral homes are usually put in charge of all the process. 3. Has anybody important in your life died? In case someone has, do you talk about the dead and its death with your near environment with no problems? Yes, my aunt died when I was 14. Yes, she is still part of our lives. At home, we talk about her with no problems. 4. What do you think about the use of euphemisms as “passed away or departed” to refer to a dead? I have to recognise that I use them because I’ve always been told to. Dead has no negative connotations, but it can sound impolite to some people. 5. Have you ever consumed drugs, obviously not as a medication? Yes, I have consumed alcohol. 6. Could you describe in which kind of environment you were and what led you to try them? I was with my cousins. The first time I tried alcohol we were celebrating a birthday. 7. Do you think that young people get enough information about drugs in your country? Why? I did get enough information about drugs and its effects, at least schools usually give great importance to it. So, they give talks about it. 8. Would you talk about yourself consuming drugs with your family? Yes, of course! My parents already know that I drink alcohol from time to time. 9. Do you think sex is considered a taboo in your culture? Why? I think so. It is a taboo because people feel embarrassed talking to certain people about it.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

10. Do you feel embarrassed talking about sex with your parents? And with your friends? Well, in my case it’s a little bit different because my mother is a doctor, so she treats this topic differently, trying to be cool. However, it used to make me feel extremely awkward; now it doesn’t. On the other hand, when I’ve talked about it with my friends I’ve always done it normally. 11. Did you get any information about the menstruation and body changes when you weren’t a teenager yet? Yes, my mum gave me a talk about menstruation and puberty before I was a teenager. Besides, at school in 5th grade we were given a talk, too. 12. Were you given any talk about sex in your school? Yes, at school I’ve been given talks since grade 6 to grade 11. Sometimes they were too explicit. Then they become useless due to the basic information they explained.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

15. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST’S ANSWERS 1. Definición del término tabú desde el punto de vista de una psicopedagoga. Desde mi punto de vista un tabú es una restricción impuesta en un ámbito determinado (relaciones personales, alimentación, comunicación…) en una sociedad determinada que se fomenta en un prejuicio. 2. ¿Es posible romper un tabú muy arraigado en una sociedad a través de la educación escolar? En caso afirmativo, ¿cómo? Creo que es posible superar los tabús y precisamente se tiene que hacer desde la educación. Los tabús se basan en falsas creencias, y a la vez estas creencias se fundamentan en los valores de las personas y de la sociedad. Así pues, desde la escuela se puede ayudar a superar los tabús porque en la escuela se educa en valores. Ahora bien, la escuela es sólo un ámbito de la sociedad, y por desgracia con poca influencia si lo comparamos con el poder de otros agentes sociales como por ejemplo los medios de comunicación. 3. ¿Es la cultura judeocristiana lo que motiva la mayoría de tabúes en la sociedad occidental? En caso afirmativo, ¿cómo se explica esta influencia teniendo en cuenta que cada vez la sociedad es menos practicante? Sí, los tabús siempre hay que situarlos en una cultura determinada, y la base de la cultura europea es la tradición judeocristiana…pero la cultura no se puede reducir sólo a la religión. La cultura es por definición el conjunto de valores, creencias, prácticas, costumbres, tradiciones i conocimientos vigentes en una comunidad y que se transmiten de generación en generación mediante la educación. Así pues, los tabús también se transmiten pero van evolucionando porque las sociedades evolucionan. En nuestra sociedad uno de los tabús vigentes ha sido el sexo, que efectivamente estaba vinculado al tema religioso, pero que también era utilizado como herramienta de control social. Ahora yo creo que un tabú es la muerte pero su fundamentación no está tanto en la religión, sino en el valor que nuestra sociedad da a la juventud. Ya no nos preocupa tanto morir, sino no envejecer. 4. A pesar de tener culturas similares, ¿por qué Europa y Norte América han desarrollado conductas opuestas con el sexo y el pudor? Porque tenemos valores muy diferentes, es por esto que el factor religioso es un factor más pero no el único, ni el más determinante. Con el tema de las armas de fuego… ¿por qué razón están aceptadas en los EUA y, en cambio, no en Europa? ¿Qué pensarías si tu padre tuviese una pistola y su diversión fuese ir los fines de semana a un campo de tiro con tu hermano a practicar puntería? O piensa en el tema de la pena de muerte…tan aceptada en los EUA y tan rechazada en Europa. Es cierto que tenemos una base cultural similar pero nuestra historia ha sido muy diferente. IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

5. ¿El tabú hacia la muerte es una vía de escape al dolor y sufrimiento? Ahora creo que no… la muerte es una gran desconocida y todo lo que no conocemos nos da miedo. En todo caso es un mecanismo de defensa hacia aquello que es desconocido. A mí hay un eufemismo que “me hace mucha gracia”, para no decir que una persona ha muerto decimos “ha perdido la vida”; ¿cómo que ha perdido la vida? ¡¡¡¡¡Como si la vida se pudiese volver a encontrar!!!!! 6. ¿Hay algún ejemplo de sociedad en el que se gestione la muerte de una forma más natural? Depende. Hay culturas que aceptan la muerte con más normalidad, como un estadio más del ciclo de la vida. Las culturas orientales son un ejemplo. Ahora bien, cuando la muerte se produce a edad temprana, en la mayoría de culturas se vive de una manera más dramática. 7. Teniendo en cuenta que el alcohol, el tabaco, los ansiolíticos, los somníferos, etc,… son drogas; ¿es un tanto hipócrita la aceptación por parte de la sociedad del consumo de estas sustancias frente al extremo tabú establecido hacia otras? La respuesta a esta pregunta es un poco compleja. Por un lado nos encontramos en una sociedad de consumo que nos incita a seguir unos patrones determinados: fumar, consumir bebidas alcohólicas, estar delgados en exceso, comprar determinada ropa… Por otro lado está el tema del control social y de las consecuencias del consumo de ciertas sustancias. Si consumes tabaco, aún creando adicción, las consecuencias de este consumo a corto plazo no son tan graves como si consumes cocaína o heroína… el consumo de somnífero no se vincula a actos de delincuencia. Yo en un momento dado puedo necesitar tomar un ansiolítico o somnífero porque me ayudará a solventar un problema de salud… pero siempre sobre supervisión médica… porque para poder funcionar en mi vida necesito dormir o tener cierto nivel de tranquilidad… pero es necesario esnifar unas rayas de coca para pasártelo bien.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

16. DRAWINGS FROM TRAUMATISED AMERICAN CHILDREN

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16

TABOOS: NEW GENERATIONS, RENEWED MENTALITIES?

Eva Alés Cosano

17. THE SIMPSONS SCENE Antecedents: they are going on holidays to a certain campsite when they come across a young couple who is hitchhiking. They all end up in the same car.

Homer: Knock it off!!!

Homer: Oh, dear! You expose my children to your tender feelings! Bart, don’t you dare take your eyes off the GameBoy! Bart: Yeah, Sir!

Bart: I’m cuckoo for killing stuff!

Homer: Oh, videogames! With which America did the best generation ever.

IES POMPEU FABRA BADALONA

2015/16