{"id":6295,"date":"2025-09-05T13:14:42","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T12:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/?p=6295"},"modified":"2025-10-10T17:19:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T16:19:22","slug":"talking-taboos-20-defining-awkward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/talking-taboos-20-defining-awkward\/","title":{"rendered":"talking taboos 20 | defining awkward"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6295\" class=\"elementor elementor-6295\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f388622 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f388622\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f1821e\" data-id=\"1f1821e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e85829 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6e85829\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 07-02-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/taboosymposium\/events\/288709816\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/BANNER_TABOO_socialMedia_FB.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-95e2aaa elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"95e2aaa\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2ac98be\" data-id=\"2ac98be\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-573cf1e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"573cf1e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG-1024x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-6239\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/awkward_07_greyBG.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-591f6ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"591f6ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 07-02-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">the agenda<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54bed6f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54bed6f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 07-02-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>The original motivating force behind <i>talking taboos<\/i> was to give strangers the opportunity to talk openly about uncomfortable things.To date we&#8217;ve been lingering on friendly philosophical discussion, mostly due to my own fear of putting people on the spot with uncomfortable questions in a public setting. However consistent participant feedback keeps coming back: &#8220;less philosophy, more taboo!&#8221;.<\/p><p>So. In swoops technology and saves the day in the guise of (drumroll)&#8230;\u00a0<i>the anonymised survey<\/i>. We are going to start the evening&#8217;s conversation based on participants&#8217; answers to the adjacent questions.<\/p><p>Interested in attending? Head over\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/taboosymposium\/events\/310954507\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=announce_event&amp;utm_source=link&amp;utm_version=v2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> to register.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67be6c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"67be6c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<b>Are you registered for the event and can&#8217;t find us?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/signal.group\/#CjQKIP2eaAO_R7NbaMNSlKiB-WXJs2Ei J4BtT40UEbI6oYUEhAsb91jluqG9yypYqCsw2Y1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Drop a message in our signal group here and we&#8217;ll help you out.<\/a><\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-63a2264\" data-id=\"63a2264\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8568b16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8568b16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Talkin' Taboos 20: Defining Awkward<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ece232 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6ece232\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>TL: DR:<br \/>when: <\/b>October 9, 2025 @ 7pm<b><br \/>where:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genialokal.de\/buchhandlung\/berlin\/metisbooksandcafe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Metis Bookshop<\/a>\u00a0(Gleimstrasse 21, 10437)<b>**<br \/>donation: <\/b>3\u20ac <b>(goes directly to Metis)<br \/>what: <\/b>an anonymous\/optional survey (questions below) is going to provide the basis for our conversation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1a3550 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a1a3550\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9833ad7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9833ad7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks to everyone who came out to the event.<b>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tabooAwkward_results.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CLICK HERE TO SEE SURVEY RESULTS!\u00a0<\/a> Also, to those who joined us, i&#8217;d be thrilled and grateful if you took a minute or so to fill out a mini-feedback questionnaire about what you thought of the event. That can be\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/fhqDeVg14uoxzRKfA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">found here<\/a><b>.<\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d19f5d0 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d19f5d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 07-02-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider 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.elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider__element{margin-left:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider__element{margin-right:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-start:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-end:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-block-start:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86eb839 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86eb839\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><b>For people who have randomly happened upon this event, below is a series of questions that attendees were asked to prompt our evening&#8217;s conversation:\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><b>what (if anything) makes you nervous about other people?<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 feelings of inferiority<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 feelings of being judged<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 fear of not sharing things in common<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 fear of not being able to communicate in a relaxed way<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 feelings of alienation due to perceived differences<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 none of the above, what are you talking about, other people don\u2019t make me nervous at all!<\/p><p><b>how do you deal with discomfort in social situations?<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 keep quiet and observe.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 talk a blue streak and hope I\u2019m making sense.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 thank fuck for smart phones (resumes doom scrolling)<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 I avoid uncomfortable social situations.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 rely on friends\/colleagues to keep things going.\u00a0<\/p><p><b>what would you wish was (structurally) different (aka helpful) about social gatherings\/encounters with strangers?<br \/><\/b><br \/><b>which (if any) of the following things do you feel uncomfortable discussing with others? (check all that apply)<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 money\/class<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 relationship difficulties<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 family difficulties<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 breakups\/being single<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 health \/ illness<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 mental health struggles<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 religious\/spiritual beliefs<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 sex\/fetishes<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 failures<\/p><p><b>what life event would you like to discuss with someone else but are afraid to do so? (changing details for further anonymity is fine but please no 100% fiction)<\/b><\/p><p><b>were you ever cast out\/made fun of as a child and if so, has it influenced your adult behaviour in any significant way?<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 yes<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 no<\/p><p><b>have you ever been wrongly judged by others without the opportunity to clarify\/resolve the issue?<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 yes<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 no<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 still trying to resolve just such a situation<\/p><p><b>have you ever publicly failed at anything?<\/b><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 yes<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 no<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 \u00a0 depends on how you define failure (see next question)\u00a0<\/p><p><b>if \u2018yes\u2019 to the previous question, how do\/did you define failure?<\/b><\/p><p><b>what else? (missing questions\/talking points on the subject)<\/b><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>the agenda The original motivating force behind talking taboos was to give strangers the opportunity to talk openly about uncomfortable things.To date we&#8217;ve been lingering on friendly philosophical discussion, mostly due to my own fear of putting people on the spot with uncomfortable questions in a public setting. However consistent participant feedback keeps coming back: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6295"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6295"}],"version-history":[{"count":162,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6514,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6295\/revisions\/6514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6295"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.steflenk.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=6295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}