One of the oldest pieces of dating advice is to eschew talking about politics and religion on the first date. Given the heated nature of political discourse in this country today, the advice rings more true than ever and it’s applicable in a variety of other circumstances.
For example, job interviews or meeting new people at social functions are neither the times nor the places to discuss politics and religion. Those aren’t “sexy” topics, but they are intimate and personal, explaining why when we’re meeting someone for the first time, it’s best to stay away from these subjects.
Finances fall into the keep-it-to-yourself sleeve, but some folks arguably take it too far. A recent survey suggests many Americans would rather talk about politics and religion than the current state of their bank accounts.
“The national opinion poll found that about 3 in 5 U.S. adults (61 percent) said they would be uncomfortable talking about their bank account balances with family members or close friends. And other financial subjects like credit card debt or annual salaries don’t spark much enthusiasm either,” notes Bankrate.
By comparison, fewer than 20% of those queried were similarly reluctant to discuss religion and just 24% were loath to talk about politics.
Money Talk Still Taboo to Some
The Bankrate survey jibes with other studies confirming many Americans are apprehensive about having money conversations. Some polls even note that in romantic relationships, the participants would rather talk about their partners’ prior intimate encounters than finances.
Alright so it’s understandable that if one doesn’t have what they consider to be a lot of money in the bank they don’t want to discuss those balances, but Bankrate also points out that 47% of those polled don’t want to talk about their credit card debt and 45% say “no” to chats about their salaries.
“In comparison, a much smaller portion of Americans say they would be uncomfortable with such sensitive topics as their weight (31 percent), political views (24 percent) and religious views (18 percent),” observes the research firm. “Even one’s love life seems to be less awkward of a topic for some Americans than the state of their bank accounts, with 51 percent of U.S. adults saying they would be uncomfortable discussing matters of the heart with family or close friends.”
Obviously, money is a sensitive topic, but it can’t be avoided forever. Folks in serious relationships that could be leading to marriage need to discuss finances before heading to the altar. Likewise, parents need to have some money talks with their children as part of broader estate planning strategies.
Credit Goes to the Youngsters
Critics can say what they want about Gen Z, but give that generation credit when it comes to discussing finances, particularly in romantic relationships. They’re not shy about doing so and they get it out of the way early on.
(Image Courtesy: Bankrate)
From that, it can be inferred that the taboo lens through which some financial conversations are viewed is largely generational and that younger people are breaking that mold. That’s a good thing because it could lead them more productive paths where financial arguments and stress are reduced.
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