Religion vs Politics vs Income
In 2017 I posted this question to my Facebook community:
If you met someone for the first time in a more formal setting (at school, conference, business meeting…) which would you feel LEAST comfortable asking?
- Who did you vote for? (presidential election)
- What is your religion?
- How much money do you make?
Here are the results of that poll:
- 20%
- 10%
- 70%
Yes, according to that poll 70% of people would feel the most awkward or uncomfortable asking how much another person makes! The sample size for that poll was extremely small & not super diverse so I would love to continue the conversation & hear which one you would choose. Please leave a comment on this article with which one you’d be most scared to ask someone.
The results of that pole, even though small, actually reflect what I have witnessed in real life. As we go through life we meet & become acquainted with many people. Typically you can find out quickly or at least over the course of a few weeks the answers to the first two questions but finding out how much someone makes is not so normal.
People seem to be open & willing to talk about their political & religious views & beliefs, however, when it comes to money rarely does anyone talk openly about that. Why is it that you can have friends for years & even decades & still not know how much that person makes? Do you even know how much your parents make? Or your siblings?
Is Income THE Most Taboo Topic?
When people first start out on their income earning journey they are quick to divulge how much they make. Normally it’s a teenager with an hourly job & all their friends & family know how much their hourly rate is. Somewhere along the way, people stop talking about it. It seems to be extremely taboo. So taboo, in fact, that people are more open with their sex lives than their income.
There are many reasons why people do not want to tell everyone how much they make & I respect that. I do however want to get people talking more about money both in general terms but also specifics. The issue is people are growing up in a society based on money yet they enter adulthood knowing almost nothing about it. No one is teaching kids about income, investments, interest rates, debt, compound interest, budgeting…
It’s time to start being a bit more open about money. I challenge you to open up some conversations about money. Ask your friends how much they paid for their car or house, if they’re financed, & what the financing terms are. Ask them if they budget & how much they budget for certain things like groceries, entertainment, & clothing. Ask about their past jobs & how much they got paid because many people are willing to talk about what they used to get paid but hesitant to talk presently. Ask if they invest & what they’re investing in. Ask about their financial goals.
When you start asking people these questions be willing to share your own answers. We can learn so much from each other but we are holding back. Stop holding back & start helping.