To ask what topics are off-limits for you when talking to others, or that you’re more selective about sharing, and why?

[CoralCrab]

I’ve been thinking about how certain topics can feel off-limits in conversations, or how we’re more selective about who we discuss them with. Whether it’s money, relationships, politics, or something else, I’m curious - what topics do you avoid bringing up with others, and why? Is it about avoiding conflict, maintaining privacy, or just personal preference?

Vaccines. I'm very pro vaccine and will not budge on this when people don't vaccinate their children and then want to spout their Facebook evidence to why I just don't want to hear it as we will never agree.

My medication. Some parts of my religion (as in arguments about it) Politics sometimes

Depends who it is. I open up to people in stages so I may tell them about where I am from, basic family stuff, what I had for tea, what my like dislikes are etc but not what I really think about work/ politics/sex/ health/Grief/my relationship etc. when I get to know them better I share more. I am happy to discuss most things once I am comfortable with someone ( so trust them and know they will be respectful and not someone who thinks it's their way or the highway). Some people I will never go beyond surface level pleasantries with and they will never know what I really think.

I think I mean it's less about the topic of conversation and more about my relationship with my audience.

My general rule of thumb is to never tell anyone something that I wouldn’t willingly tell everyone- you can always share more later but you can’t unsay something

Politics, particularly the independence referendum. I had an awful 6 months where the whole work place was campaigning and trying to harang people to vote their way.

I will not ever bring up Scottish independence in conversation. If it is discussed I try to be vague about my views.

I am quite a closed book though and don’t like to talk about personal/family matters etc.

your opinion on my lifestyle choices

i home educate and follow a different style of parenting to most of society I'm also a white witch in to crystals so im classed as alternative

ive been home ed since 2015 and the amount of strangers that's told me its illegal is in the hundreds ,its usually the very older generation

we have been in any public place and ive been told so many times where the local schools are like i don't know
even happened miles away on holidays

one that comes to mind is from 2016 with a older person in the swimming pool ,he had to be 80s
on his opinion on how wrong home ed was
it was that bad he was asked to get out and we got a weeks worth of swimming as a apology

he just came up to us and asked why they were not in school, i told him nun-ya sod off het back to you swimming(you know the ones that just goes up and down) and he went in to rant on how illegal it is to keep kids off school to just go swimming

i then said they are home ed f off back to your own business and he came right up to me and bumped me

now im 6ft so when i stood up fully i towered over him and he didn't like it and started shouting im about to hit him
the lifeguard saw everything and asked him to leave

also religion I'm a atheist so have no interest in your pretend sky people

ive also zero interest in politics so wont have a clue if anyone starts a conversation about it

ive a rare form of inattentive ADHD so unless my brain wants to know or are interested in the topic your saying the brain doesn't spark up or kick in enough to hold a interest

Money. People talking about how much they earn, how much they have saved, I find it embarrassing. Especially the "humblebrag".
Someone saying they can't afford something is different, more like sharing a problem.

I'm very selective about how I speak about my past. I haven't done anything wrong but have been through a lot, and due to this when I tell people they seem to treat me differently. I don't like sympathy or suggestions on how to fix my life so I keep it at bay. I'll talk about anything else though- sex, money, religion, politics.

I sort of envy people who keep their entire lives a mystery. One of my closest friends who I admire greatly is very good at keeping neutral and mysterious.

Irl, I avoid talking about Israel/Gaza

Agree with pp that it’s less about topic than the combo of topic and person I’m talking to.

My health issues.

Immigration
Religion

I live in a rural area, lots of friends are farming families.

I do not mention hunting / shooting / badgers. Ever.

Neither do they.

Mostly politics. I seem to have ended up mixing with a lot of Conservative voters (I suppose as we’ve become more well off ourselves) and whereas when I was younger, I was always up for a robust discussion, nowadays I haven’t got the energy.

I live in the U.S. so Donald Trump, I can’t keep my opinions to myself about him and can’t even be diplomatic about my opinions because I hate him and the lies he spews so much. So I don’t bring the election up with anyone besides my immediate family to preserve my dignity

I always avoid standing at the edge of a room at parties as I don't like to admit to others that I know the earth is flat and I don't want to fall off (because none of us actually know where the edge is...)

To be blunt I don't care about the other party goers falling off the edge, it they do it will be more cheese and pineapple on a stick from that hedgehog thing for me.

I never talk about religion or politics.

Almost nothing, I'm a pretty open book, bordering on over sharer sometimes (I fear).

I don't love talking about religion but that's because my background seems to raise hackles on all sides (I'm from a mixed religion family and have experienced negative reactions from both atheists and religious people).

Religion. I'm not bothered what god a person believes in, but I don't want to hear about it. I don't believe in any god, and that's my opinion. I don't tell anyone else they're daft or wrong in believing in their chosen god, but yet some people (believers) feel the need to ask me why I don't share their views.

😳

I'm quite opinionated so I'll talk about most things, but if I don't know a person well, and I get the vibe they have different views to me, I'll tone it down & try to be more neutral. I remember a friend of a friend one time being visibly stunned when I openly admitted to being a capitalist 😂

The only questions I wouldn’t welcome being asked by friends would be about my sex life and how much I earn, both of which are private. Nothing else is off bounds.

I’m careful asking other people things like I would never ask another woman why she is child free or has an only child , even through I am happy to be asked myself.

Things like religion, free will, multiverse theory of quantum mechanics.

Surprisingly emotive topics.