There is only taboo morality.

The thing about taboo is that “taboo” doesn’t actually mean anything, though those whose lives it dominates don’t quite, or anyway don’t openly, see that.

There is no trait of actions, things, people, or institutions to which “taboo” refers.

Much less any trait of the importance believers attribute to the one falsely supposed to be denoted by “taboo.”

[Update, 08082017.

Oops.

Bit of a de re / de dictu confusion, there.

There is no property such that the Islanders believer, of it, that it is denoted by "taboo," though they do believe, with whatever degree of confidence, of "taboo," that there is some property it denotes.

Not at all the same thing.

My bad.]

The same is true of “wrong” when used with moral intent, or “unjust,” or “vicious” as well as “right,” “just,” “righteous,” or “virtuous.”

Just as, strictly speaking, “sex with a menstruating woman is taboo” is nether true nor false because “taboo” doesn’t mean anything, so “sex with a menstruating woman is wrong” is neither true nor false because “wrong” used with moral intent has no meaning.

Further, “It is taboo to eat escargot with red wine” fails to express a reason not to eat escargot with red wine.

And this is not because it is silly or false but because it is meaningless, neither true nor false, and hence cannot express a reason for or against anything.

And the same is true of the sentence, “It is wrong to eat escargot with red wine.”

And of “Justice demands democracy” and “Confiscatory taxation is unjust.”

But just as people are raised to take seriously such nonsense as “It is taboo to eat asparagus with butter,” they are raised to take seriously claptrap like “It is wicked to tell discreditable lies about your political opponent.”

And given that the relevant delusions are already established in the societies around them, people find such talk useful in acculturating children, in controlling adults, or in justifying – or condemning! – coercion and violence.

None of which is to say I mean to discourage eating asparagus with butter or encourage telling slanderous lies in politics.

I approve the former and often do it, myself.

I disapprove the latter, though I make no promises about special cases.

[Update 12262015.

Correction.

I enjoy eating asparagus, and that is not the same as approving it.

And I am put off by people telling slanderous lies, though that is not the same as disapproving.

/Update.]