Online Class Notes (Lily) [R]

Vocabulary

1. taboo (noun)= 禁忌
ex: we shouldn’t talk about how much we make among our colleagues, it’s a taboo.
ex: I never talk to my boyfriend about my ex, it’s a taboo.

2. shame= 羞耻
ashamed of XX
ex: I was ashamed of my sister when she peed on her pants.

3. gap= 缝隙 空档
ex: age gap
ex: gap year= take a year off
ex: I have an hour gap from 5-6, we can have some food.

So, should we talk about how much we earn? It’s not so simple. Even without the contractual obligations, people may still be reluctant. “I personally have found it’s better not looking and not knowing,” Tracy Jordan, an HR professional, told the BBC. “Even if you feel you are paid a fair wage, there will always be someone that you perceive is doing a lesser job and is earning more. Rather than feeling perpetually dissatisfied, I think ignorance can be bliss.”

Money is tied up with complex emotions, Brianna McGurran, a money expert at the personal finance blog NerdWallet, told the New York Times. It involves emotions like shame, success and fear of failure. It also influences how people view you. People’s money is tied to their self-worth. As a result, culturally, it can be bit of a taboo.

But all that may change. First of all, pay secrecy clauses are unenforceable in the UK due to the UK Equality Act 2010. An employee must always be able to find out if they are being discriminated against in terms of pay. In addition, The European Union is considering new legislation on pay transparency in order to reduce gender pay, earnings and pension gaps. So, for better or worse it may be something we all have to get used to. Over time, talking about our salaries may become just another matter for small talk.