Something I have learned is that talking about money can be very off putting to most people. i can think of few other topics that while not lewd or violent can evoke such a strong reaction. There are a plethora of reasons for this and acknowledging some of those reasons may help us be able to discuss it easier.
Money is measurable in numbers which makes it feel competitive. It is hard to measure soft skills like how honest someone is or how hard they work, but money can be seen in where someone lives, what they drive, or a number in a bank account. It is interesting that where you live and what you drive greatly influences negatively how much you have in your account, but that is another topic for another day.
Some people feel that if they have little money then people will think of them negatively. Additionally, some people are very judgmental of people who they view have too much money or that they view unfairly came into wealth.
Your ideas of money are not entirely your own. Siblings, coworkers, family, friends, and anyone else you may come in contact with you may influence your views of money negatively or positively. Your education on personal finance, economics, and how the world works greatly change your perceptions on money. Politics can influence you greatly. If you believe that all money is created through exploitation then you will think differently than someone who believes creating something of value provides benefits for members of that society.
Also some advice that is correct for the poor would be bad advice for those richer. Cutting coupons to save a few dollars may be a good use of time those with little income, while working more doing something more specialized might be better for those with higher incomes.
Generational values and world events have a huge effect on how you view money. If you have every met someone who lived through the depression then you will quickly realize that they waste very little because they have survived with almost nothing. They have seen hunger, mile long lines for free soup, and things we would normally throw away reused until in tatters. Some other view things to consider are sex or gender, nationality, religion, and culture.
In short, there are a plethora of reasons not to talk about money and reasons why it is weird to discuss. Knowing where you are and not knowing the good and bad consequences of your actions should push us out of our comfort zone to read more, reflect more, and talk more. Knowing the consequence of saving an extra $100/month in your retirement, waiting to start investing, or whether to buy the new car instead vs the slightly used one. There are reasons to do and not do all of the previous examples given your circumstances.
Millionaire Librarian 