While money taboos can seriously impact our lives, science shows you can rewire your brain to break these taboos. Psychological experts say our ancestors benefited from being in groups but not standing out. And that money is a tool that “quantifies people's position in a system;” which is why most people don’t talk about how much money they have or make. They don’t want to stand out or appear less-than.  

While people’s comfort level to talk about money will vary from culture to culture, different social classes feel uncomfortable talking about money for different reasons. Some ultrarich people don’t want to talk about money to not be perceived as privileged, while many middle-class folks don’t like to talk about money to not seem desperate. And while this may work to “keep the peace,” people who don’t talk about money often make decisions that will later cost them. But is the cost worth the benefit of keeping the peace? Watch this episode of #YourBrainOnMoney and decide for yourself.