By corrupting the sanctuary of a trusted relationship, the genre provides a specific type of fantasy: one where intimacy is guaranteed by history, but excitement is generated by the violation of social boundaries. Ultimately, the popularity of this trope suggests a cultural fascination with the permeability of boundaries and the potential for the deepest platonic bonds to transform into something profoundly transgressive.
This paper defines as a prohibition that requires no empirical justification (e.g., harm reduction) but rests on symbolic, sacred, or ontological grounds. Mary Douglas (1966) argued that taboo arises from anomalies that blur categorical boundaries. The "always close" relationship—parent-child, siblings, childhood best friends who become lovers—blurs the boundary between natural affection and sexual/transgressive desire. The phrase suggests that the intimacy preceded the taboo, yet the taboo retroactively marks the intimacy as illicit. always been close pure taboo