Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site analog.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!hplabs!analog!kim From: kim@analog.UUCP (Kim Helliwell ) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Space Is Clean Message-ID: <192@analog.UUCP> Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 10:55:24 EST Article-I.D.: analog.192 Posted: Wed Nov 6 10:55:24 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Nov-85 06:39:31 EST References: <1361@mtgzz.UUCP> Organization: Analog Design Tools, Menlo Park, CA. Lines: 50 > > Space Is Clean > An article by Mark R. Leeper > SUMMARY: Discussion of why we are disgusted by certain substances instinctively because of their connection with living matter. > > Mark R. Leeper > ...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper Apropos of the discussion on dirty diapers and dog messes being disgusting because of their connection to living matter, I just recently finished reading a book on this very topic, which might be of interest to some. The book is entitle "Life on Man", by Theodor Rosebury. Don't rush down to your local bookstore to look for it, though--it was published in the 1960's, and I found it in a used bookstore. I expect you could find it in a library, though. One premise of the book is basically that it is NOT instinctive to fear or be disgusted at bodily excretions--primitive man (and children today, for that matter) were fascinated by their excreta, and such substances even formed a part of their "magic"--which, ultimately, is what brought on a patina of the forbidden about the substances. The disgust at such things predates the discovery of microbes, but the scientific discoveries provide further impetus to the already developed disgust, until today we (in the "civilized" countries) are fastidious to ridiculous extremes, imagining that we can, for example, wash off our "germs", and that sterilizing ourselves (that is, ridding ourselves of all microbes) is a desirable goal. The advertisers are a prime mover in bringing across this concept, of course. Rosebury mention some cultures and tribes which are well known to have customs which would disgust the average citizen of the US, but which in fact have survived longer than our culture and probably would survive us if we don't nuke them into non-existence. What about the Hindus and their "five substances" which they must eat--blood, sweat, urine, dung, and ?? (can't remember the fifth). Whatever the truth about Rosebury's theory of how the disgust developed, I think he is right that it is learned behavior, not instinctive. All you have to do to realize that is raise a couple of children! Anyway, if you can find it, it is a fascinating book, and well worth the effort to find. I am aware of the tenuous connection this has to SF, but my guess is that the sf-lovers are the ones which are most likely to enjoy this book, and, having read it, I could not let Mark's comments go unanswered. Kim Helliwell hplabs!analog!kim