SPQR

Deodorants, perfumes, antiseptics and air fresheners are contributing to the decline of western civilization.

Interesting thesis but can I make the argument to back it up?

In order to sell these products Proctor and Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, S. C. Johnson & Son and other major corporations play on peoples subconscious fears. Especially the fear of being socially unacceptable. Is your breath bad? Does your house smell? Got B.O? These companies spend billions trying to convince us that not only do we have such problems but that such things are unnatural, unhealthy and offensive. And your friends won't tell you. That is if someone as disgusting as yourself has friends.

We have been taught from a very early age that odor is a bad word. If it smells it has gone bad. It needs to be thrown out, disinfected or at least covered up. And they have the products to do it. Deodorant for the underarms, mouthwash for the breath, air fresheners for the house, scented detergent for the laundry, air filters, ionisers, perfumes, colognes, breath mints, scented oils, scented candles and disinfectants with a fresh clean scent.

Never mind that what is called for is merely soap and water, clean air and sunshine. Besides where do you get clean air these days, it doesn't come in a can. Even if it smells fine to you someone else may be able to detect some foul emanation. So you best use something just in case.

These products work in several ways. They can neutralize the odor as stated in the commercial, cover up the smell with something stronger or deaden your sense of smell. Those products which neutralize odor often have the side effect of deadening your olfactory nerves and the cover ups cause olfactory fatigue.

Bombarded by harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances all day the chef goes into the kitchen without one of the essential tools of good cooking. A keen sense of smell. Unable to use the nose cook relies on taste.

Of course, as we learned in grammar school, taste buds distinguish only four favors. Sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Sugar and salt are used to give flavor to food stuffs that are perceived to be bland. Or to meals that really are bland. Hardly matters because that is all the family can discern anyway. Loaded up with sugar and salt menus become monotonous. Lacking variety dinner taste like lunch, dessert and breakfast are as one. Meal time becomes a chore, a necessary routine, something to be gotten through quickly so we can all get back to our separate corners and our electronic friends. No one lingers at the table. Dinner conversation becomes a thing of the past, only seen in old movies or corny "family oriented" sit-coms. Eating while standing at the counter becomes acceptable, Taco Bell for breakfast starts to seem like a good idea. Eating while driving, which doesn't let you concentrate on driving or enjoy your meal, is common even though it interferes with "texting". Young people turn to premarital sex or experimentation with street drugs and alcohol to replace the feelings of connectedness and pleasure that are missing at mealtime.

Studies have shown that children who sit at the table with their parents during dinner get better grades in school and have fewer social problems than those who don't. Couples that share their thoughts and feelings at supper are less likely to break up. Families that eat together stay together. For many of us the evening gathering to break bread is the only time the whole family is together on a regular basis. Take that away and the fabric of the nuclear family starts to unravel.

As we are often reminded by conservatives the family is the essential building block of our society. (Yep they get it right sometimes but then so do the democrats.) Broken homes lead to broken laws and social disarray.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

W.B. Yeats - The Second Coming

OWL

Sept. 4, 2007