-----Original Message----- From: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Doug Henwood Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 11:51 PM To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com Subject: Re: retheorizing the toilet
Rob Schaap wrote:
>So, Doug, what's your take on that ledge in the average Dutch toilet bowl -
>y'know, the one where the health-conscious Dutchman can poke and prod at
>his product in search of worms and the like, before it's shot off the ledge
>by way of a lateral flush?
Fascinating topic, the topic of much speculation when my companion & I visited A'dam this past June. Also fascinating was the Dutch habit of keeping a brush next to the toilet bowl, forcing the user to confront his or her residues before removing all traces of the evidence. Cf. Americans, who use something like 8 gallons of water per flush to avoid direct confrontation with the rejected material. Americans seem to go for a mechanized and resource-intensive repression, while the Dutch crave a much franker confrontation with their wastes. Wonder if it has something to do with the happier, more relaxed Dutch temperament, in contrast with the manic American flight from the darker aspects of life.
Wo scheiss war...?
Doug