[pct-l] Body Odor

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

>>Our ideal of frequent bathing is a recent
development. >>We've been 
>>brainwashed by our contemporary consumer society to
>>regard our body odor 
>>as bad.

The Arabs and Romans (just to name two civilizations)
may disagree about bathing being a recent thing. :) At
the height of Arabian civilization (when those of us
in Western Europe where barely making ends meet),
bathing was fairly frequently. More than a few Arabic
travelers noted how infrequently Europeans bathed and
how disgusting it was. And don't forget the city of
BATH in England was named by the Romans!

No argument against most Americans regarding BO as a
bad thing to the point of obessesion. However, I'd
hate to have any operations done by a surgical team
that hadn't bathed in three weeks. HYGIENE is an
important thing. BO is not.

Having said all that...I looked forward to a nice, hot
shower after many days (or almost three weeks in the
case of Oregon) on the trail. 


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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau
http://www.magnanti.com