How widespread is this kind of behavior?
January 28, 2015 11:53 PM   Subscribe

Dear Metafilter, How often do people 1. rub in between genitals and thigh with fingers and then smell them 2. smell their armpits 3. smell in between their fingernails 4. check to see if your anus has been cleaned well...with your fingers 5. discovered that the anal materials had not been cleaned well and then...rubbed it with your fingers to make "rolls" out of the dirt(for children who have not yet developed washing habits that include cleaning the anus during a shower) 6. Talk about such habits in public. FYI, I've only done #5 when I was a child. I've never done 6 before. I used to do #2 quite often but not these days. #1 and #4 are habitual(but I take showers every day)...

I wonder, why are people not very open about such topics(if they are indeed widespread). Put in another way, why do people act out such behavior if they think that behavior is disgusting? Why is there a discrepancy between belief and habit?What is the impulse behind such habits?

Thanks for reading this disgusting question.
posted by red_alert_3 to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: This needs to be a bit more focused on the exact information you're looking for if it's going to work here. Right now it reads more like a "let's talk about these disgusting things" discussion starter and it really should be more tightly concentrated on a specific sub-question, sorry. -- goodnewsfortheinsane

 
Response by poster: If a doctor(or psychologist) could answer this question it would be much appreciated.
posted by red_alert_3 at 11:56 PM on January 28, 2015


I don't think I've ever done any of these, sorry. The only one I've ever even heard of anyone doing is smelling their armpits to check for odor.

However, true story from someone I know who works in daycare centre. One toddler had a problem behaviour that was reported to the mom when they couldn't get him to stop:

Daycare worker (who told me the story): Your son sticks his fingers in his anus and then licks them.
Mom: Oh, that's hereditary. His father does that, too.

So, there you go. I've heard of two people who do a grosser version of number 4.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:59 PM on January 28, 2015


« Older Likable to all except single men?   |   How much and what type of math is beneficial to... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.