Best of the Week
of Aug. 18, 2002
Best of Week
Archives
Here are the most intriguing cross-cultural exchanges
either begun or advanced during the week of Aug. 18, 2002, as
selected by Y? These postings, as well as "Best of the Week" entries
from previous weeks, also can be found by accessing Y?'s database
using the search form, or, in the case of
answers posted before April 24, 1999, in the
Original Archives (all questions
from the Original Archives have been entered into the database as
well). In the Original Archives, as well as in the database, you will
find questions that have received answers, as well as questions still
awaiting responses. You are encouraged to answer any questions
relevant to your demographic background, as well as to ask any
provocative question you desire. Answers posted are not necessarily
meant to represent the views of an entire demographic group, but can
provide a window into the insights of an individual from that
group.
First-time users should first make a quick stop
at Y?'s guidelines pages for asking and
answering questions.
The book on Y? is
here!
"Why Do White People Smell
Like Wet Dogs
When They Come Out Of The Rain?"
Order it here!
Read the Associated Press story
on "Wet Dogs"
Question:
I want to know the straight-up truth from guys and girls: I am
an amputee and am on crutches all the time. Would that really keep
someone from dating me or asking me out?
POSTED 8/19/2002
Samantha, Seattle, WA, United States, 21, Female, Lutheran,
White/Caucasian, Straight, amputee, student, 2 Years of College,
Upper middle class, Mesg ID 318200292359
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
I was raised in a non-denominational, non-religious household
by a mother from a strict Roman Catholic household and a father from
a strict Southern Baptist household. They were married by a Justice
of the Peace and never made me go to a church of any kind. As a
result, I have had the adventure of learning about many different
religions and asking questions about all of them. It puzzles me that
so many people can attest to aspects of their religion as if they are
proven scientific fact (e.g., 'Jesus died for our sins') when there
really isn't any proof that such things are true. I mean no
disrespect to anyone of any faith by asking, but how can you say
something is true if you don't have proof? Just because something is
written in a book does not necessarily mean it happened, or that it
happened just the way it was written. Please explain to me how you
have developed absolute faith in your religion given lack of
proof.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Tracy, Edmond, OK, United States,
<lavenderlilycuao@hotmail.com>, 30, Female, Spiritual but not
religious, White/Caucasian, Straight, Electronic Banking
Administrator, 4 Years of College, Middle class, Mesg ID
816200221917
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
Why do women take so long in the shower? Every woman I have
known, without exception, has taken forever in the shower, whereas we
men can get in and out of the shower in five minutes. I don't see
what takes so long.
POSTED 8/14/2002
Marcel S., Paris, NA, France, 27, Male, Atheist, White/Caucasian,
Straight, N/A, High School Diploma, Lower middle class, Mesg ID
812200264833
Responses:
First, grow your hair
halfway down your back. Then, every time you shower, wash and
condition that hair. Next, shave your legs and pits. Now, scrub your
heels with a stiff brush or pumice stone to remove callouses so you
won't ruin your stockings. When you're done, let us know how long it
took you.
POSTED 8/15/2002
Jo, Ft. Wayne, IN,
United States, 53, Female, Information Technology, 2 Years of
College, Middle class, Mesg ID 815200253124
For one thing, most
women have longer hair than men and spend more time washing and
otherwise fussing with it. Also, women who shave their legs and
underarms are likely to do it in the shower. As for me, I'd take long
bubble baths if I had my druthers; my wife prefers quick
showers.
POSTED 8/15/2002
Jerry S., New Britain,
CT, United States, 54, Male, Jewish, White/Caucasian, Straight, 4
Years of College, Middle class, Mesg ID 815200275547
I can't speak for all
women, but my hair is what takes me so long in the shower. I have
waist-length hair, and when I wash it, it takes a while.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Trudy, San Jose, CA,
United States, 20, Female, Student, 2 Years of College, Upper middle
class, Mesg ID 8192002101952
Have you ever shaved
your legs, bikini line, arm pits? It takes a while.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Emma, Los Angeles, CA,
, Female, Mesg ID 816200274530
One word:
shaving.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Chandele, Fort Collins,
CO, United States, Female, Mesg ID 8162002115554
Most women have longer
hair than men, which requires more care in the shower and takes
longer to rinse out. Most of us also shave our legs and underarms. So
you see, these procedures take us longer in the shower. I enjoy
taking long showers anyhow, because it feels good.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Patricia N., Chicago,
IL, United States, 29, Female, White/Caucasian, Straight, 4 Years of
College, Middle class, Mesg ID 818200213309
A Frenchman questioning
personal hygiene? Talk about perpetuating a stereotype. I am a male
and normally take more than a few minutes to shower. I am not at all
effeminate. I just have a desire to be thoroughly clean. Perhaps your
female friends have good personal hygiene habits or don't care about
water conservation or something.
POSTED 8/19/2002
J.D., Arlington, TX,
United States, 34, Male, White/Caucasian, Straight, Office Manager, 2
Years of College, Middle class, Mesg ID 818200264112
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
Do younger people
understand how age-related diseases like arthritis affect someone's
lifestyle, even if they're not in a wheelchair?Having worked all my
life, and being unable to the last five years, I sometimes feel that
my two disabling diseases are not quite accepted or believed. My life
is good, I am active and I try to avoid letting people know I'm
disabled other than on days I must use my cane or shop with my
significant other.
POSTED
8/19/2002
Martha, Portage, MI,
United States, 59, Female, New Age/Metaphysical, White/Caucasian,
Straight, Retired Social Worker, Over 4 Years of College, Middle
class, Mesg ID 352002121725
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
I have been wearing glasses for quite some time and am not a
candidate for laser surgery, and I'm sick of the negative stereotype
of women who wear glasses. Watch any movie or TV show with an 'ugly
girl,' and I guarantee she'll wear glasses or be overweight,
sometimes both. In real life, people see women who wear glasses as
ultra-intellectual, bookish, reserved, Puritanical and very plain and
boring. Why is this? I got a lot more attention from men when I was
wearing contact lenses between age 16 and 26, but now that I am a
'speccy git,' I am virtually ignored. I am the same woman, but now
it's obvious I'm blind as a bat. I'd appreciate any opinions about
society's stereotype of women with glasses.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Tracy, Edmond, OK, United States,
<lavenderlilycuao@hotmail.com>, 30, Female, White/Caucasian,
Straight, Electronic Banking Administrator, 4 Years of College,
Middle class, Mesg ID 816200223612
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
An African-American friend of mine told me white people have
funerals so soon after someone dies (three days or so) because they
start to turn a dark color after embalming. She said African-American
families wait longer. Does anyone know if this is true? Do we turn a
different color?
POSTED 8/14/2002
Jennifer H., Montgomery, AL, United States, 30, Female, Methodist,
White/Caucasian, Straight, Therapist, Over 4 Years of College, Middle
class, Mesg ID 813200211441
Responses:
I don't know the specific
answer to your question, but burial customs vary widely. Jews don't
embalm their dead, don't use an open coffin and hold funerals within
a day if at all possible. The Irish are famous, rightly or wrongly,
for extended wakes. So far as I know, modern embalming techniques
pretty much preserve the body (color and all, with makeup) for many
days. The timing of the viewing and funeral is generally at the
family's convenience.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Jerry S., New Britain,
CT, United States, 54, Male, Jewish, White/Caucasian, Straight, 4
Years of College, Middle class, Mesg ID 815200280024
In reality, the skin
first becomes more pale as the bloodflow stops. The skin doesn't
start to turn darker until the skin begins to rot. Here in the United
States we have funerals while the bodies are still
distinguishable.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Lucas S., FAFB, WA,
United States, Male, Mesg ID 815200223003
I've been to funerals
at which the deceased was white, and the funeral took place more than
three days after the death. They looked just as white then as they
did when they were living.
POSTED 8/19/2002
E.D., Kansas City, MO,
United States, 46, Female, Black/African American, Mesg ID
817200210916
It is a slow process,
but a darkening of the skin after death is noticable in people of
light complexion, regardless of the embalming techniques. My
light-complected Mexican father-in-law died, and four days later his
skin was noticably darker, to the point that my black sister-in-law
pointed it out to me.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Doug, Phoenix, AZ,
United States, 39, Male, New Age/Metaphysical, White/Caucasian, Gay,
Administrator, 2 Years of College, Middle class, Mesg ID
819200250113
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
Why is it that whites and Hispanics who are keen on black
culture are still so hateful toward blacks? I have never heard of a
Hispanic person hiring a black person in my life (all my black
friends say the same) and affirmative action is needed for a white
person to even look at a black person's resume. Yet these same people
listen to 'black' music. Why? It doesn't make sense to like a group's
culture but hate the people.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Alea, Bronx, NY, United States, 23, Female, Straight, student,
Lower middle class, Mesg ID 816200245817
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
Why is it that whenever white men write about a black woman in
the media and she is 'attractive,' the white guy must stress that she
is mixed and that that is responsible for her being attractive? Many
black women in the media are not mixed, and if they are, still look
like regular, everyday black women, so I don't understand it.
Non-black female actresses are NEVER constantly talked about in terms
of them being more than one race. Why is this the case for black
women?
POSTED 8/19/2002
Alea, Bronx, NY, United States, 23, Female, Straight, student,
Lower middle class, Mesg ID 816200250543
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Question:
Once a year we visit my brother and his family. Invariably we
spend a day at the beach. My brother is endowed in a manner that
would send a mare off and running. He's only five feet two inches
tall, which only makes it look larger. Yet his preferred beachwear is
Speedos. His wife thinks it's cute. But damnit, it looks like he
shoplifted a chicken. My wife just (privately) says "My God!" People
stare and whisper. I have a hard time walking down the beach with
him. Would I be out of line if I asked him to maybe wear one of those
knee-length swimsuits?
POSTED 8/14/2002
Wally L., Brookville, IN, United States, 40, Male, White/Caucasian,
Straight, brick layer, High School Diploma, Middle class, Mesg ID
8122002122644
Responses:
He's your bro, man. Just tell him no one wants to see his package and
that he looks like a dork.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Steve, Houston, TX, United States, 46, Male, White/Caucasian,
Straight, Corporate Climber, Over 4 Years of College, Upper class,
Mesg ID 816200283248
I don't know what you should tell your brother (believe me, he
already knows), but thanks for the biggest laugh I've had in a long
time!
POSTED 8/19/2002
E.D., Kansas City, MO, United States, 46, Female, Black/African
American, Mesg ID 816200283522
It would depend on the relationship you share with your brother as
to how he would respond to your request he wear loose-fitting trunks.
My guess is that he's a show-off and likes the attention and would
probably not comply. Besides, in Speedos the monster is under
control. Seeing it swing freely in oversized trunks might accentuate
it even more.
POSTED 8/19/2002
Doug, Phoenix, AZ, United States, 39, Male, New Age/Metaphysical,
White/Caucasian, Gay, Administrator, 2 Years of College, Middle
class, Mesg ID 819200244845
To
respond
BACK TO
TOP
Copyright and
disclaimer