August 16, 2007
Stop stepping on books, Payless, BOGO be damned [UPDATED]Musings
[Update: Uberdesi kindly sent us the link for the ad which inspired it all. Now you can freak out, too!]
The commercial barely disturbed my reverie; I’m thinking about how much I hate moving, and that is exactly what I’ll be doing at work tomorrow, as we prepare for some renovating which couldn’t come at a worse time. At first, I can’t figure out what this spot is advertising, it looks like college kids, seems to focus on shoes and just as I decide that it must be something to do with the latter, I see it.
A girl, in somewhat cute, patent, MaryJane-esque shoes, in a library like setting…using a stack of exactly and approximately half-a-dozen books four books to step on, to reach a higher shelf. Or something. My brain shorts, because I’m so shocked and my inner pragmatist is all, “That’s so unstable! You’re asking for a sprained ankle.” The thought which immediately chases that maternal scolding is, “Eeeek, that’s not very respectful.” And that is why the shoes are “somewhat” cute; I can’t disassociate their shiny happiness from the taboo, the disrespect.
It wasn’t always like this.
Believe it or not, despite all the other random Hindu-lite rituals I grew up with, I never was scolded for touching a book with my feet. I think this had to do with two things:
1) I loved books so much to begin with and was very careful with them, since I’m vaguely OCD about things getting dirty or ruined
2) My room wasn’t so cramped that books were ever on the floor. They were on shelves. Or my desk. Or my bedside table. The floor was for my clothes, much to my parents’ disgust.
I’m surprised that this is also something I didn’t learn from my sundry collection of Hindu ex-boyfriends, though I vaguely remember hearing about it once in a while. For whatever reason, it wasn’t expanded upon or elucidated.
It was you who informed me of this prohibition against disrespect, and it is you whom I think of, in my tiny studio apartment, when I’m trying to re-organize my bookshelves. I take everything out and stack it on the floor, because there’s no other place to put anything and then I dust, rearrange, etc…but once in a while, especially now when I’m hobbling so awkwardly, if my feet even graze the tiniest part of a book or magazine, I freeze, feel guilty and then think of these cultural mores.
Thanks, mutineers. You’ve given me one more thing to get neurotic about…aww, you shouldn’t have. ;)
My high-level point is, this website has changed how I consider or interpret things, in a significant way. I will never think of the Sepoy Mutiny, the word “mutineer”, paneer dosas, Lemurians, ketchup, Scythians or a thousand other things without being reminded of this space.
That’s why when one of you emailed us a tip, which said:
A quiz on Indian independence and the first question is quite, ahem, mutinous.
…which pointed us to a brief, enlightening quiz in the Economist, I smiled and had to see it for myself. Indeed, the first question was special and it’s why I wrote all of this, because I love words and I find them powerful.
When a word’s definition is altered so dramatically, it’s not trivial, not to me. The last word of the first question of that quiz now means something very precious, and it always will. I thought you should know that, because I’m grateful to you for amending the dictionary in my brain, to accommodate such a delightful mutation.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I got a “seven”. ;)
anna on August 16, 2007 12:30 PM in Blog, Humor, Identity, Musings, Video · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
¤ Nshima said: Me and Payless, totally clueless!
I'm appalled at the idea of stepping on books. I actually like Payless for their vegan shoes but now I'll have to think twice.
thanks for this post, ANNA. just yesterday, i was thinking the same thing - how much i have refined, and strengthened, certain pre-existing ideas i had, while being challenged and changing my views at the same time. e.g. i used the term DBD the other day, and realised that it's not very widespread, even among the DBDs themselves :) this space was much-needed, and is much appreciated.
i took the test, too, and also scored a 7. though when i looked at the ranking system, this caught my eye :
10-12 Excellent. You have the blessings of Saraswati and the memory of an elephant
i'm not religious, but of all the hindu holidays, saraswati pooja was my favourite - not the idea that a deity is blessing our books (or violins or tae kwon do belts, as the case may be), but that education and learning hold such a high place.
If you click the link I just updated the post with ("The commercial"), you'll go to their site, where if you check out the bottom left corner, you, too, can cringe at the image I reacted to. ;)
Eek on the shoe stepping. Shoes were always meant to be only on the ground and nowhere else. You couldn't throw them about, you couldn't put your feet up with shoes on and a various other things. I was once packing and had a pair of brand new shoes never worn on the bed waiting to be packed and my mother had quite a field day with that one. Long lecture ensued.
I’m embarrassed to admit I got on "7-9 Pukka. You have not missed your tryst with destiny. And you know what we mean" on the Quiz. Only 8 right! I got the first Mutineers answer wrong!!
Whats wrong with stepping on books? I am surprised that anybody would have a problem with that in 2007 but then hundreds of millions of people face in one direction to pray everyday so what do I know.
Whats wrong with stepping on books? I am surprised that anybody would have a problem with that in 2007 but then hundreds of millions of people face in one direction to pray everyday so what do I know.
never, ever expect people not to have irrational beliefs....mistake number 1. humanity simply doesnt work that way.
on a side note, my parents' housekeeper has this habit of putting shoes on top of the bed/comforter, on sofas, and, yes, on top of books, when she is finished cleaning. at first, my mom was hesitant, but after a while she just had to explain to her that this was a big (hindu) no-no. though even if not a religious/desi thing, shoes (and feet, sometimes) are just dirty - it makes sense to be judicious as to where we place them.
never, ever expect people not to have irrational beliefs....mistake number 1. humanity simply doesnt work that way.
Yes, but lets do our part by not perpetuating bronze age myths (to quote richard dawkins) In this case, Hinduism, they even predate the bronze age!
There's always a conflict of the rituals too, one hot summer on a trip to Shirdi late 90's, and in the areas where the flooring was burning hot it would rip your skin off, if you stepped on it. Footwear was strictly prohibited (temple). People just ripped off newspapers from wherever they could find (booths and paper stands) and stood on it until the Queue moved forward to a shady area. I remember protesting, no; paper is God (or Goddess) , I can't stand on it, only to get a whack and being pulled onto a newspaper sheet my Sis was already standing on.
Whats wrong with stepping on books?ACfD - I think a lot of it has to do with looking after the things we care about - i wouldn't step on books for the simple reason that i treasure all my books and don't want to ruin them. just like i try to keep my (nicer) clothes protected, or my jewelry, or furniture.
ACfD - I think a lot of it has to do with looking after the things we care about - i wouldn't step on books for the simple reason that i treasure all my books and don't want to ruin them. just like i try to keep my (nicer) clothes protected, or my jewelry, or furniture.
thats why i own a shoe rack.
ak, eeeeek! We aren't even allowed to enter the house with shoes; they stay in the garage. Or by the front door. I HATE shoes in the house and was thrilled when I had three Asian roomies-- they felt the same way and my predecessor, a white chick, couldn't grasp how much it bothered them (not to mention how it effed up the white carpet). In other news, who puts WHITE carpet in a "college" apartment (this was when I lived in Davis, on the "G" line, for those of you who know of such things)?
ACfD - I think a lot of it has to do with looking after the things we care about - i wouldn't step on books for the simple reason that i treasure all my books and don't want to ruin them. just like i try to keep my (nicer) clothes protected, or my jewelry, or furniture.
What if the book is useless? Like the 4 copies of yellow pages I get every year. I put them to good use around the house.
Yes, but lets do our part by not perpetuating bronze age myths (to quote richard dawkins) In this case, Hinduism, they even predate the bronze age!unfortnately, most humans believe in these things. if you push them, they just get annoyed. best to let people be...i think.
my favorite shoe rack. it keeps shoes off of god. its holy. but, unfortnately, god is everywhere, even in the shoerack. therefore, using it is blasphemous. dammit. i just cant win.
Forgive the long quotation, but I couldn't resist.
I grew up kissing books and bread.
In our house, whenever anyone dropped a book or let fall a chapati or a "slice," which was our word for a triangle of buttered leavened bread, the fallen object was required not only to be picked up but also kissed, by way of apology for the act of clumsy disrespect. I was as careless and butterfingered as any child and, accordingly, during my childhood years, I kissed a large number of "slices" and also my fair share of books.
Devout households in India often contained, and still contain, persons in the habit of kissing holy books. But we kissed everything. We kissed dictionaries and atlases. We kissed Enid Blyton novels and Superman comics. If I'd ever dropped the telephone directory I'd probably have kissed that, too.
All this happened before I had ever kissed a girl. In fact it would almost be true, true enough for a fiction writer, anyhow, to say that once I started kissing girls, my activities with regard to bread and books lost some of their special excitement. But one never forgets one's first loves.
Bread and books: food for the body and food for the soul -- what could be more worthy of our respect, and even love?
It has always been a shock to me to meet people for whom books simply do not matter.
-Salman Rushdie, Imaginary Homelands
ANNA, i know. the first time i saw those shoes on my bed, and then another pair on my books, i was mortified. i almost forbade one of my friends from coming over when he kept insisting on wearing his shoes in my apt (also white carpet - wtf?) - it's not only dirty, but i felt it was kind of disrespectful not to follow this one simple request. i'm big on not wearing shoes indoors - it just grosses me out.
disrespectful not to follow this one simple request
it was disrespectful. if you go to someones house, follow their rules. a bit messed up not to.
Sorry, the whole thing was supposed to be italicized.
Are shoes prohibited indoors in all parts of India? I've been to many Punjabi households in Delhi, and Kol, where people do not remove thier shoes. Maybe it's an abberation.
Me? even my 2 yr. old removes his shoes when entering the house.
I'm appalled at the idea of stepping on books. I actually like Payless for their vegan shoes but now I'll have to think twice.I've found Walmart usually has some vegan styles (if you don't mind supporting Walmart). The high-cost shoes made/imported by vegan specialty stores are too pricy for me. I, too, usually end up at Payless.
Should we write to Payless to let them know our concerns? Not a complaint, exactly; but marketing departments are usually quite concerned about not offending their potential customers, and I'm pretty sure they'd like to know that they inadvertently are, in this case.
im used to taking off my shoes at the entryway of the house. i went to a punjabi house in india once, they said. oh. dont worry about that. the maid will clean it. thought that was odd...
do they have (very good looking) dress shoes for men that arent animal made? most of the ones i see are lame.
so when I step on the book, I touch it with both hands and then touch those hands to my eyes. I'm not particularly religious but this is like a reflex, and when I don't do it, I feel...awful
scored 7-9 *phew*
im used to taking off my shoes at the entryway of the house. i went to a punjabi house in india once, they said. oh. dont worry about that. the maid will clean it. thought that was odd...
North India doesn't generally have a taboo against shoes inside the house. I remember my Southie friends were always vaguely uncomfortable with that. Some took them off anyway. I personally prefer the shoes-off model.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I got a “seven”.
Anna, congratulations! That was my score too. Either I've turned too 'ABD' or you've turned too 'DBD', or both :)
Anna, congratulations! That was my score too. Either I've turned too 'ABD' or you've turned too 'DBD', or both :)
now, now chachaji...abd's can get high scores as well...
From whatever little i know of Hindu mythology i think books=knowledge=Goddess Saraswati and hence one doesn't step on it. practically speaking u remove shoes while going inside so as to minimize cleaning work for the host since the roads/outdoors are not so clean in india as it is here. Both things probably makes/doesn't make as much sense as the common practice here to say "bless you" when we sneeze.
I find this belief pretty interesting ... Since though I was never raised to hold that as a taboo, all my Hindu friends did, and so I eventually got to see it a LOT .
Now, I don't have any problem following the 'Do not step on your books' , since, obviously the book will get damaged by my 170 pounds ... but what I do find at times odd is 'Do not ever have your foot come in contact with a book' ... even if your feet are clean after a wash .. or if the book is just another piece of junk... and all that happened was that your foot just touched the book. I think feeling guilty/remorseful about such contact is just a symbolic reaction...
The 'dirtiness of the feet' is a heightened idea in India. I remember reading that 'Shudras' were supposed to be representations of the feet of a God, which was one of the reasons they were at the bottom of the social heirarchy... I'm not sure if this is merely because ppl used to walk barefoot , or because there is some more religious context to it. Anyone care to shed some light on this ?
Arrem said:
Should we write to Payless to let them know our concerns? Not a complaint, exactly; but marketing departments are usually quite concerned about not offending their potential customers, and I'm pretty sure they'd like to know that they inadvertently are, in this case.
Really? Write to Payless to complain? I don't know...I too cringed a little when I first saw it, but it was mostly an automatic reaction (fear of getting struck down by lightening perhaps? ;-)), but then I relaxed and realized it's an American commercial where shoes aren't seen to be an offending item. In fact, keeping that in mind, the ad is actually kind of cute.
I'd rather reserve my protests for something that's obviously in my face in it's offense. Then again..that's me.
puli gets a 7. ok, i guess...
Found online....
Books, even paper, are always to be treated as the abode of Saraswati, indeed as Saraswati herself.
Thus, books and other printed and writing material are always treated with special respect. For instance, books are never to be placed on the floor. If anyone accidentally drops or steps on a book or any printed material, we do obeisance to the Saraswati in the book by placing our hands on the book, and by bringing the hands to our eyes. It’s part asking for forgiveness for having been disrespectful to the book, and it’s also part prayer.
The bengali version, though similar....
Books of 'Boi' is almost considered as the soul of Ma Saraswati. So, when one accidentally puts his feet on even a page of a books, h makes a 'pronam' in order to undo his misdeed of trampling on Ma Saraswati's soul.
blogs...
In short, Hindus worship books as a stand-in for Saraswati. The worship of Saraswati is essentially the worship of knowledge and we don’t really confuse books with knowledge, of course. Books are things, not knowledge. One can be fully respectful of learning and knowledge without being culturally conditioned to be very careful while handling books. Yet, we treat our books with reverence. If we accidentally touch a book with our feet, we immediately pick it up and touch it with reverence. We do the same thing if we accidentally touch someone with our feet. The idea is the same: that in people, as in books, the divine exists and if we have shown disrespect, even accidentally, we need to make amends for it.
now, now chachaji...abd's can get high scores as well...
By fluke, you mean? :)
This quiz (like the NYT weekly quiz) highlights how little of what is read is remembered, as also how much of what is provided as reading material is largely irrelevant to the main thrust of the story at hand. Then again, I'm just a DBD rationalizing his 'low' score :)
..is it just me, or does this entire quiz reek of india/hindu bashing/an intended cold shower to deflate the celebratory hoopla... ?
is it just me, or does this entire quiz reek of india/hindu bashing/an intended cold shower to deflate the celebratory hoopla... ?
Whoa, how so?
I love multiple choice questions. Especially some of the intentionally stoopid answers. Too bad, they had only one of those.
What happened on April 7th 2005 for the first time since the partition of India and Pakistan?
England won a test match against India
P.S. I have blessings of Saraswati. D to the B to the D.
Wasn't there a scene in Pushpak where the cleaning lady places the chappals on some magazine/book/photograph and KH winces? Classic!
Who is KH?
Here's where my Hinduism comes into conflict with my status anxiety--in his seminal "Class: A Guide Through the American Class System," author Paul Fussell goes so far as to provide a "living room test" by which you accumulate or lose class points depending on the presence or absence of certain objects in your living room. "Books on bookshelf" gets you a few positive points, "books on floor" gives you *a lot* of positive points.
Result--my (DBD) parents' living room--no books on floor, my (ABD) living room: stacks of books on floor.
so....being a slob is high staus...hmmm...
Who is KH?Little known husband of ex-child actress Sarika.
Love this post! I have always cringed at the sight of feet/shoes on books. Books are sacred. Though recently, I was at a used bookstore when I accidently stubbed my toe against a sorry pile of Coulter books. I was going to do the book-touch-eye routine when I conciously decided not to. My interactions with books like with people can never really be completely accidental. If that makes sense...
Tamasha, that was a great quotation.
When friends and boyfriends use books as footstools, or even accidentally graze them while standing or walking, I freeze in shock. I can't even believe that it is happening and it seems like the whole scene is in slow motion- the feet slowly lowering themselves onto books, the collision with a stack while walking. It's like being in a car crash and being unable to scream. Seriously. Maybe I'm a little ridiculous.
Who is Sarika? :D
(you had to know that was coming)
Puli--my interpretation is that it doesn't mean "slob"--instead means--is constantly reading/buying more books so shelves are literally overflowing.
But that's just my guess.
I will confess that I have basically re-engineered my living room based on Fussell (e.g., got a worn "Oriental" rug, a stone obelisk, some artwork (*not* by a family member)) but perhaps I am a bit obsessive on this front--I do entertain at home, though.
The shoes in the house comment is interesting. I was reading Ms Manners or someone like her giving advice on people who request others take their shoes off when they enter the house. Miss Manners thought it was rude to ask guests to remove their shoes...my thought was that it was more rude not to respect someone's rules of the house...maybe its a cultural thing. We never wore shoes in the house and its almost automatic to take them off (regardless of the house i'm going to...have done this at white friend's houses too)...my feet feel more comofortable without shoes...which may explain why i never have my shoes on while sitting at my desk at work! hehe..
KH = Kamal Hasan :-) Brilliant actor.
Who is KH? Little known husband of ex-child actress Sarika.
Shodan, remember what Mr. Buchheit said. Don't be evil. ;)
During the phase when I was gradually becoming an atheist, I had a sliding scale for books and which ones could be touched with one's feet, or stepped on etc. For a while, I wouldn't "disrespect" books that were of some value, but didn't care about telephone directories, junk mail etc. Of course, I grew out of that too. Now, I don't follow those ancient rules, as long as I am not damaging books that I value.
Puli--my interpretation is that it doesn't mean "slob"--instead means--is constantly reading/buying more books so shelves are literally overflowing. But that's just my guess. I will confess that I have basically re-engineered my living room based on Fussell (e.g., got a worn "Oriental" rug, a stone obelisk, some artwork (*not* by a family member)) but perhaps I am a bit obsessive on this front--I do entertain at home, though.
thast a little scary. i dont think i thought of what my apartment says about my when decorating it. i just did things i thought would look nice to me, and would be comfy.
Umm, I got an 11/12. Not sure how - I had to guess on all the questions involving numbers.
Who is Sarika? :DTurns out, she's ex wife of KH. Tells you how much I know. :)
Would it be ok if we stepped on an empty piece of paper? Just curious how far this goes.
Tamasha, I didn't realize you were quoting someone famous, when you left your elaborate, beautiful comment upthread, so I thought you were coming out. I was all, "OMG, Tamasha is teh gay!!1!" ;)
Who is Sarika?Ex-wife of a brilliant and versatile Indian actor. :D
(you knew that was coming)
Tamasha, I didn't realize you were quoting someone famous, when you left your elaborate, beautiful comment upthread, so I thought you were coming out. I was all, "OMG, Tamasha is teh gay!!1!" ;)This is the best thing I have read all day. :)
I got 8 :-) does that make me a good ABD or a bad DBD? :D
I can never touch a book with my foot and confess to cringing inwardly when I see anyone doing it.Its something that is so ingrained from child hood . I don't know if any of you fellow Southies did this on VijayaDashmi : put out books/instruments in fromt of Goddess Saraswati to be blessed. Once you have participated in a ritual like that , its next to impossible to shake the feeling of reverence for books. I am so glad that there are many of you who feel the same way.
Its irrational but as irrational as fearing the number 13 etc.
50 Puli
thast a little scary. i dont think i thought of what my apartment says about my when decorating it. i just did things i thought would look nice to me, and would be comfy.
____________________________________________________________________________
Just make sure you don't have 1) a motorcycle or 2) a bowling-ball bag/carrier in your living room!
;-)
re: kissing books, it's simply an external manifestation of an internal thought/feeling (respect for knowledge). I grew up with touching the book to my head if dropped, but now, sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't. Ultimately, what matters is the internal, not the external - which can be feigned. But, it's pretty harmless and not being forced on someone. It's about as irrational as people standing up and clapping at the end of a Dawkins lecture. Different strokes for different folks.
Just make sure you don't have 1) a motorcycle or 2) a bowling-ball bag/carrier in your living room! ;-)
i have a display shelf with a bunch of souveniers form travel. i have a samurai sword, and some art statues from various countries. brown leather sofas. glass tables. tan oriental rug, and whatever dorky book i happen to be reading at the time.
i have a display shelf with a bunch of souveniers form travel. i have a samurai sword, and some art statues from various countries. brown leather sofas
Why does every brown boy have one of these? :)
Why does every brown boy have one of these? :)
going to japan and not buying a samurai sword would just not do....that along with the japaneese doll are the 2 coolest souveniers from that place.
Puli,
According to Fussell (*I* don't really know, that's why I'm using him), a "display of collectibles" in living room is a big no-no.
So, those souvenirs have to go!
Art statues--yes! good!
Umm, I got an 11/12. Not sure how - I had to guess on all the questions involving numbers.
Take it again in a few hours after a few beers, and if you still get 11/12 hats off to you!
What I want to know is how KXB did. He's posted almost all stories on the newstab that had links into the Economist website, like he reads it all day or something. :)
So, those souvenirs have to go!
nah..i like my souveniers...had a lot of fun colllecting them. i also strech the definition of souveniers. not what most people would call souveniers.
ah, yes. and a piano. the only problem with that is that little kids like hitting things that make noises when you hit them.
do they have (very good looking) dress shoes for men that arent animal made? most of the ones i see are lame.Well, I can't claim they aren't lame, as far as the shoe spectrum is concerned. Also, my feet are, like the rest of me, female, so I haven't looked closely at their men's selection.
Really? Write to Payless to complain? I don't know...I too cringed a little when I first saw it, but it was mostly an automatic reaction (fear of getting struck down by lightening perhaps? ;-)), but then I relaxed and realized it's an American commercial where shoes aren't seen to be an offending item.Actually, I said write *not* to complain, but to inform. South Asians (and other Hindus/Buddhists/Jains/etc.) are now part of the American landscape, and most American companies wouldn't want to include anything in their ads that creates negative feelings towards their products, even on an unconscious level. (I'm not saying 'boycott Payless' or anything. I also always make a point of thanking the clerks there for their non-leather shoes and that fact that the materials used are labelled.)
10/12 (I missed the # of Brits in India in 1901 and stupid Rahul Gandhi's politically incestuous family tree). What now ABDs! w00t!
Whats wrong with stepping on books? I am surprised that anybody would have a problem with that in 2007 but then hundreds of millions of people face in one direction to pray everyday so what do I know.... I don't know, my family doesn't step on books, nor do we store them anywhere where they can get "dirty" (e.g. hard floors -- sometimes for interim moving they'll be placed on the carpet or on a low stool). This is just out of respect for written knowledge, not for any religious reason. I've always grown up with a healthy respect for books and their proper storage. Even now I have the hardest time boxing them up because I worry that they'll get damaged or weather-worn.
I've been to many Punjabi households in Delhi, and Kol, where people do not remove thier shoes. Maybe it's an abberation.I can't speak for Delhi, but every Punjabi household I've been in folks remove their shoes. (this may have a class dimension, or simply selection bias on my part, though). My fam certainly always takes our shoes off -- I actually always get super grossed out by how unhygienic it is to track in the outdoors with your shoes, particularly if you have carpets. What I've seen is folks who have indoor and outdoor shoes because the floors are usually so cold. Your indoor shoes are your slippers -- they can be cheapy plastic flip flops or proper cushioned/warm things, but they are worn strictly indoors so as not to spread about nasty germs and dirt. It's like Mr. Roger's neighborhood. :)
Japanese houses have a similar custom of taking off shoes at the entrance, right? Got a 9/12. Stumped by Gandhi-railways (I thought wristwatch), the soldier number during mutiny and Kashmir question.
I might add that I used to find the feet-touching-books prohibition a bit silly and excessive. However, my attitude has changed now that my own thesis is bound and sitting on several people's shelves. Granted, it's thick enough to give one a good bit of lift -- but if I catch anyone actually using it as a stepstool, I will personally strangle him/her! :-)
Did someone mention Sarika - that woman looks gorgeous even now and at her age (last seen in Parzania I think). And so does Dimple who looks more beautiful with each passing year. The same was true at one point with Shabana and Sharmila, and of course Hema Malini looks better than her daughter even now.
Granted, it's thick enough to give one a good bit of lift -- but if I catch anyone actually using it as a stepstool, I will personally strangle him/her! :-)Ooo, or worse, to even out a table leg. I always do a double-take when I see "book as stabilizer for furniture."
Camille@68.
Thanks for clarifying. I agree it's gross and unhygenic, esp. in S. Asia, carpets or no.
May I come to your house? :-)
Touching books with our feet, asolute no-no. How does this group react to reading books in the loo?
Camille@68.LOL, sure. How could I turn someone away after going on and on (in stereotypical fashion) about Punjabi hospitality? ;) The bigger question is, veg or non-veg?Thanks for clarifying. I agree it's gross and unhygenic, esp. in S. Asia, carpets or no.
May I come to your house? :-)
How does this group react to reading books in the loo?
Simple practical issue as far as my experience goes - I found myself spending more time in the loo than I cared or needed to thanks to the interesting book in hand and thus decided it's not worth it.
Simple practical issue as far as my experience goes - I found myself spending more time in the loo than I cared or needed to thanks to the interesting book in hand and thus decided it's not worth it.
I need to do this. I am late to work more often than I want :-(.
Perhaps magazines and newspapers in the loo to cater to shorter attention spans.
How does this group react to reading books in the loo?Okay, I'll admit to doing this all the time. (But with other people's books, not my own thesis. :-) Though I think I would be so happy if anyone actually wanted to read my work, I wouldn't care where it was read! I don't know if other authors feel the same.) I do draw the line at bathroom + religious scripture. It's not as if God's not there, of course, but I don't like to think of Him watching me then. :-)
I was all, "OMG, Tamasha is teh gay!!1!" ;)so was i! and i was too scared to say since i have only just 'met' tamasha - didn't want to get more personal than necessary. but then i was very confused by her recent blog posts. i had a long moment of surrogate sexual orientation crisis. and then i saw rushdie's name...
I am also not very religious but just cant think of stepping on books deliberately and feel guilty when I do so by mistake . I remember my gf laughing when after stepping on her US weekly by mistake, I did the usual "touch feet" gesture to it. I think it amused her more since I hate that publication and always give her a hard time when she reads it.
Oh ..and also seems like I am not missing my tryst with destiny. 8 :)
How does this group react to reading books in the loo?Guilty of spending more time in the loo than I should because of books. But, I used to do that in India too. :D What can I say, once a bookworm, always a bookworm.
35 · A N N A on August 16, 2007 01:56 PM · Direct linkis it just me, or does this entire quiz reek of india/hindu bashing/an intended cold shower to deflate the celebratory hoopla... ?
Whoa, how so?
..I dunno, I kind of felt reading the answers that they were talking about millions of emasculated sycophantic traiterous sepoys led by a sanctimonius luddite killed by an hindu ingrate, India a backbroken country of pagan religions with people capable of no originality of thought or mind, and oh yes, end the illegal occupation of $mir...
This is a great topic!
In high school we had those desks where you could put your books on the shelves underneath it- I swear something used to hurt me internally when I saw people resting their keds on the books of the person in front of them.
For me, books, pencils, ghungroos, musical instruments should all not come in contact with the feet. Basic respect. I study kathak dance, and it is even rude to show the bottoms of your feet to your elders or even peers. The idea is that anything that provides you with wisdom and knowledge should never be desecrated by what lies beneath (our feet!!).
What I want to know is how KXB did. He's posted almost all stories on the newstab that had links into the Economist website, like he reads it all day or something. :)
I DO have a job, you know ;)
I got a seven. I think that's fine for an American-born kid.
I've also heard of the "Do not step on books" rule. Of all the pecularities of growing up in a Hindu household, this was not that big a deal.
musical instruments should all not come in contact with the feet.
bass drums, distortion pedals on guitars. sustain and sustinudo pedals on pianos, etc, etc, etc....
Having grown up here, I knew that we were not supposed to step on books. However, I had no clue about never putting books on the floor until my husband, who grew up in India, came home one day to find all his books neatly lined up on our closet floor. Ohhhh boooyyyy.
ahh...a bookshelf to go with that shoerack anyone?
Puliogre in da USA:
Those technical aspects aside, it more so means you should not put your foot say, on TOP of the piano, or on top of the drum part of the drum set. Are you getting me? ;)
holy godly scandinavian furniture.
Basic respect.
The concept of respect when it comes to inanimate objects is very person specific (respect between two people will obviously depend on both of them). Thus while to you putting your feet on something is a sign of basic disrescept, to another probably because he/she considers feet holy might be a sign of respect. The idea of respect is very much ingrained in our own mind and colored by our perceptions, what we think is right or wrong and thus what we consider as showing respect.
Those technical aspects aside, it more so means you should not put your foot say, on TOP of the piano, or on top of the drum part of the drum set. Are you getting me? ;)
do you mind the "blue man group" piano smasher?
" i have a display shelf with a bunch of souveniers form travel. i have a samurai sword, and some art statues from various countries. brown leather sofas "
"Why does every brown boy have one of these? :)"
KILL BILL.. MAYBE ??
Since we are talking footwear, does anybody else instinctively right a shoe/flip-flop if you see it lying upside down?
KILL BILL.. MAYBE ??
naw. i got mine in the pre-kill bill era
Well said Meenakshi
bass drums, distortion pedals on guitars. sustain and sustinudo pedals on pianos, etc, etc, etc....Puli, this feels better when done barefoot, anyway (in my opinion).
Since we are talking footwear, does anybody else instinctively right a shoe/flip-flop if you see it lying upside down?Yes!
Ooo, the worst offense (in mis-shoe-stacking) is when someone will put one shoe on top of the other (sole to top of shoe). People do this all the time in the gurdwara -- it drives me NUTS.
Ooo, the worst offense (in mis-shoe-stacking) is when someone will put one shoe on top of the other (sole to top of shoe). People do this all the time in the gurdwara -- it drives me NUTS.
if someone put some shoes on top of an expensive pair of my shoes i would be reaslly annoyed.
Puli, this feels better when done barefoot, anyway (in my opinion).
funny. whenerv i play concerts, i walk on wearing shoes. sit behind my instrument. take my shoes off discreetly. play. put shoes back on. stand up. this is because i wasnt allwoed to wear shoes in the house growing up, and as a consequence always practiced bearfoot.
naw. i got mine in the pre-kill bill era
Did you get one of these too !!
I got a seven. I think that's fine for an American-born kid.
Or even a DBD!
I always appreciate the links you put up on the news tab, KXB. Thanks much!
Talking of literary pursuits while perched, remember in India there is no throne.
Acrobatic enough for y'all?
I was all, "OMG, Tamasha is teh gay!!1!" ;)so was i! and i was too scared to say since i have only just 'met' tamasha - didn't want to get more personal than necessary. but then i was very confused by her recent blog posts. i had a long moment of surrogate sexual orientation crisis. and then i saw rushdie's name...
Oh my god. You guys, learn how to read.
Also, Camille, please note that I beat you.
I bet there are websites that feature "naughty indian girls" stepping on books.
If there isnt then there is a segment of a billion person popultion that is waiting for it.
No one beat's India, when it come's to way's that you can offend them.
Also, Camille, please note that I beat you.I'm not worthy :) Also, to be honest, I guessed my way through most of that exam, so to that effect you actually probably whooped me pretty royally. That said, I think we should be semi-blog lovers, now that you're "the gay" and all. For you, tash, I would keep up my highly developed auntie-proof rumor of lesbianism.
Puli,
It's gross even with inexpensive shoes; I hate having little bits of dirt in my shoe because someone put their shoes on top of mine. It kind of ruins the top of the shoe, also, and in bad weather it gets the tops muddy! Do you play drums/piano? (I'm trying to think of instruments that require sitting). I would probably walk onto a stage with shoes, too, especially depending on the venue. I love carpets for this reason, though (for laying over the stage) I think, when you practice barefoot, there is some greater level of connection/control than what you get when you're shoeless. I also like feeling the vibrations of instruments, though, which I think is easier to do barefoot :)
you know, my pet peeve in college was the way they would line the walkways with paper ads for upcoming events -- games, plays, etc. on particularly narrow paths, i would be hopping back and forth, trying to avoid all the damn paper on the ground. drove me crazy! there are a lot of superstitions/rituals i have shirked, but this one is just so deeply ingrained in me.
I never grew up religious, even as a kid. While I was aware of this taboo among Hindus, it was not an issue with me. i had papers and books all over my floor. And plenty of times, I would step on them. When i was lil kid, I would create steps with books, and walk up and then jump down.
Do you play drums/piano? (I'm trying to think of instruments that require sitting). I would probably walk onto a stage with shoes, too, especially depending on the venue. I love carpets for this reason, though (for laying over the stage) I think, when you practice barefoot, there is some greater level of connection/control than what you get when you're shoeless.
drums, piano, guitar, and opera. i agree with the vibrations bit. feel like you are more more connected to the instrument. maybe play better. i never really had much controll over the stage. somehow.
It's gross even with inexpensive shoes;easier to either beat up cheap shoes by washing them, or throw them away. with a $400 pair of loafers. hell no.
Sorry, I miswrote, I meant barefoot == better connected to the instrument than shoe-clad. :) You sing opera and own $400 loafers?
You sing opera and own $400 loafers?
well...yes. i sing opera.
the loafers. thats a long story. my boss looked at my ragidy @ss shoes, and said "youd better get new ones". so, hence..i own overpriced shoes, suits etc.... (depite my non flashy personality)
the loafers. thats a long story. my boss looked at my ragidy @ss shoes, and said "youd better get new ones". so, hence..i own overpriced shoes, suits etc.... (depite my non flashy personality)
i do what work requires of me...
Sorry, I miswrote, I meant barefoot == better connected to the instrument than shoe-clad.
yup...i guessed that, cause i feel the same way.
Whoa! Watching her step on the books hurts. Literally! I can still hear my mom's voice ringing in my ears about treating books with respect. I think that is one of the things about our culture that I really appreciate. An inherent respect for all things, and especially books and learning and knowledge.
In other news, who puts WHITE carpet in a "college" apartment (this was when I lived in Davis, on the "G" line, for those of you who know of such things)?
Ah the "G" line, college apartments - what great memories. A N N A, all my Davis apartments had carpet the color of turds, so I don't know what is worse...
GO AGGIES!
It's interesting how feet and shoes are such a big part of our culture. You never touch your feet to books or paper. You never wear shoes inside. You always perform music or dance barefoot.
I have to think some of the reasons this has developed is very practical. It's damn dirty on the streets of India, you don't want to be tracking that in your house. It's easier to dance barefoot. It's really hot, so you would rather not wear shoes.
My dad "jokes" around that Hindus are vegetarian as function of the weather in India. It's so hot that there was no way to preserve meat and it was to prevent people from getting food poisoning!
5/12 :(
i thought assembly lines were evil. why couldn't nehru be a warrior tsk tsk. and here i thought he'd use the khadi to towel slap the british ass. overestimated the british population and underestimated the indians. and i never was good with figuring out relatives in an indian family.
all the same, i am deeply ashamed. i need some chaya to take the edge off. but i won't even be served chaya by any self respecting indian. and jst after independence day too.
That said, I think we should be semi-blog lovers, now that you're "the gay" and all.I have lots of these, and most of them are women. Fight amongst yourselves. ;)
BIG, also, wearing tight shoes for majority of our waking hours does a number on the feet. It's nice to let them be free and breathe for some time. :)
It's nice to let them be free and breathe for some time. :)
AGREED! I am not allowed to wear open toe shoes at work, and so wish I could on hot days! There is a reason feet get stinky and sweaty when wearing shoes, they aren't meant to be constricted like that.
M F Hussain. Walks bare feet everywhere. Was even thrown out of a brown sahib club in Mumbai.
Why does every brown boy have one of these? :)
I do not. Real nihongo steel is too expensive, mostly it's tourists who pick up cheap fakes as mementos. Actually a lot of them are family heirlooms, passed on generation to generation in many ways similiar to kimonos or in desi culture a mother's gold bangles.
going to japan and not buying a samurai sword would just not do....that along with the japaneese doll are the 2 coolest souveniers from that place.
Try buying some japanese incenses, many are still made in traditional temples around the country and adhere to strong standards. They smell quite wonderful. Also, higher quality hand made japanese fans or wooden combs are good too. Women with long hair love them as gifts. :)
I bet there are websites that feature "naughty indian girls" stepping on books. If there isnt then there is a segment of a billion person popultion that is waiting for it. No one beat's India, when it come's to way's that you can offend them.
This would do it for me. 'Naughty India girls with glasses stepping on books who wear gray tweed skirts in a library'!!!!
However it kinds of reminds me of Ignatius J. Reilly's, the main character from A Confederacy of Dunces, love of a certain photograph.
Recently I came across some type of promotion where they were stepping on notebooks and I immediately shot off a note to the guy. It was extremely uncomfortable to see people stamping on the notebook to show how hardy it is!!
Talking of notebooks, did any of you DBDs stand at the college bus stop and twirl your notebook on your index fingers? kya timepass.
It's all good in the 'hood, mutineers, I touched a book and then touched each eyelid, so the BOGO girl is excused by proxy.
I cringe when my husband puts his beshoed feet on the coffee table (those things have been all over New Orleans, please keep them off my furniture) or his bare feet on paper, etc. And he doesn't quite get my exasperation (one of those moments that make you wonder how the hell you're going to raise those hypothetical bi-racial kids)> This is why I make it a point not to put papers or books anywhere his feet can reach them. Life's just easier for me that way.
11/12
Missed the Gandhi quote...
I still refrain from stepping on books. When I was dating my wife, it used to bother me when she put her foot up the dashboard. We both take off our shoes before going into the house although we aren't adamant about it, especially with guests. When my wife and I went backpacking around India, she said she totally understood why desis like washing their feet and don't wear shoes inside the house, because, as someone said earlier, there's dirt everywhere! I think a lot of these "superstitions" have practical roots.
I'm beginning to think the same about two other things:
1. Never eating off someone else's plate (in Tamil, called "yea-che"), even close relatives and friends. Much more sanitary.
2. Never cutting nails after dark. My guess is someone long time ago cut off a digit while cutting their nails at night and since then it's a frowned upon practice.
On another note, it seems like the quiz has some problems. It miscounted the correct answers and also selected choice which I know I didn't select.
Now this guy really disrespects books.
American Ads should not be subject to non-American traditions.
If Indians or Hindus do not step on books that is their symbol of respect.
Symbols only have meaning if we give them meaning.
Not all cultures give meaning to the same symbols.
Juanita, thank you for implying that the cultural norms of American-born people of South Asian descent are somehow less American, less acceptable, or less appropriate for inclusion in the multicultural fabric of the U.S. I hope that if someone is inadvertently disrespectful to a symbol that you value, that you will exercise the same open-minded tolerance of the "emptiness of symbols."
The thrust of this post was not an indictment of the Payless ad, but rather a reflection on the growth that we all experience from engaging in conversation on this blog. In effect, it was a celebration of e-community, not an attempt to judge or demean Payless's ad campaign.
Sorry, I realized my tone might seem harsh. All that said, welcome to the Mutiny, and please consider sticking around :)
American Ads should not be subject to non-American traditions.
Define American.
I'm American. So are the other 100 people on here. It's our tradition, and that means it's American, too.
Beyond that, no one called for a boycott of Payless. I'm allowed to make observations which are relevant to my community, in the space I helped create for exactly such musings. I knew other desis would relate to my reaction and that was my point. Non-desis who come here with an open mind are welcome to observe and understand us better because of it; they are not welcome to lecture us with clue