Cleanliness is next to godlessness

[Michael]

Cleanliness is next to godlessness

Nov 20th 2008
From The Economist print edition
Soaping away your outer dirt may lead to inner evil

PUBLIC displays of untidiness, such as graffiti, may promote bad behaviour (see article), but when it comes to personal cleanliness the opposite appears to be true. A study just published in Psychological Science by Simone Schnall of the University of Plymouth and her colleagues shows that washing with soap and water makes people view unethical activities as more acceptable and reasonable than they would if they had not washed themselves.

Dr Schnall’s study was inspired by some previous work of her own. She had found that when feelings of disgust are instilled in them beforehand, people make decisions which are more ethical than would otherwise be expected. She speculates that the reason for this is that feeling morally unclean (ie, disgusted) leads to feelings of moral wrongness and thus triggers increased ethical behaviour by instilling a desire to right the wrong. However, as the cleanliness and purification rituals found in many religions suggest, physical cleanliness, too, is linked to moral behaviour, so she decided to investigate this as well.

Source (http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12630193)

Wow! This is surprising and unexpected. Humans can be so weirdly unpredictable!

Although, that being said, this just seems to reinforce the idea that morality has a strong cultural connection. Also interesting is the way that moral decisions can be manipulated so easily by others.

[Michael]

I've just thinking about this obscure little thread...

If it were true, would it not suggest that Muslims ought to be more moderate on morality than Christians?

The Muslims traditionally engage in elaborate 'clensing' ceremonies before engaging in prayer or entering the mosque itself - specifically washing the feet. As a general rule, Christians are not specifically required to engage in washing before prayer and/or religious rituals.

According to the study, this suggests that Muslims ought to be more moderate on moral indignation issues... :ummm:

[SMadsen]

I've just thinking about this obscure little thread...

If it were true, would it not suggest that Muslims ought to be more moderate on morality than Christians?

The Muslims traditionally engage in elaborate 'clensing' ceremonies before engaging in prayer or entering the mosque itself - specifically washing the feet. As a general rule, Christians are not specifically required to engage in washing before prayer and/or religious rituals.

According to the study, this suggests that Muslims ought to be more moderate on moral indignation issues... :ummm:
Nah, it only suggests that Muslims tend to get more sand between the toes.

[Donkey]

I've just thinking about this obscure little thread...

If it were true, would it not suggest that Muslims ought to be more moderate on morality than Christians?

The Muslims traditionally engage in elaborate 'clensing' ceremonies before engaging in prayer or entering the mosque itself - specifically washing the feet. As a general rule, Christians are not specifically required to engage in washing before prayer and/or religious rituals.

According to the study, this suggests that Muslims ought to be more moderate on moral indignation issues... :ummm:

Well, this thread has been dead for almost two years, but I never did respond in the way that I intended. For some reason I remembered it today. Possibly while showering.

I think what is key here is the distinction between ritually clean and actually clean. I'm not sure if this study accurately clears this up. I would say the fact that the Western (predominately Christian) world is "looser" on their moral indignation than the Mid-East/Predominately Muslim world. I would also say that the West is predominately cleaner in the actual sense (as opposed to ritualistically), in terms of germs, dust, dirt, and general grime. This isn't so much a comment on culture as it is an observation that the "West" is the "first" world and the "Orient" (;)) is the "third" world, and thus the general lifestyle is much more sanitary, and less hands-on, especially in the agrarian sense.

[Michael]

Well, this thread has been dead for almost two years, but I never did respond in the way that I intended. For some reason I remembered it today. Possibly while showering.

I think what is key here is the distinction between ritually clean and actually clean. I'm not sure if this study accurately clears this up. I would say the fact that the Western (predominately Christian) world is "looser" on their moral indignation than the Mid-East/Predominately Muslim world. I would also say that the West is predominately cleaner in the actual sense (as opposed to ritualistically), in terms of germs, dust, dirt, and general grime. This isn't so much a comment on culture as it is an observation that the "West" is the "first" world and the "Orient" (;)) is the "third" world, and thus the general lifestyle is much more sanitary, and less hands-on, especially in the agrarian sense.

Excellent reply. I think this is a good theory, except one small problem with the Japanese - who are arguably, the most obsessively clean people on the planet. One would thus expect the Japanese to be the most liberal and this is not true...

[Donkey]

Excellent reply. I think this is a good theory, except one small problem with the Japanese - who are arguably, the most obsessively clean people on the planet. One would thus expect the Japanese to be the most liberal and this is not true...

What about the actions discussed?

These varied from taking money found in a lost wallet, via eating a family’s dead dog to avoid starvation, to using a kitten for sexual arousal.

The study terms them all under "unethical." I think a problem of this study is indulging in psychology without sociology. :)

[Michael]

What about the actions discussed?



The study terms them all under "unethical." I think a problem of this study is indulging in psychology without sociology. :)

Yeah, well, given the infamous passion for dogmeat in the Orient, I guess the Japanese might score poorly on that one. :lol:

Indeed, "hello kitty" makes a mockery of the kitty-cat thing, so I suppose the Japanese might actually be the least ethical here, but this is only tongue-in-cheek. ;)

That being said, I'd wager that you'd get your money back with the wallet in Japan (and no where else on the planet).

[Non Sequitur]

The study terms them all under "unethical." I think a problem of this study is indulging in psychology without sociology. :)

Also wanders into the area of philosophy and religion and dealing with ethics.

Actually, I think the entire idea of "cleanliness" is deeply related to belief structures.

[Michael]

Also wanders into the area of philosophy and religion and dealing with ethics.

Actually, I think the entire idea of "cleanliness" is deeply related to belief structures.

Actually, I'm always amused by the way so many "cleanliness" based religious rules such obvious practicality about them!

[Zarquon]

Actually, I'm always amused by the way so many "cleanliness" based religious rules such obvious practicality about them!
Especially the Hindu practice of folding hands from afar while greeting with namaste then shaking hands, and the concept of jhootha whereby you don't eat from another's utensils.