<i>"I do think a lot of the showering is performative," he says. "Why are we washing? Mostly because we're afraid somebody else will tell us that we're smelling... I faced that fear, and I live."</i><p>This is not why I shower every day. I show every day because I exercise (and sweat) every day, and because showering and being clean feels good.
The article seems to be based on a premise that is totally alien to me. I have never showered because I believe it's health-promoting or "necessary" in a medical sense. I shower because i) I like it, and ii) I like looking and smelling good.<p>> Why are we washing? Mostly because we're afraid somebody else will tell us that we're smelling<p>I'm actually much more concerned about people thinking I smell bad but <i>not</i> telling me. Which has a tremendous social and romantic cost. And is also, to my mind, plain rude. Being part of society still means sharing physical spaces with other people a lot of the time. The least I can do is make sure I don't stink when doing so.<p>> Some experts believe that everyday showering is based more on a 'social contract' than actual need.<p>Social contracts are good, actually.
It's <i>incredibly</i> weather-dependent. I bicycled the width of Nevada over 5 days from Yosemite NP to St George UT, and was basically fine. Sweat evaporated immediately.<p>A couple years ago, my wife and I thru-hiked the Long Trail and got one (1) shower in 20 days. It was pretty rough despite availing ourselves of every opportunity to get a dip in a stream or pond (no soap). A day or two removed from a shower, we both felt pretty scuzzy. Everything got greasy and gross.<p>For context, we both thru-hiked the AT before we met; we are used to going without showers for days at a stretch. 10 was too many in the early summer humidity.
The thing is: you get used to your own smell. But others don't. Specially those that shower regularly. So, while you may think that you're fine, others will catch on your smell before you do.
I'm someone who does a lot of sport where ringworm/staph is a problem, caused by a lack of hygiene i.e. showering and cleaning the skin. I could not disagree more. I would guess that anyone doing regular sport or physical activity would say the same.
I don't understand how people not smell if they shower less than daily. Is it a matter of using fabrics and poses that let your sweat breathe before it starts smelling?
After I started working from home I started showering less than every day and I noticed that I don’t feel as good if I don’t shower. I feel like I’m not fully awake. It’s not about cleanliness exactly. I start to get into a mental funk if I don’t shower. It’s like a reset or something.
Sure, if you don't exercise there's no need to shower every day. You may want to for other reasons though (it's nice?).<p>A message I _would_ like to see more of though, is that there isn't an everyday reason to wash your hair more than once a week. In fact, it's bad for your scalp.
From the billiard-ball-smooth brains that brought us "wiping your buttcrack is gay", here's 2024's version "showering daily is woke" :P