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I don't hear much talk about the "towel principle" and I'm curious if it relates to a real phenomenon and how one could use it in their interactions with other people or with oneself.
If you're not familiar, the towel principle is from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide: "More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (Non-hitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost." What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with."
Basically, the principle would be that if you're the sort of person who does or has something that takes a decent amount of effort, people will see that and cut you a break in other areas. Specifically I was thinking about it in relation to housework. I'm a pretty terrible housekeeper - not hoarder or pest-attracting level (much) but I have a lot of trouble getting myself motivated and making a system to stay on top of things. And my ex tweaks me about it often and it stresses me out because I know it's a problem but I wish they would just shut up about it.
Anyway I was looking for a new system and read something about how much someone enjoyed cleaning their baseboards and how it gave them satisfaction. Baseboards. What kind of person cleans their baseboards? Is this really something where people wake up one day and say, yep, it's baseboard day?
Baseboards are far down my list of potential cleaning goals - but maybe they shouldn't be. A place that hasn't been deep cleaned in a while does collect grime and dust everywhere, including baseboards. On the other hand, if someone has clean baseboards, that's probably the sort of person who's on top of their cleaning. I do think there's a perceptual difference between a home that is cluttered AND ALSO has dirty baseboards, versus a home that is cluttered but has clean baseboards. If I clean my baseboards, does that change the character of the house even when I'm behind on other stuff? Do I feel better about myself, because now I'm the sort of person who cleans baseboards so I can take a little pride in that? Will it get my ex off my back a little more because it has the appearance of me putting more effort in?
Anyway, just wondering if you think I'm onto something and if there are other potential applications of the towel principle.
Necktie bars suggest a certain fastidiousness. I remember reading in Paul Fussell's book Class years ago that tie bar or tie pin is actually a middle class signal, for anyone in the upper realms would never bother. I don't recommend that book; Fussell was most interesting when he wrote or spoke about war. Class was less like Bourdieu and more like Jeff Foxworthy.
I'd say shined shoes, but I'm not sure about that one. Just because your shoes are shined doesn't mean you did it yourself. Well-ironed trousers maybe--a crease suggests you were in the military or police force and think you need one. Pressed but without the crease suggests you weren't and don't.
An interesting thing (to me) about Japan is how prepared everyone is for everything. Going for a walk? You have your sun visor or cap, your sporty shorts and shirt, possibly a sports watch on your wrist, maybe a small rolled (literal) towel around your neck. Riding your bicycle for leisure? You have your bike shorts, helmet, water bottle, wrap-around shades, bike shoes. Kids who leave the house take their thermoses on straps around their necks. There are proper accoutrements for every activity, and you damn well better don them. Students have pencil/pen cases in which they keep extra erasers, pencils and extra lead, colored pens, rulers, maybe even collapsible scissors, Wite-Out or corrective tape or whatever. When I grew up, if you wanted to go fishing you made sure you had your poles and tackle box and maybe something to eat--here you need the vest, waders, possibly gloves, a fishing hat or cap, the right pants, etc. Don't even get me started on golf. Are you an artist? I can probably tell because you are wearing a beret. A male classical musician? You have let your hair go white and a bit wild, like Beethoven. Bourdieu referred to the habitus and in Japan these traits are like required markers, almost stereotypically. You don't actually see many tweed jackets on professors, now that I think about it, but that may have something to do with climate. You do see professors' offices full of vertically stacked books and papers everywhere, seemingly chaotic. It's like a requirement.
Outside this Japanese cultural context and more back in the states, I remember as a graduate student I was a house-sitter for two years in a fairly large house with a giant yard and a large swimming pool. I would throw parties at this home for my graduate cohort from time to time, and I am not unconvinced my girlfriend then wasn't dating me because she unconsciously associated me with this kind of wealth (I was not wealthy). Anyway one Christmas the owner and his wife decided to make an impromptu return, and I was told by someone who knew them well that the wife was very fastidious about cleanliness. I spent the next two days cleaning things like that 2mm shelf on the light switch plate that collects dust,, as well as yes, baseboards, under couches, etc. As someone else has written it's possible when you enter really clean places it simply means they have the wealth to have someone do their cleaning for them.
I've strayed quite far from your topic, I'm afraid.
For the record, tie tacks are tacky and they ruin your ties. Tie bars can be droll, ironic, or complete dada fashion statement, but the average Joe still has to proceed with caution. Some of them have teeth that can ruin your ties. I currently have two tie bars in my collection. One is in the shape of a golf club and will be worn should I ever score a hole in one. The other is a Huckleberry Hound one (with teeth) that I'll probably just hang onto as an investment.
Well, I will enter this all into my file. I don't use tacks but do use a tie bar. It was a gift from students, and I'm sentimental.
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