Should we privileged people of the US cut some slack to those immigrants from 3rd world nations on possible body odor?

I’ve heard these same comments most frequently made about the French and last I checked, they’re not exactly a Third World country (many apparently don’t believe in either frequent bathing nor in using deodorants) so I don’t know what that does to your theory.

Obviously that doesn’t mean ALL Frenchmen but I’m just reporting what I’ve heard the most (and just experienced with one particular group of French guys at a conference for movement theater performers.) And this was in a week or two in the summer :).

I spent 10 days in France. Never noticed any odd odors, But they think most people from the United States are fat.

edit :: In the event I wasn’t clear… Only one stereotype is correct.

@Buttonstc I’ve heard these same comments most frequently made about the French and last I checked, they’re not exactly a Third World country (many apparently don’t believe in either frequent bathing nor in using deodorants) so I don’t know what that does to your theory.
Who considers the French an industrialized nation? ~~ LOL

I am sure there are some nations we do not consider 3rd world that are not as fastidious as us Yanks on showering and such. For those nations, I would reckon they, do not find the smell of ”natural humans” as offensive as here in the US. I believe that here in the US it has become culturally unacceptable to smell as natural humans smell, that over the generations it somewhat has been seen in a negative light to not smell like perfume, flowers, or some other aromatic aroma that is truly foreign to humans if not for man’s use of chemicals and scents. I know people who would fret not being able to shower not because they are truly dirty, etc. but simply because they sweated and thus they are afraid they will smell like a person naturally smells (in the mind of some, stinky). I don’t know how or when the natural smell of humans got to be so offensive, I figure for a long time here in the US, the natural smell of humans was expected unless you were the uber rich and could afford the fancy scents and did not have to sweat working the fields, on the ranch or in the factories.

@johnpowell I spent 10 days in France. Never noticed any odd odors, But they think most people from the United States are fat.
You straighten those French heathens out next time. We in the US are ”thick”, ”big boned”, ”stocky”, but not fat. If everyone here ate healthy and got plenty of exercise they would still tip the scales the same way and their waistline would be just as large. Fat, indeed, they are just jealous because 60–68% of Americans are super-sized. It is way better to command two time zones than to smell like steamer trunk or like a human being. ~~~

Smell has a lot to do with their food too – eating garlic and cumin make people smell like garlic and cumin.

I am sure everybody who smells bad has some reason for smelling bad. Just like I am sure that everybody who goes to church has a reason for doing it. And fair enough.
But after we analyze the reason, they still smell bad.

@josie I am sure everybody who smells bad has some reason for smelling bad.
Is there really that thin of a line between someone who smells of urine, poop, and funk, then someone who smells like a natural human meaning slightly sweaty or less than a fragrant cologne, aftershave, etc.?

@Hypocrisy Central. I don’t believe most of us consider just how powerful and emotion laden are the things we perceive through our nose. I often wonder since we humans have such poor capabilities involving smell when compared to most animals, why it is we react so to odors. I mean a dog can detect things through its nose orders of magnitude beyond our abilities, and yet roll around in piles of poop without distress. I don’t get it. Are we “taught” what smells good or bad? Why is smell so tied up with emotions in we who are so poorly equipped for it?

@stanleybmanly I don’t get it. Are we “taught” what smells good or bad?
I have wondered that myself. I sometimes muse, if I were not told from a young age that roses smelled good, would I believe that roses smelled good? There are some things I believe are undeniably foul, the smell of rotting eggs, cabbage, or skunks. Some things I thought would smell nasty, only because I was told that, were not stinky of foul when I actually got my nose to it. I worked on cars many, many years and the smell of grease, oil, tranny fluid, gas, etc. never bothered me, I knew that came with the territory, yet the smell of that was offensive to some. I had a friend who had a horse ranch, and some people found the place smelly but to those who owned horses or were around them, they did not notice the smell. I believe some things are just smelly, but some things, like maybe auto fluids, and chemicals, and certain farm animals are said to be smelly so people predisposition themselves to believe it is smelly when if they never heard that, they would maybe notice, but not think it repugnant.