I love me a clean neighbourhood. I often wonder why some places are so full of garbage while others are impeccably clean. The availability of resources is an obvious factor. But I think there might be other aspects as well, perhaps associated with resource availability. Biology? Culture? The alignment of the planets?
In my own home, I go through extreme bouts of Zen cleanliness or complete mess. I used to have a roommate who liked to keep things impeccably clean. Not a single hair in the shower or bathroom. Dishes all clean after meals. He was militant about it while I was a bit more laissez-faire, and this put us at odd sometimes.
"My mother would force us to keep things tidy and clean," he told me one day almost apologetically. He shook his head with an ironic chuckle as if remembering some traumatic but valuable event.
Culturally speaking, I find it striking how Germans and Japanese are so committed to cleanliness. Japanese soccer fans even stay behind to clean their sections after international games whether they win, lose, or draw. I admire this trait.
For me, cleaning is a waste of time. In the time I vacuum, I could be learning quantum mechanics, planning world take over, painting a masterpiece, solving quadratic equations, exploring Mars, programming a computer, analyzing statistical data on the porn habits of monkeys, but instead I'm moving a stick back and forth over a carpet. Then I have to do it again next week? Get out of here. I hate housework! It's a waste of time. If I weren't so introverted, I would hire a sexy maid to do it. So I just patiently do my chores with a simmering rage, waiting for the robots to arrive one day and take over.
Having said that, I love a clean well-lighted place.
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