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What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

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Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#21

Post by pilaf »

k__ wrote: post #3

I read that many asian people don't even use it and simply wash themselves with a showerhead instead. Maybe we should just do it like that?

In Argentina and some other South American countries bidets are standard and found in almost every bathroom. They're usually not integrated into the toilet as the Japanese type, they're a separate fixture, but serve the same purpose. You still need toilet paper though, at the very least to dry yourself up after using the bidet, but common usage is to wipe first, then use the bidet to finish the job.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#22

Post by make3 »

tlarkworthy wrote: post #8

I think a machine vision directed spray is the future. I don't fancy collecting the training data though.

wow, collecting isn't so bad, (you just place a camera) Labeling it however!!

That would mean literally looking at poopy buttholes all day long and highlighting the poop on the butt, maybe also highlighting where you think the hose should start. I wouldn't want to be that Mechanical Turker

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#23

Post by gkya »

dpcx wrote: post #13
tdons wrote: post #11

On most days toilet paper helps you smear more than it helps you wipe. For those wanting to try out the bidet without buying one there's always the backcountry bidet [1]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2x-G7sXVs4

I have one of these: https://hellotushy.com/ - it works really well.

Wow this is incredibly similar to what we usually use in Turkey. But here the little faucet is already installed into the rim, and the valve is on the wall to your right. I just can't imagine how people live without using these things or a bidet.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#24

Post by kragen »

When I moved to Argentina, it took me a while to get used to bidets. But now that I'm used to them, I never use toilet paper voluntarily. It leaves your butt still dirty!

As someone said, if you got poop on your arm, maybe while changing a diaper, would you wipe it off with a piece of paper and consider it clean? No, not if you're from the mainstream of any developed country. You would use water, soap, and maybe more extreme measures.

Well, why do you leave your anus caked with residual poop, then? Advance into the 18th century: get a bidet, and learn to use it. Overcome your ignorance and embarrassment. Even I did.

(I still use toilet paper in public restrooms, though. They usually don't have bidets.)

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#25

Post by cornholio »

makotech222 wrote: post #20
skookumchuck wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the result of free markets. Centralized economic planning is simply unable to deal with the complexity.

Yeah, we certainly can't produce toilet paper unless 50% of the population is in poverty.

To take your sarcasm further, it appears we can't: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-venezu...

(Yes, I know we could)

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#26

Post by kragen »

dahart wrote: post #6

> I’m thinking of opening a chain called Urine-Urout All-Natural Laundromat. It’s a sparkling business opportunity! Best line in the article. Though, TIL contrary to the popular myth, urine isn't sterile.

Once you ferment it until it stinks of ammonia, it's pretty sterile. Eventually even the extremophilic bacteria that produce the ammonia will die off from it.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#27

Post by gkya »

skookumchuck wrote: post #19
gkya wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This made me recall immediately the "I, pencil" article. It's stunning to remember that almost anything one gets to touch or see throughout the day is a product of almost always global collaboration, if we include a things conception with its production, and also transportation, selling, etc.

This is the result of free markets. Centralized economic planning is simply unable to deal with the complexity.

Wut? Do you really think you can convince me that USSR did not have toilet papers or pencils? Or send the first man to space? This is not about what economical model is better. People can collaborate both under central economic planning and through free markets. One might certainly be more preferable to the other, but that's totally a different conversation (I'm not a fan of either, for the records).

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#28

Post by kragen »

make3 wrote: post #22
tlarkworthy wrote: post #8

I think a machine vision directed spray is the future. I don't fancy collecting the training data though.

wow, collecting isn't so bad, (you just place a camera) Labeling it however!! That would mean literally looking at poopy buttholes all day long and highlighting the poop on the butt, maybe also highlighting where you think the hose should start. I wouldn't want to be that Mechanical Turker

There's someone out there for whom this is their dream job. Probably a substantial fraction of the population, actually, judging from the tag clouds on porn sites.

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#29

Post by hippich »

gkya wrote: post #27
skookumchuck wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the result of free markets. Centralized economic planning is simply unable to deal with the complexity.

Wut? Do you really think you can convince me that USSR did not have toilet papers or pencils? Or send the first man to space? This is not about what economical model is better. People can collaborate both under central economic planning and through free markets. One might certainly be more preferable to the other, but that's totally a different conversation (I'm not a fan of either, for the records).

You will laugh, but yes, USSR also had troubles with toilet paper from time to time (while launching satellites i guess) - https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&pr...

Re: What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

#30

Post by news_to_me »

kragen wrote: post #24

When I moved to Argentina, it took me a while to get used to bidets. But now that I'm used to them, I never use toilet paper voluntarily. It leaves your butt still dirty! As someone said, if you got poop on your arm, maybe while changing a diaper, would you wipe it off with a piece of paper and consider it clean? No, not if you're from the mainstream of any developed country. You would use water, soap, and maybe more…

Well said. Whenever I bring this up to friends, they seem weirded out by bidets, sometimes even grossed out. How can it be grosser than trying to smear poop off with a paper towel!?
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