The Etiquette of Smell

Why is it social acceptable to tell someone that they are physically hurting you, yet improper, even rude, to tell them that they smell...badly...really badly? A smell so pungent that it gives you goose-pimples.

Yesterday, as every Monday, I played volleyball at a local community center. It usually hosts the same group of people. However, this time we were joined...actually more like assaulted...by a man that had a funk so bad that it lingered for at least a minute after he left. It was actually able to spread to other courts. I could smell his presence at least 25 - 30 feet away.

I wanted to tell him to leave the courts. I wanted to say "I'm sorry but your smell is too much, you must leave now!" Did I? No. Social norm told me that if I did, I would be labeled as the rude one - not him. Shouldn't it be the other way around? In a country where we have daily access to deodorant, showers, and soap there's no excuse for this. Apply some deodorant or please leave the court!

And unless I have the nose of a blood hound, it's safe to say that I was not the only one that was aromatically abused by this man...and said nothing. Has this man gone through his entire life without someone mentioning it to him that it's just not socially acceptable? Probably. Yet, if his cell phone rang during a movie we wouldn’t hesitate to give him a tongue lashing. But smell? We’d probably feel that it would be rude to even relocate our passive-aggressive ass five seats to the left.

We must stop this! Let’s create a North America that is as beautiful to smell as it is to look at. Next time someone smells beside you at a movie theatre, tell them to move five seats to the left. If they can't be considerate enough to take a shower then why should you be considerate enough not to say anything.

It's time for a change!