spitting

I simply dont understand the argument that spitting is a right.

1/ Spitting is not necessary. Like I said before. If one works any type of job or goes to school, he/she dont spit in a meeting or in class right? So the ability to control the urge is there. But as soon as those constraints are gone its luggie time?

2/ Why can it be considered OK when it can spread disease?

3/ If this gross liquid is in ones nose, lungs and mouth in the first place - why is is that terrible to just swallow it? Its not like its comming from ones ass.

4/ Why does a spitter's "right" to spit outweigh a non-spitters right to a clean shared sidewalk? Especially when the one act (spitting) can effect so many other people. Its very selfish since there is no positive outcome to anyone but the spitter.

What diseases are being spread in NYC by spit? Most of us have been innoculated against the "harmful" diseases that spit spreads. Also, man, there is so much other toxic shit all over the place here, I'd think that spit would be something to be the least worked up about. What about random rainbow splotches on corners after a rainfall? What the fuck is that shit? Nasty ass drippings of decomposing food from restaurants, what about that?

Fecal matter really spreads disease rather quickly, so dog shit is more understandable to get worked up about. But to crucify someone who is sick or congested because they don't want to swallow their phlem (sp.?) is not exactly right either. I am in full defense of spitters in developed countries where TB is vaccinated against!

Until bird flu or any other influenza is a reality, I say spit if you must, just not on someone!

Plus, what if someone is eating a watermelon while walking down the street, or in a park and they spit the seed out of their mouth and onto the ground? Is that as bad? Or acceptable?

Spitting. Let's make it a caning offense. It is, after all, about the 'quality of life'.

"If this gross liquid is in ones nose, lungs and mouth in the first place - why is is that terrible to just swallow it? Its not like its comming from ones ass. "

As one who was immersed in West Indian culture by marriage, I soon learned that swallowing the "cold" is considered very very disgusting and gross by Jamaicans. It must be expectorated, or it will "sick you". If you have a bad cold and cough up phlegm, you must get rid of it, not swallow it!!! I have to agree with my Jamaican friends, but I never leave home without plenty of tissue or paper towels for emergencies.

i have to side with the "spitting is disgusting" faction.

what grosses me out about it is the thought of walking through it (along with the rest of the sidewalk nastiness) and then tracking it into my apartment (which is why i don't wear shoes in my place).

i just don't get why its necessary. i'm emetophobic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emetophobia) and get queasy just seeing the glob of spit. i can't help but gag a bit.

i equate it to vomiting in public which i think most of us would agree is the epitome of nastiness. if you're that sick then stay home or bring tissues.

I spit, I move over to the side and spit discretely. I have a lot of mucus and it's disgusting, I firmly believe swallowing it will make me the worse off. The key here is discretely and not in the middle of the sidewalk, I realize it's gross, and I realize that I am not going to swallow, so I comprimise. By the way snot rocket are the foulest. I see old ladies doing that shit and it makes me wanna puke.

sorry for the random thought but aren't spitters quiters

It's an American thing. Dickens agrees:

"His American Notes, created a furor in America (he commented unfavorably, for one thing, on the apparently universal -- and, so far as Dickens was concerned, highly distasteful -- American predilection for chewing tobacco and spitting the juice)."

Now people don't even have the tobacco juice excuse.

Oiseau wrote: [quote=doublediamond] If you were a public urinator or defecator, I'd definitely ask why you were doing it in the middle of the street.

DO you ask dogs why they do this in the middle of the street/sidewalk? Nothing like walking down a sidewalk trying to avoid a bright yellow stream of urine.

I'd say dog shit and piss is quite worse than human spit.

Oh, please. Dogs don't know better; people do.

Oiseau wrote:

With spitting it's more the act that is offensive not the end result.

With dogs, it's both.

Yes, because avoiding a stream of sterile urine is so much worse than almost stepping in a murky pool of saliva and snot... :roll: