# A bathroom scale, the Mona Lisa, my couch... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686 "2012-03-13T20:36:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/21 "2012-03-14T22:24:51Z")
Now I’m totally confuzzled. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/22 "2012-03-14T22:31:05Z")
> [@Chicken\_Fingers](#): > > Things made in Italy. I guessed, “Things that are Italian.” Are your bathroom scale and couch made in Italy? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/23 "2012-03-15T01:04:14Z")
Gry. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/24 "2012-03-15T04:08:58Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Wait, is the line in the spoiler supposed to be the answer, or a hint? I assumed it was your answer. ETA: Is “slippers” another hint? No, it was a nudge at the second part of the OP. I guess I was being too subtle… what are other examples of items that are used purely without touching with hands? So “treadmill” doesn’t work, since you use your hands to start it. It’s rather interesting how hand-centric all our objects are. A bathroom scale is used by your feet. The Mona Lisa is used by your eyes. My couch is used by my butt. What else? p.s. I don’t consider “hot soup” to be a correct answer, although technically you don’t touch it directly with your hands. But manipulating a spoon with your hands sorta counts. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/25 "2012-03-15T06:15:35Z")
I liked **Rhythmdvl** ’s answer better. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/26 "2012-03-15T11:03:55Z")
I thought it might be that they all had frames - but **Rhythmdvl** ’s answer has eyes and it keeps following me around the room. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/27 "2012-03-15T14:38:45Z")
I suppose “pet fish” is a good example. Maybe the problem is I didn’t give any counter examples like “toothbrush”? ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/28 "2012-03-15T14:52:23Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > No, it was a nudge at the second part of the OP. > > I guess I was being too subtle… what are other examples of items that are used purely without touching with hands? So “treadmill” doesn’t work, since you use your hands to start it. It’s rather interesting how hand-centric all our objects are. > > A bathroom scale is used by your feet. The Mona Lisa is used by your eyes. My couch is used by my butt. What else? > > p.s. I don’t consider “hot soup” to be a correct answer, although technically you don’t touch it directly with your hands. But manipulating a spoon with your hands sorta counts. Basketball hoop Streetlight, stoplight, etc. Wastebasket (except that you empty it using your hands) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686/29 "2012-03-16T21:27:28Z")
Those are good examples. I agree that the wastebasket example is not pure. I suppose something could be installed by hands, but once installed, its regular usage is hands-free. That permits the basketball hoop, streetlight, stoplight, Mona Lisa, bathroom scale and slippers. I suppose rugs, carpets and floor mats would also fit. I’m thinking “couch” is iffy because many sofas have adjustors like a lever you pull to recline them. So I am thinking most medical implants fit - tooth fillings, breast implants, artificial hearts, replacement joints. And tattoos. A piercing or stoma probably does not fit the criteria. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-bathroom-scale-the-mona-lisa-my-couch/615686.md?page=1)