I had the TMI experience today where a co-worker said that she always stands up (before wiping), turns around and visually explores her poop. Wiping first, she maintains, covers the poop so she can’t see it properly. When asked why she wanted to view her pile, she tittered, stammered, turned red and moved away quite swiftly. Another co-worker suggested that, in parts of Europe, there’s a little platform above the water line in the toilet that you aim the poo toward to make an observation tower. WTF? I’m still perplexed!
What can you tell from a visual examination only? Consistency? Colour? What else? Undigested celulose stuff? What would it tell you in terms of planning your day? Your week? Your next Dr visit?
Standing up with unremoved poo in your crack? Whew!! Wouldn’t it spread right along the crack so that the eventual wipe becomes a monumental task?
This is not an opinion thread. I want to know factual reasons for the practice.
To make sure everything is copacetic of course. I mean, if it’s abnormally dark, or blue or something, it should be time to see your doctor.
I don’t honestly see the confusion here. It sounds pretty normal…not pretty, or the kind of thing you’d normally talk about in public, but still normal.
Obviously, if you’re hung up on seeing your own poo, you haven’t shared close quarters with babies or children yet…
I’ve seen this as a comment before, and never understood it. If you can’t stand up without smearing feces in your rear end, you’re not eating enough fibre. Have a bran muffin once in a while and you’ll find clean up almost unnecessary altogether (well, almost!)
I think it’s just to make sure it isn’t blue, as was said, or has worms coming out of it or something. But, after spending some time in Europe, i tried to find out why they have these sort of shelf-toilets, where the poop sits quite close to its origin, before being thrust down with the flush water. Well, the only reference I could find at the time, and I can’t remember where I read it, maybe even here!, said that the poop stayed on the toilet-shelf because farmers used to take the poop and use it! Far-fetched? I don’t know. I did read that though. No kidding! It was to make it easier for them to fish it out. Anyone know about this???
I can’t speak for the rest of humanity, but I myself am a naturally curious person. I thirst for knowledge. I quest for answers to the unknown. Yes, I look at my own shit and I’m proud of it!
As for why some people stand up to wipe – is there another way of doing it? Honestly, for my entire life I thought this was the only way. And it’s not like I observe other people in the act of wiping, so it’s not like I’ve had a chance to compare and contrast techniques. I stand because it’s my way. It’s the only way I know.
And yes, I always look at the paper to see if I’m done. If the paper is white, then I know I’m alright.
Since everyone keeps bringing up blue poop I thought I’d just mention I have had baby blue poop once in my adult life. 'Twas pretty in a very, very strange way.
Anyone who’s spent any time raising babies knows that a wealth of vital information can be gleaned from a quick visual scan of poo. It’s the olefactory scan that’ll kill ya.
I had a kidney stone last year and a few lingering comlications remain. One question my doctor asks me every time I see him is “What color is your stool?”
“Um, brown?” is an unnecessarily wiseass answer, in is view.
Also, the “shelf” on euro toilets is not specifically there so you can inspect your fecal friends, it’s there so that when you drop the kids off at the pool, they don’t immediately do a cannonball and make the toilet do a brief impression of a bidet.
I always hate when the splashback makes a bullseye. So I learned on my own to float a few pieces of TP in the center of the bowl before sitting down.
And, I must recommend the newsgroup alt.tasteless for any and all poo-related questions. Believe me, the folks there are the internet excretory experts.
Well since everyone else has addressed the point of the OP better than I could ever have done… I just gotta say that there should be a legal requirement to display some kind of tactful warning anywhere that Red Velvet Cake is served.
Once, a couple of years ago, for a day my poo was blue-green. I still don’t know what caused it to be that color, but ever since, I’ve at least taken a quick peek before flushing to make sure any odd colors haven’t suddenly appeared.
Looking at my poo after I am done makes my day! I also watch the colour of my pee when peeing! A visual survey of whatever comes out can serve as an early warning in case something is going wrong. And as for the “monumental task” in wiping a post-poo-stood-up-butt, why not try giving it one wipe and the standing up without letting go off the TP?