Why is retentive rather than expulsive the popular "anal" personality?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I wonder why Freud’s “anal-retentive” came into mainstream use to describe an uptight, “neat-freak” personality rather than “anal-expulsive” to describe a sloppy, unorganized personality (Felix Ungar vs. Oscar Madison).

Perhaps there was a greater demand for a derogatory word for describing an uptight person than a sloppy person. Maybe “anal-expulsive” conjured images of the wrong kind of sloppiness.

It seems too late to try and bring “anal-expulsive” into vogue since “anal-retentive” has been shortened to just “anal” which is far too ambiguous if both terms are in circulation.

It’s too bad, it seems like calling someone “anal-expulsive” would be a formidable insult, at least in grade school.

2

I’ve wondered about this myself. And I wonder even more about people who go around saying, “I’m so anal.”

3

Perhaps because “anal” conjures up the image of someone with a stick up their ass?

Or because “anal expulsive” creates a really disgusting image?

I dunno, those are my guesses.

4

since Freud never used the term, let’s find out where and when it appears.

The Mavens’ Word of The Day says it first appears in the 1950’s. That’s a good place to start searching.

I think the answer is actually on that website. I didn’t check, as my daughter is telling me it’s her turn on the computer. Chat, you know.

5

Well, I’d think it would be because a neat freak would absolutely insist on a pristine and quiet/private place to drop the Browns off at the pool, and they’d hold it in until this perfect place would be found, need to crap or no need to crap.

6

Or maybe because Phil Hartman never had an SNL character named the Anal-Expulsive Chef.
Link Enclosed

7

Wouldn’t it be repulsive?