The Gaming Den

I notice that it's a common trope in fantasy or sci-fi games for 'less advanced' races to smell worse to the more 'advanced' races.

What the shit is up with that?

It probably has to do with the (perceived?) fact that the more advanced a civilization is, generally the greater lengths they go to to cleanse themselves so as to not offend their fellows through scent, and the better means they have for doing so. It could also have something to do with the fact that, usually, the less advanced a culture is, the closer they are to nature, and the less certain smells tend to bother them, especially the bodily smells of their fellows, notably those of the opposite gender.

Unless it's about elves - accoridng to the common tropes they are much closer to nature than everyone else, and yet do not smell at all - unless they smell like roses or something positive like that.

Because in the real world, 'less advanced' means, doesn't know about germs. And that means no showers/baths.

So yeah, less advanced means stinky, because less advanced is defined based on how much you wash in the first place.

Becaues it's hilarious. Cave men smell really bad. In fact, they smell so bad that everyone hates them and you'll be sickened if you get near one. Hahahahaha! Ha ha ha.

Um, guys? back me up on this one. What, you don't think stinky cave men are funny?

People who eat different things from you smell differently from you. One of the most pervasive racist tirades is how much group X smells. Because the smells of your people are something you don't usually notice.

So if you go through a BNP website, they'll be bitching about how much Indian people smell like all the time.

-Username17

I never thought about it quite like that, but it seems quite obvious now. And now I am quite glad that my parents instilled in me an appreciate of other cultures on matters great and small, because in the future, there will not be room for overly picky people. In the postapocalyptic wasteland of 2050, you must be able to find everyone good enough...

... to eat.




... more seriously, that also applies double to grog, whatever it may be. It is on your breath and you start to sweat it out.

Also, different people carry different sets of microorganisms which are generally harmless. These also carry a scent... And is why humans 'smell bad' after sweating.

Sure, give me a piece of cloth and I can tell you where it's from by its scent, but that doesn't mean one is better or worse than another.

Now, I dunno the trog thing, other than perhaps they've adapted to be immune to most septic bacteria which is why they're still around... Sorta like Komodos. Or maybe their personal pheromones make them inedible like Skunks.

-Crissa

I think it's the skunk one. They live in the underdark after all. Everything there is huge dickish and wants to eat you.

FrankTrollman wrote:So if you go through a BNP website, they'll be bitching about how much Indian people smell like all the time.

Not true, sometimes they like to mix it up with hating on eastern europeans for not being white enough or some shit.

I'm pretty sure orcs and ogres think most civilized races smell like shit, but im not sure if that comes from their general dislike of those races or if they just really cant stand the smell

Kaelik wrote:I think it's the skunk one. They live in the underdark after all. Everything there is huge dickish and wants to eat you.

Either way they're inedible.

-Crissa

Prak Anima wrote:It probably has to do with the (perceived?) fact that the more advanced a civilization is, generally the greater lengths they go to to cleanse themselves so as to not offend their fellows through scent, and the better means they have for doing so.

And that's why Louis XIV bathed only twice during his life.

Maj wrote:

Prak Anima wrote:It probably has to do with the (perceived?) fact that the more advanced a civilization is, generally the greater lengths they go to to cleanse themselves so as to not offend their fellows through scent, and the better means they have for doing so.

And that's why Louis XIV bathed only twice during his life.

I had heard that it was three times.

well, cleanse or disguise their scent. People would often wear oranges with cloves stuck in them in little pouches to perfume themselves and render their stench disguised.

Fucking Enterprise. I can't believe that they used this trope.

Remember when Star Trek used to be really progressive?

Maj wrote:

Prak Anima wrote:It probably has to do with the (perceived?) fact that the more advanced a civilization is, generally the greater lengths they go to to cleanse themselves so as to not offend their fellows through scent, and the better means they have for doing so.

And that's why Louis XIV bathed only twice during his life.

It has more to do with religion and stuff than actual advancement of civilization. People bathed in the early Middle Ages because the Catholic Church wasn't on their backs much, and there were a few roman public baths still up and running. When the Church was powerful enough to throw their retarded weigth around such matters, they simply closed down those baths, and Western civilization basically traded hygiene for perfumes...

TV wrote:When the Church was powerful enough to throw their retarded weigth around such matters, they simply closed down those baths, and Western civilization basically traded hygiene for perfumes...

Why did the Church shut down baths anyway? Fear of public nudity?

I was of the impression that you were supposed to hate being alive and hate your body because it was keeping you from being pure. Or something. I dunno.

Lago PARANOIA wrote: Why did the Church shut down baths anyway? Fear of public nudity?

1. Constructing "Roman baths" was a lost art. Continued use of them would lead 'modern' people to admit that such ancient heathens were better scientists, architects, and all-round decent people, rather than the pitiful unbaptized they were painted out to be.
2. Probably a waste of water better used for drinking. When everyone shits in the river near your small peasant town, do you really want to bathe in it?
3. General superstition (another loss of wisdom from the previous era of education) that bathing causes disease, due to washing ones "natural protection" off. Likewise with filthy water and cholera, possibly due to diseased drinking water once more.

Edit: Although on further consideration, if the Church of Europe did indeed ruin and dismantle perfectly good operative public baths with ample supplies of clean water, it may have been to prevent extramarital sex and any "love that cannot be". Stricter control over marital and intimate affairs strike deeply.
The stones were sometimes used to build more churches, so all's well for them.

That's right. If you want to stay healthy, you should never wash off your protective crust. Germs would have a hard time getting through it, and the smell should keep them away.

Maxus wrote:That's right. If you want to stay healthy, you should never wash off your protective crust. Germs would have a hard time getting through it, and the smell should keep them away.

.. Which makes perfect sense since disease is caused by malodorous gasses.
Namely, those originating from stagnant swamps.

That, and demons.
Yes.
Fetch the crucifix and prayer book. I feel a fever coming on.

Have you checked your humors lately?

Akula wrote:Have you checked your humors lately?

I had assumed everything is in working order since chi is flowing, prana is steamin' fine, and all chakras are spinnin' nicely.

That just won't do. Here, take this homeopathic medicine. I've diluted it properly for maximum effect.