Nose Blowing

[CDarwin]

I've been recently struck with a respiratory illness which seems to involve quite a bit of blowing of the nose, and it has gotten me thinking. Is this an innate behavior or something we learn to do culturally? Do all cultures blow their noses? Do any other animals? Is it something that would had to have evolved with fabrics, or would a leaf or just your hand do?

[iNow]

Practially all animals sneeze, and if one had excess mucous it would drip out all on it's own. Even dogs will sometimes try to lick away the secretions from their noses.

 

I'd suggest that it's one of those "part nature/part nurture" phenomenon, where everyone tries to clear the nasal cavity when required, but the method they choose to do so is learned from their culture/environment.

[Phi for All]

I saw a farmer in Slovakia blow his nose into his hand, then wipe his hand on the grass at his feet. *Then* he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and finished cleaning his hand and dabbing at his nose.

 

At first I thought it was pretty disgusting but isn't it even more disgusting to blow the mucus into the handkerchief and then keep it in your pocket the rest of the day?

 

I'm sure it varies from culture to culture. I've seen men who clear their nostrils outdoors by closing one and exhaling sharply out of the other onto the grass. Done correctly, there isn't anything left to clean up and it takes a few seconds. Done incorrectly, you just look like a dribbling idiot.

 

I think I remember reading somewhere that the modern handkerchief evolved from a popular head covering when snuff became fashionable. They were usually brown to hide the tobacco stains.

[thedarkshade]

I'm sure it varies from culture to culture.

Indeed it does, but I think that in every country this is considered not as a good element, of course when not covered at least.

 

Some countries really have interesting habits. In some part of Africa to get spit is considered a honor!

I've seen men who clear their nostrils outdoors by closing one and exhaling sharply out of the other onto the grass.

That's just a footballers way to get rid of what's inside in a fast way.

 

If you'd only seen my chemistry teacher sneezing:eek: ! It's like a bomb suddenly explodes! It's freaky terrifying man!

Done correctly, there isn't anything left to clean up and it takes a few seconds. Done incorrectly, you just look like a dribbling idiot.

That's just a fancy way of saying 'disgusting'!

[gilbertsmith]

I had a friend at school who never wiped his nose. He always had two green streaks of snot above his top lip. I would watch with amazement at how he managed these two lines of bright green snot by occasionally sucking them back up his nose but, they always returned.

[Varnsen]

Is it something that would had to have evolved with fabrics, or would a leaf or just your hand do?

 

you aren't familiar with the bushmans hanky?

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Bushman's-Hanky

[NeonBlack]

Phi, It's not just men- I've seen girls do that too. Pretty much anyone who grew up on a farm will be able to do that.

 

I tried it and ended up with snot all over my face.