Marred Portrait of Disgust (2 Letters)
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To the Editor:
Re "Survival's Ick Factor" (Jan. 24): We were surprised to see that Valerie Curtis's project to encourage hand washing portrays a disgusting character as obese. The campaign, aimed at improving hygiene, may unwittingly increase an already pervasive bias and disgust toward overweight people. Why equate disgust and bad hygiene with obesity?
Sharon R. Akabas
Bonnie R. Bernstein
New York
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To the Editor:
The author should have added that our morals are based on disgust. Being able to live with oneself determines how one stops from misbehaving. Temptations are so strong that only a powerful emotion such as disgust can make us resist.
Sirgay Sanger
Manhattan
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First Published January 31, 2012 12:00 am
