A BRIEF EVOLUTION OF THE DUNNY ROLL REVOLUTION.
Did you know that we are the only species on Earth who actually wipe after defecation? Sure, some dog and cat species, among others, can be found every now and again on their haunches, scraping their backside along the grass (or your expensive carpet).
But that has probably got more to do with intestinal worms than a cleaning technique of the animal! Whilst it is believed that our own primitive descendants may have actually used sticks and leaves (as has been noticed with chimpanzees), it is a fair assumption that it probably had something more to do with an attempted removal of dried faeces sticking to surrounding hair, rather than a primitive toilet-grooming exercise.
Throughout history, as Roman Kings used wool dipped in rosewater, and peasants used sponges soaked in brine (salt water) on a stick; as mussel shells were being used throughout coastal regions of the world and corn cobs were being used in colonial America; as British aristocracy used wool or silk cloth and the masses used hessian, the need to wipe has been with us all the while. There are even cultures which still exist today who use their left hand to do the job, and is believed to be the reason why most of us still use our right hand when we greet others with a handshake. Although it had been around since the middle ages, it was assumed by British and American troops during WW2 that the bidet was specifically meant for women, so never really became part of Western culture.
It wasn't until the introduction of the newspaper in the late 19th century, however, that newsprint became the material of choice. While Americans hung old editions of the Sears catalogue on a nail (after all, the hundreds of pages meant a free supply of super absorbent uncoated paper supplies), the British recycled the local morning paper. It wasn't long before they all realised that they had a disposal problem, because sewers had not yet been introduced. Open fireplaces became one way to dispose of the waste, I presume, but only a temporary measure. While England introduced slightly course individual paper squares sold in boxes (not rolls) at the end of the 19th century, Americans had complained that the Sears catalogues had been printed on gloss paper - making the newer catalogues unsuitable for wiping! Soft, fluffy, crepe-paper-like sheets were introduced to meet America's comfort zones, along with sewerage systems to carry it all away. Individual squares gave rise to rolls, and bring us to what we use today. The evolution of the toilet roll revolution was in full swing.
While Australia was beckoning to prevailing community toilet standards in the 1960's, the humble toilet roll hung from a nail on the inside of the backyard dunny (a free standing timber enclosure, with a timber seat, which sat atop a large sawdust-filled hole in the ground) door, and gave rise to the Aussie slang expression: the "dunny roll". The rapid integration of in-house toilets hooked up to local council sewerage systems not only meant the demise of the backyard dunny (pushing this Aussie icon into the anals of history) but also meant that the good old dunny roll now had a new challenge....to become a household "fashion" accessory, and with it, have a decor-like appearance. Manufacturers began introducing a variety of advertising techniques to encourage you to purchase their product for display (and even use) in your home, relying on survey-based data to determine what your needs were. It is my own understanding of these techniques (coupled with my own interpretation of Freud's writings on the impact of early toilet training), and their link to our psyche that has now shaped the next important stage of the dunny roll's evolution.......the psychometry of the roll!
PSYCHOMETRY OF THE ROLL.
The humble toilet roll might very well be one of the most often used consumer products to enter into our daily routines, yet it continues to be one of those strange little things that has never entered into our daily discussions. In order for HOT SHIT to flush out the psychological and inner world of those of us who actually use the dunny roll, it is asked that you complete the following survey, which openly asks questions about this bizarre cultural taboo. Once enough surveys have been completed and forwarded to us, the combined results, together with a description of the various dunny "types" and their psychological groupings, will be posted here for you to view. It is here that you will discover some amazing insights into some of the reasons we do what we do when we do it. So now, onto the survey...
PROTECTING PHOENIX
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