See me, Feel me, Touch me, Heal me

During a recent trip to the UK, I saw a TV commercial for a product not yet available in North America. The ad was for a new mouthwash, and the brand tag-line is "See the Evidence, Feel the Freshness". Huh? See the evidence? What would they mean by that?



Oh.

They really do mean that.

While disturbing on multiple levels, it is the next logical step in the progressively compulsive climate of introspection in which we live.

Biore skin strips allow you to proudly wave the output of your pores for your friends to see. Clearasil was on the forefront of this evolution of self-care products, bringing teenage facial dirt into the public domain.

Perhaps more research is in order, but I suspect this trend could be traced back to the design of German toilets in the mid 20th century. Traditional health practices include the belief that one's waste is the first clue to impending health problems, thus the shelf-style bowl. Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has argued that this "reflective thoroughness" is in fact a key indicator of social and political outlooks and has broader implications than simply the degree of ceramic slant. If Zizek's theory is used as a predictor of political shift, Sheena will stop by Ernie Coomes bookie shop when in Greenwich next and a put couple of quid on David Cameron.