Here Are Three Ways We Can Punch Up Your Sunday Styles Piece

There is an article in today's Sunday Styles section called "The Great Unwashed," a trend piece in which the author somehow tracked down at least three people who don't bathe everyday and who are willing to be quoted in the newspaper.

Maybe you think this kind of contrarianism is dated, a vestige of oughts-era American culture. Personally, I think it's fantastic to see quicker nostalgia. It's like it's 2003 again, and I'm reading Christopher Hitchens in Slate — on a computer monitor! — and I find myself nodding in agreement, maybe even vigorously nodding in agreement, about just how low the Axis of Weasel can go.

That said, here are three ways this really, really great trend piece could have been a really, really, really great trend piece:

1) An Economy Angle: Some people — OK, one person — don't shower for environmental reasons, but isn't there anyone out there who has cut back on buying deodorant because it's a luxury item? Everyone's feeling the pain; that part writes itself.

2) Limited "Scope": Why stop at showering and deodorant? I bet there are a lot of people out there — three, at least! — who have eschewed brushing their teeth, as well. This would be fascinating to try to understand.

3) Missing "To Be Sure" Paragraph: I like the idea of legitimizing the concerns of those who worry that they're going to get cancer from aluminum, but whatever happened to good old "I'm lazy and don't give a fuck"? The piece feels like it's missing that extra oomph a real dirty dude could provide.