Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
The habit of taking shoes off in Japan came from the fact they traditionally sat on the floor, slept on pallets on the floor, and ate at tables a few inches off the floor.
Meanwhile there are wide swathes of the world (including half of the U.S. and much of Europe), where those who habitually remove shoes will be regarded with incredulity. It's not simply that they don't take their shoes off in these places, but they don't understand why anyone would, and regard it as bizarre. The first time it happened to me (in Scotland 20 years ago) went like this:
[I start taking my shoes off at door.]
Host: What are you doing?
Me: Taking my shoes off.
Host: WHY?!
Me: Uh, it's polite?
Host: [Laughs and shakes head.] No. Keep them on.
Host [Later to wife]: He was taking his shoes off!
Wife: WHY?!
And this was an affluent family in a nice, new house full of nice things. They regarded me taking my shoes off as weird and unexpected as if I'd taken my shirt off.
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Just so I have this straight. You're out all day. Walking on dusty sidewalks. Going into public restrooms, where there's some urine splatter on the floor. Walking in parks, where there's god knows what in the grass. Then you go home and don't take off your shoes? Sorry, but that's filthy.