Mar 12, 2020 10:45 PM
(This post was last modified: Mar 12, 2020 10:48 PM by C C.)
https://theconversation.com/why-are-peop...rts-132975
EXCERPT: As coronavirus continues to spread around the world, anxiety is rising in Australia. Shoppers fearful of quarantine measures have been stocking up on supplies to last out a week or two of isolation. Recent days have seen reports of shortages of hand sanitizer and warnings that batteries and other electronic items could be next.
However, the surge in demand for one particular commodity has seen supermarket shelves stripped bare: toilet paper. It’s not just Australians. Shops in Japan, the US, and New Zealand have also run low on the precious sanitary rolls. In Hong Kong, ambitious thieves held up a supermarket to steal a delivery.
But why toilet paper? The question has been in the air for at least the past month, but it’s now become hard to avoid. We asked four experts for their thoughts.
Niki Edwards, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology: Toilet paper symbolizes control. We use it to “tidy up” and “clean up”. It deals with a bodily function that is somewhat taboo. [...]
Brian Cook, Community Engagement for Disaster Risk Reduction project, University of Melbourne: It’s an interesting question. My suspicion is that it is to do with how people react to stress: they want an element of comfort and security. For many Westerners, there is a “yuck factor” associated with non-toilet paper cleaning. [...]
David Savage, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle: I think it is the perfect product. It is completely non-perishable and one of the few products that you can stock up on that you are guaranteed to use eventually. [...]
Alex Russell, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University: There are a few factors at play here. People aren’t only stockpiling toilet paper. All sorts of items are sold out, like face masks and hand sanitizer. Things like canned goods and other non-perishable foods are also selling well... (MORE - further details for each theory)
EXCERPT: As coronavirus continues to spread around the world, anxiety is rising in Australia. Shoppers fearful of quarantine measures have been stocking up on supplies to last out a week or two of isolation. Recent days have seen reports of shortages of hand sanitizer and warnings that batteries and other electronic items could be next.
However, the surge in demand for one particular commodity has seen supermarket shelves stripped bare: toilet paper. It’s not just Australians. Shops in Japan, the US, and New Zealand have also run low on the precious sanitary rolls. In Hong Kong, ambitious thieves held up a supermarket to steal a delivery.
But why toilet paper? The question has been in the air for at least the past month, but it’s now become hard to avoid. We asked four experts for their thoughts.
Niki Edwards, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology: Toilet paper symbolizes control. We use it to “tidy up” and “clean up”. It deals with a bodily function that is somewhat taboo. [...]
Brian Cook, Community Engagement for Disaster Risk Reduction project, University of Melbourne: It’s an interesting question. My suspicion is that it is to do with how people react to stress: they want an element of comfort and security. For many Westerners, there is a “yuck factor” associated with non-toilet paper cleaning. [...]
David Savage, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle: I think it is the perfect product. It is completely non-perishable and one of the few products that you can stock up on that you are guaranteed to use eventually. [...]
Alex Russell, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University: There are a few factors at play here. People aren’t only stockpiling toilet paper. All sorts of items are sold out, like face masks and hand sanitizer. Things like canned goods and other non-perishable foods are also selling well... (MORE - further details for each theory)
