News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Sweet-potato washing revisited: 50th anniversary of the Primates article (2015). Parent comment

Re:Sweet-potato washing revisited: 50th anniversary of the P... by magneticnorth on Tuesday April 26, 2022 @07:35PM (#31174500)
Particular hairstyles, other types of fashion. Slang and other communication norms - waving or handshaking or hugging, laughing together.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Sweet-potato washing revisited: 50th anniversary of the P... by jamiek88 on Tuesday April 26, 2022 @07:55PM (#31174651)
There’s social reasons for all those things.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Sweet-potato washing revisited: 50th anniversary of the P... by codefreeordie on Wednesday April 27, 2022 @12:45AM (#31176408)
Presumably, there are social reasons for sweet potato washing as well. But, I think the idea here is that the practice had a non-social-cultural purpose at first (washing the hot sweet potato that came out of the fire) but now is widely retained for only a social-cultural purpose (washing fresh sweet potatoes, apples, and other things that are not hot)
[ Parent | on HN ]