With the Winter Olympics winding down, I think its about time we discuss something everyone has been over looking.
Russia has made sure that while all eyes are on them, the world gets a chance to see what their culture is all about.
We have had an inside look at their art, their traditions... even their politics. All to show the world that Russia is no longer the controlling freedom stifling country it once was.
But have they really given up on trying to control everything. Politicians and even the people would say they have. There is, however, one sign that points to the fact that they have not.
The bathroom sign.
When I first saw this sign I didn't think much of it. I pretty much just glanced at the picture then filed it away.
It wasn't until sbout an hour later when something about the picture finally started to bother me.
I pulled the picture back up and realized Russia has some crazy stuff going on in their bathrooms. For instance:
There appears to an issue with people trying to go to the bathroom on flies. Maybe people consider it a sport and the government, who has always been concerned about fly wellness, is like 'knock off peeing on the flies'.
Another problem they seem to have is people fishing in the toliets.
What could they possibly catch from inside the toliet bowl. That is assuming these are regular indoor toliets and not outhouse style. Is Russia stocking their toliets with Bass and Trout? What exactly did someone catch that was so great that it inspired others to imitate the act?
Maybe the sign is a tip for people who dropped their keys or phones into the toliet. Its saying, "Hey. You won't be able to get your phone back by using a fishing pole. The best way is to just reach in and get it." You may notice that there are no images forbidding a person from sticking their hand in the toliet.
This final forbidden action really made me think. To be honest, I wasn't really sure what it was trying to tell me. Do not rub your butt on the ground? Do not 'break it down' in front of the toliet? No squat thrusts? Finally, it came to me what they didn't want.
They don't want people trying to summon demons from out of their toliets. Obviously, the person is in the middle of some kind of ritual. His hands are up in the air as if praising or calling upon something. Russia may have made great strides when it comes to religious freedom, but not so much so as to allow people to summon demons from public bathrooms.
There is one last thing about this sign that bothers me and to be quite honest, I find a little offensive.
All the figures depicted are of men. Its as if they are saying women don't fish out of toliets or try to summon demons or Porcelain Gods. That doesn't seem fair. It might even be bordering on sexist.
I guess maybe Russia hasn't come as far as we all had hoped they would. Or maybe the janitors really don't like cleaning toliets and aren't taking any chances. What do you think?
