NationStates Jolt Archive

Have you ever experienced a scent positively, in a situation where others' reactions were decidedly negative?

I have. It happens quite often, actually. One smell I've always enjoyed is the sweet/fetid smell of one's breath, weeks into a fast. A former-paramedic friend of mine who smelled it on me recently tells me that it's a smell strongly present in the recently-deceased. I've never smelled it on a corpse myself but, deferring to her experience, I began to wonder what it is about certain smells that can cause instant revulsion in one person while seeming more-or-less pleasant to another. Well, my wondering didn't get me very far; in fact, I'd say that of all my senses, olfaction is the one I understand least.

So what smells do you enjoy that others are repulsed by? Why do you think that is?

Death (if that's what it is) isn't the only one for me. Others include acetone, gasoline, fresh tar/asphalt, and skunk smell (a bit like citrus, isn't it?). Even the worst smells (say, raw sewage or vomit), while unpleasant, seem to fade away quickly, to the point where I don't notice them anymore. I hope I'm not alone in this! :tongue:

Poll on the way. :)

I like the smell of my girlfriend when she hasn't showered in a week. She doesn't have strong BO or anything, but we get fairly close and so she has a definite scent that is quite particular.

I also like the way her nether regions smell when she's on her period.

I have been informed by my friends that they did not want to know either of these things, and that I am gross.

I can't imagine why.

I like the smell of my girlfriend when she hasn't showered in a week. She doesn't have strong BO or anything, but we get fairly close and so she has a definite scent that is quite particular.

I also like the way her nether regions smell when she's on her period.

I have been informed by my friends that they did not want to know either of these things, and that I am gross.

I can't imagine why.

Aha, that's cool. I feel a bit less anomalous. :) Though that could also simply be the product of an emotional attachment to a specific person, rather than a difference in sense perception. But it's still interesting.

I have been informed by my friends that they did not want to know either of these things, and that I am gross.

I can't imagine why.
You're friends are right. Eeeeewwwwwww....

Anyway, I like the smell of cigarettes. Especially cheap ones.

You're friends are right. Eeeeewwwwwww....

Anyway, I like the smell of cigarettes. Especially cheap ones.

I think that's really gross.

Petrol and fresh tar I agree.

Other than that, nothin' freaky.

Aha, that's cool. I feel a bit less anomalous. :) Though that could also simply be the product of an emotional attachment to a specific person, rather than a difference in sense perception. But it's still interesting.

Perhaps, but I think emotions can sort of alter what your senses perceive as positive and negative. Like, she thinks she smells bad sometimes when I don't think so at all and am rather enjoying the smell.

I guess the 'weirdest' one for me is Durian. I can't understand why people go on at great length about how revolting it's smell is. I've smelt it and it's nothing special. If anything, it has quite a sickly sweet, almost pleasant, odour.
Stinky Tofu is bad when it first hits your olfactory glands, but it soon overpowers them, leaving them numb, and making the smell, while not pleasant, ignorable.

Is there such a word as 'ignorable'?

I like the smell of my girlfriend when she hasn't showered in a week. She doesn't have strong BO or anything, but we get fairly close and so she has a definite scent that is quite particular.

I also like the way her nether regions smell when she's on her period.

I have been informed by my friends that they did not want to know either of these things, and that I am gross.

I can't imagine why.
uhh...because it is gross and you're a freak.

That's my guess.

Maybe you're chanelling Napolean. Ever felt a strong connection to Corsica or desire to invade Russia?

I guess the 'weirdest' one for me is Durian. I can't understand why people go on at great length about how revolting it's smell is. I've smelt it and it's nothing special. If anything, it has quite a sickly sweet, almost pleasant, odour.
Stinky Tofu is bad when it first hits your olfactory glands, but it soon overpowers them, leaving them numb, and making the smell, while not pleasant, ignorable.

Is there such a word as 'ignorable'?

I also enjoy durian. That's a good one! It's a nice mustiness, if that's a word. :tongue:

uhh...because it is gross and you're a freak.

That's my guess.

Maybe you're chanelling Napolean. Ever felt a strong connection to Corsica or desire to invade Russia?

Um, not really, no, as far as the Corsica or Russia thing. Never been drawn to either of them.

I don't really get what's so gross about it, so I'm just going by what I am (emphatically) told.

I like the smell of liver cooking. I also like the smell of cooking cabbage. Skunk doesn't smell citrusy to me, it smells like really good pot.

So what smells do you enjoy that others are repulsed by? Why do you think that is?
Pretty much none. But there's a lot of smells that others like and I don't - any perfume more complex than shaving lotion, smells of plastic, like the "new car smell", most food smells. I can get used to them, but any time I come out of clean air into a smelly room, it feels repulsive.

I keep my windows at least a little open even in the winter.

Napalm in the morning.

I have. It happens quite often, actually. One smell I've always enjoyed is the sweet/fetid smell of one's breath, weeks into a fast.

That's acetone.