Infrequent Nights

I can't really think of a decent way to tie this into my experience in Taiwan. Its just something I want to get off my chest. An idea, if you will, that I'd like to present to the world. If any psych majors read this, feel free to run with the hypothesis. I want nothing but an honourable mention when you accept the Nobel.

Men's bathrooms should have music piped in at all times, and that music should be loud and preferrably funky. Men the world over have occasional bouts of stage fright when using public restrooms, especially the urinals. I reckon it is an evolutionary artifact whose original purpose was to help prevent us from being caught with our proverbial pants down. I submit that toilet music would act to decrease the frequency and severity of these bouts of stage fright. It would work in several ways: 1) the music would act to muffle the man's own tinkle which would help to reduce his self-consciousness and 2) if the music were funky enough the man would be more inclined to relax thereby allowing himself to go with the flow. I think the effect various genres and volumes of music has on a man's ability to let himself go should be studied in more depth (that is to say in some depth at all).

I rarely experience this problem. I think it is a result of living on the road on and off for a few years and using hundreds, nay, thousands of public restrooms. Eventually one just has to get over it. However, I am frequently standing beside men who are very obviously suffering from stage fright. I feel sorry if they have to give up without delivering the goods. The application of my toilet music plan could help increase productivity, and worker satisfaction the world over. It would result in fewer overall bathroom breaks, increased ability to concentrate during working times, and a general sense of coolness in the can. So please help spread the word and advocate for music in a public restroom near you.

(image courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewish/)