Gandhi cleaned his own toilet.

I cleaned the men’s.

We usually take turns cleaning up at work. Someone would be in charge of the lobby, or the kitchen area, or the restrooms. Others might wash the dishes, sweep, and mop. No one really complains about doing the dirty work; we always just took rotations.

Nonetheless, I felt a little queasy about having to clean the men’s. Armed with soap spray and dirt rag, I sprayed down the sink and mirror and then moved on to the urinals. While scrubbing, I thought about what a laugh it would be for some of my friends to clean like this; they complain about vacuuming and taking out the trash, let alone scrubbing down a men’s toilet.

Chores aren’t a necessity for teens anymore. With adults around and siblings to boss, most get away with not doing any. Add the housemaid who comes once a week, even cleaning the bedroom can be left to someone else.

But that’s not my point. I mean, who wouldn’t want to put off the hassle for someone else? Laziness is in everyone. What annoys me though, is the people who are disgusted by doing chores and condescend to the people who do.

I hate spoiled princesses who refuse to help out with family chores and clean up after their own mess. Who is so refined as to not have to wipe up after themselves? Bending our backs, getting dirty, sweating, these are the thing that transcend the social stratum. No matter how high class and rich, you still walk the same dirt road as everybody else.

With the advent of fortune, people stop cooking for themselves. They stop cleaning, wiping, washing. They stop for fear of germs and embarrassment. They develop an attitude of sterile condescension. I, am above this work. I, can enjoy my expensive piece of surrealist art and let others do the work for me.

In the distant future, we will need others to brush our teeth, floss that disgusting gap, pick that nauseous nose. Someone else will need to change the baby’s diapers, wipe the food off a senior’s mouth, and take care of a sick family member.