Mangoes are My New Favorite Fruit!

I have recently developed a liking for mangoes. They have a great flavor; it's like someone has taken a bit of spice from the cabinet (maybe cloves, I can't pick it out) and flavored the mango. But it's a lot more than the taste that I enjoy. It's having to get all messy tearing off the peel, though I still haven't gotten to the point of peeling it with my teeth. Then, when I bite into it, juice drips down my fingers, hands, and arms all the way to my elbows. It also drips down my chin, and the strings get stuck in my teeth. It's one enormous mess. The whole thing is like a real life metaphor.

In general I have never liked to be messy. I would normally want to wipe myself off five times during one mango. But it is a strangely comforting feeling to not have to care. It makes the mango a million times better.

I know there is no way I could be so messy in cold weather, so it's not only the American culture, but I feel like our culture plays a big part in setting standards for beauty and cleanliness. It's crazy, the whole thing. It seems that the standards of personal appearance are the hardest to break free from, and yet they can often be nearly impossible to conform to. To be seen as functional in our society you have to keep from crossing a fine line. From what I can tell, the line is a combination of beliefs, practices, interpersonal skills (which can compensate for a lot) and a million other things. It seems that a person can be off in many combinations of areas and still be considered functional in society; but if someone doesn't make efforts on their appearance, they are considered to have gone off the deep end. Actually, I can hardly think of anyone I know like that, but I could go on and on with a list of people that wish they didn't have to care. It's so intense, and rigid. If I just give a little thought to the typical American job interviewing process, with the need to look perfect and dress in a specific manner; I love mangoes even more.