Cleanliness is Inhuman

There are general signs that something is wrong when you look at a person. But there is one thing people, I believe, are not aware of. How clean an apartment is says a lot about the residents' tolerance for imperfection.

Situation 1: I don't want unannounced guests because my apartment is not tidy or clean

This could mean that there has simply been too much going on, and you have deliberately neglected to keep your apartment clean and tidy. That is the best-case scenario. But it could also be that you are just telling yourself that, and frankly, your apartment has only met your cleanliness and tidiness standards for a maximum of four weeks in the past year. You need to realize that there is a problem. I see several possible reasons for this:

• Either you are overwhelmed and need to slow down immediately.
• You are a wreck and don't want to admit it to yourself.
• Or your standards for cleanliness and tidiness are unrealistic.

I want to address the last point because the others seem self-evident to me. Cleanliness and order serve us and are not an end in themselves. Depending on the person, they help us concentrate, find things, organize thoughts, and be spontaneous because you are always ready. Life is full of such surprises. Order is just a means to an end. Therefore, it is important to have a realistic and purposeful definition of order.

Situation 2: You spontaneously visit someone. Everything is tidy and clean. You are impressed. You need to use the bathroom, and while washing your hands, you notice there are no water spots

This, in my opinion, is much worse than the first situation. Because it means that the person is constantly cleaning. They tolerate no dirt. There is no room for stress or spontaneity. There is no room for life. Beware of such people. If these people cannot endure life with its consequences, then soon there will be no room for you either, as soon as something "dirty" about you comes to light. These people are against life and suffocate their surroundings. I don't know anyone like this who has many friends or often socializes because life is too uncontrollable, hurtful, and repulsive.

Are you such a person yourself? It's great that you noticed. That is a strong achievement. However, your life could be so much richer if you could tolerate a little chaos in your life. You are only creating a prison for yourself, and the security you feel is not real. True life is a dance of joy and pain, with dirt and soap. You probably won't get out of your prison on your own. Find someone you trust, if you still have someone, and ask them to bring you just a little chaos. Get a pet or invite a child over. Cook or bake together with others. If you have no one, it would probably be appropriate to seek professional help. That is no shame.