Douglas asserts that modern practices relating to purity have symbolic content. Do you agree? What are some examples from your life of cleanliness rituals that have symbolic rather than hygienic value?

Douglas states that “our idea of dirt is compounded of two things, care for hygiene and respect for conventions.” Which do you think is the more important to modern society and why?

Do you think Douglas is right in wanting to preserve the use of the term “primitive” when applied to societies and cultures? Is it possible and worthwhile to use the term in a non-pejorative sense?