This question came about over a discussion my brother and I had about whether dogs should be on leashes when outside. We both agreed that yes, they should, for several reasons, but that’s not the point.
Let’s use a hypothetical to better illustrate the question. Imagine that there’s a perfume - vanilla, for example - that doesn’t bother you at all (you don’t like nor dislike it), but that is very upsetting to some people, and can even cause some adverse reactions (allergies or something). In this hypothetical, based on the negative effects, you agree that vanilla perfumes should be banned. Currently, however, they are allowed.
You’re walking down the street, and randomly smell someone passing you by and they’re wearing a vanilla perfume.
Would that upset you? Why, or why not?
My answer is yes, without a doubt. Even though the smell itself doesn’t bother me, the fact someone would wear that perfume and not only potentially upset others, but put them in danger, is upsetting.
My brother, however, would say no! He couldn’t explain his reasoning to me.
I know this is a little convoluted, but I hope I got my question across.
There was a certain type of perfume that seemed popular back in the 90s, that would make me instantly gag and almost puke within seconds. I have no clue how anyone found that as any sort of pleasant smell.
To me I thought it smelled like a woman with a nasty yeast infection, trying to cover it up with potpourri. But it wasn’t even the women’s health causing it, literal potpourri smell alone causes me the same gag reflex, the stuff just smells nasty to me and I can’t be in the same room as that smell for long.
So yes, there are reasons to be offended by particular scents, even if others somehow find them pleasant.