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Stinking Rich

Posted by Kirsten on December 13, 2005

In Reply to: Stinking Rich posted by Bob on December 04, 2005

: : : I have searched for this but cannot find it in the forums. I would like to know the origins of Stinking Rich. I have heard that it comes from the practice of rich people being buried inside church, where the stink of their decaying bodies could be smelled. Does anyone know if this is right?

: : I don't believe this for a minute. It's just a colourful way of saying "disgustingly rich". The phrase "filthy rich", meaning the same as "stinking rich", is in common use in Britain also. (VSD)

: Agreed. Silly idea. We as a species are genetically programmed to be repulsed by the smell of decaying flesh. As a result, every society on earth has one simple rule: make that smell go away. We build it into laws and religious tenets and social conventions. Bury bodies quickly, or burn them, or seal them up in air-tight coffins. The idea that we'd tolerate that offensive odor because someone was rich? Start the revolution.

I think it was more a reference to the HEAVY perfume the wealthy would drowned themselves in to hide the BO stench of the times....

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