One of my favorite books of all time is “Oranges” by John McPhee. When I tell people this, they ask me what it’s about. “Oranges,” I say. “No, seriously; what’s it about?” “Oranges.” This is when they ...

Editor’s Note: This article previously appeared in a different format as part of The Atlantic’s Notes section, retired in 2021. The toilet is the ultimate venue of control. It’s where you start to ...