Where there is dirt, there is system

American anthropologist Mary Douglas coined the phrase “Where there is dirt, there is system.” This phrase is considered in the context of diverse case studies: the Dalits of India, the condition of anorexia, and food taboos among the Orang Asli community of Malaysia. The paper argues that underlying diverse societies is a need to achieve system and structure by distinguishing between the acceptable and the unacceptable as related to matters of health and taboo.