What would Habermas say?

A friend, whom I consider one of the most accomplished and intelligent people on earth, recently revealed the color of her new underwear while eating tasty guacamole at a party in Cambridge. Discussion ensued as to whether beige thongs would look too risque hanging on a clothes line in the UK after she used her new eurowasher (see "eurowasher" post, below for background).

Obviously, among adults, such garments are chiefly for personal amusement, and creating a clean line on outside clothing. Thus, I'd keep my new purchases in the house rather than hanging them outside, even if I did have to use a little euro washer.

However, children seem to have quite a different view on underpants. In fact, when dropping toddlers off at day care during the critical stages of potty training, one is often treated to a mesmerizing view of new cartoon character underpants being proudly displayed to the toddler peer group. Spiderman and Rainbow Brite: Together again. And the children cavort happily before story time...

Which reminds me of Cameron Diaz's little character underpants dance in one of the Charlie's Angels movies. It has a quality that's a bit more grown up than nursery school. Sure, it's more whimsical and less sultry than Elizabeth Taylor lounging around in her slip in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. On the surface, this suggests a childike innocence in a woman wearing cartoon panties, but Cameron Diaz is generally regarded as a beautiful and desirable woman, which leaves me wondering about the public and private implications of cartoon character underpants in Hollywood film.