I once went to visit a friend. I don't remember that it was a rainy day or that my shoes were particularly muddy. Before I came in he told me to remove my shoes so as not to dirty the floor and for the rest of the visit I was wearing my socks only. [I didn't tell him that growing up my father forbade me to walk around the house in socks because it was דרך אבלות. It worked because I am 46 and have not yet been an אבל maybe because I stayed away from all signs of aveilus. Maybe not. Either way, all of my relatives should live long lives...!!]
From him I learned that in his world view, the דומם, the inanimate, unfeeling, stone or marble of the floor is not designed to serve and to be subordinate to the human being who possesses a G-dly soul that will live forever. But rather it is the human being who is there in order to ensure that the floor stays clean.
This happened a few years ago and maybe it is because I heard so many shiurim from Rav Moshe Shapiro about Kavod Ha-odom but I still feel the זלזול בצורת האדם.
Always remember what and who are the means and what and who are the ends.
