I definitely understand your discomfort! That's not something you should have to do if you don't like it.

I'm curious though, what happens if instead of reading the sentence like "back in Roman times, you read it like this:"

In rural India, it's typical for people to sit side-by-side and have a chat while doing your business. Sometimes they don't bother with cubicles there.

Or, maybe:

Wildfire firefighters, while on a line, typically squat side-by-side while doing their business. No cubicles in the wilderness.

If you don't think of it like a generational difference, and instead a cultural one, what are your thoughts? I only ask because I used to feel the same way until I witnessed #2. Sometimes it's just a mindset change, or cultural difference.