Let's Get Naked
Admit it or not, you know there are many things you do stark, staring naked. You bathe in the nude; the more adventurous amongst us sleep in the buff; and the even more adventurous indulge in the activity that, according to the Good Book, is only designed to beget future generations.
Nudity is an odd thing. It is our au naturel state-of-being, but it is one we spend most of our lives denying that it is a part of us. We cover ourselves with garments for a host of reasons. With the exception of a few specific areas (some of them charming, some not), we are not furry, so we get cold when winter's chill arrives. Those who live in more southerly climates wear fewer garments, but virtually non-existent are societies in which garb is doffed completely.
Some summertime garments, even in the northerly parts of our hemisphere, can come closer to nudity than actual nudity. Some amngst us wear minuscule items that tell us more about the wearer than perhaps we wanted to know -- depending, of course, on the pulchritude or lack thereof of the wearer. Then there are those bohemian souls who believe children should be brought up in a state-of-grace. A friend told me of acquaintances of hois who were given to traipsing around the house undraped, in the belief that their elementary school age tots should not see the human body as something 'dirty', to be ashamed of. A noble inspiration, to be sure. These people weren't perverts, and there was nothing salacious in their naked perambulations from bedroom to bathroom within 'eyeshot' of the kiddies. But, it turned out, to their embarrassment, that their garment liberality, was a bit dumb. One day the parents were summonsed to the son's school. The teacher, somewhat red-faced, explained that the students had been asked to draw a picture of Mommy and Daddy. Their grade two son had done just that. He had drawn Mommy and Daddy in graphic, anatomically-correct form. The parents confined their nudity to the bath from that time forward.
Speaking of nudity, there are, of course, the Germans. The Teutons drop trou and knickers any darn chance they get. Those of you who have visited any European beaches from the Adriatic to the North Sea, now that the Germans, the moment they see the strand, will feel an overwhelming urge to doff all garments. This would be fine if they all had the physiognomies of a person one wouldn't object to seeing in the altogether, but most of them don't. Germans also run into troubles elsewhere, if nude sunbathing and splashing are frowned upon in a particular society. Hawaii, delicious tropical climate notwithstanding, is a modest society, and beach attire is always demanded. This doesn't mean there isn't the odd 'unofficial' nude beach in remote spots on the outer islands, but officially being starkers is against the law. However, the have been German tourists who have been wont to divest right at crowded Waikiki. They found, to their consternation, that the 'Aloha Spirit' isn't quite gracious enough to accept such behavior.
But, this brings us to the whole point of clothing. Clothing is not just designed for modesty. After all, most of us have a pretty good idea of what everybody looks like under their skivvies, so covering that stuff up is a bit puritanical at one level. There's certainly nothing sinful about naked bodies per se. However, maybe there is something sinful about exposing certain scars, bulges, protuberences, discolorations, etc. To the unsuspecting or very young. Children, after all, are easily frightened to begin with.
Everybody has heard of how Playboy's models are airbrushed so that their torsos will look absolutely unlike the torsi of anybody in the real world -- not a spotty bum or saggy boob in the lot. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had virtual airbrushing so that we could all appear perfect? I think then admonitions about nudity would wane.
Nudity is an odd thing. It is our au naturel state-of-being, but it is one we spend most of our lives denying that it is a part of us. We cover ourselves with garments for a host of reasons. With the exception of a few specific areas (some of them charming, some not), we are not furry, so we get cold when winter's chill arrives. Those who live in more southerly climates wear fewer garments, but virtually non-existent are societies in which garb is doffed completely.
Some summertime garments, even in the northerly parts of our hemisphere, can come closer to nudity than actual nudity. Some amngst us wear minuscule items that tell us more about the wearer than perhaps we wanted to know -- depending, of course, on the pulchritude or lack thereof of the wearer. Then there are those bohemian souls who believe children should be brought up in a state-of-grace. A friend told me of acquaintances of hois who were given to traipsing around the house undraped, in the belief that their elementary school age tots should not see the human body as something 'dirty', to be ashamed of. A noble inspiration, to be sure. These people weren't perverts, and there was nothing salacious in their naked perambulations from bedroom to bathroom within 'eyeshot' of the kiddies. But, it turned out, to their embarrassment, that their garment liberality, was a bit dumb. One day the parents were summonsed to the son's school. The teacher, somewhat red-faced, explained that the students had been asked to draw a picture of Mommy and Daddy. Their grade two son had done just that. He had drawn Mommy and Daddy in graphic, anatomically-correct form. The parents confined their nudity to the bath from that time forward.
Speaking of nudity, there are, of course, the Germans. The Teutons drop trou and knickers any darn chance they get. Those of you who have visited any European beaches from the Adriatic to the North Sea, now that the Germans, the moment they see the strand, will feel an overwhelming urge to doff all garments. This would be fine if they all had the physiognomies of a person one wouldn't object to seeing in the altogether, but most of them don't. Germans also run into troubles elsewhere, if nude sunbathing and splashing are frowned upon in a particular society. Hawaii, delicious tropical climate notwithstanding, is a modest society, and beach attire is always demanded. This doesn't mean there isn't the odd 'unofficial' nude beach in remote spots on the outer islands, but officially being starkers is against the law. However, the have been German tourists who have been wont to divest right at crowded Waikiki. They found, to their consternation, that the 'Aloha Spirit' isn't quite gracious enough to accept such behavior.
But, this brings us to the whole point of clothing. Clothing is not just designed for modesty. After all, most of us have a pretty good idea of what everybody looks like under their skivvies, so covering that stuff up is a bit puritanical at one level. There's certainly nothing sinful about naked bodies per se. However, maybe there is something sinful about exposing certain scars, bulges, protuberences, discolorations, etc. To the unsuspecting or very young. Children, after all, are easily frightened to begin with.
Everybody has heard of how Playboy's models are airbrushed so that their torsos will look absolutely unlike the torsi of anybody in the real world -- not a spotty bum or saggy boob in the lot. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had virtual airbrushing so that we could all appear perfect? I think then admonitions about nudity would wane.
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