Why are we afraid of naked people?

[Silver Letter 1,830]

I guess humans are just gross looking animals or else it wouldn't be the way it is now.

[Arctic Night 884]

I guess humans are just gross looking animals or else it wouldn't be the way it is now.

Or maybe not wearing clothing would have led to extinction? 

 

EDIT: I am an American, but I hear that nudity is considered normal on German television? (Correct me if I'm wrong.) This sort of thing would make a lot of my American friends freak out. That's just another example of how attitudes vary.

Edited April 29, 2014 by King Ghidora

[Frith is Magick 1,469]

Clothing can be functional, and throughout much of human history it was key to survival. It is easy to see it become a social norm if it was worn all the time anyway, and after that, nudity became taboo. To this day, clothing has function, such as protection from the elements or injury. I won't say nudism is the way to go, but removing the taboo may not be such a bad thing.

[Shisko (Collin) 34]

Sounds inappropriate and gross, but hear me out. I really think it's stupid to obsess over "a filthy" display in public. I mean we're born naked guys, I don't get it. There are actually many health benefits to nudism. You're body can absorb all the sunlight it needs for healthy skin. When you walk on soil(not dirt) you absorb negative electric charge from the earth and you power yourself like a battery. I'm not nudist, but I see why people do it. They're simply not ashamed of their humanity. I love technology and all. But I know we need balance with nature and humans haven't done that in the past 200 years(maybe longer). Let's be real, why are naked human beings so scary? I know people will bring sexuality into this. But I only see reason in clothing for when it's cold outside and you need warmth. Or to protect your skin from physical or chemical reasons.

Society chooses what we do if we let them, so STREAK!

[Tupek 33]

I love being naked. Like our little cute ponies.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

A long time ago, this book stated that being naked was indecent and wrong. Thus, people started to cover themselves. This book became one of the most influential and thought provoking book on the planet. Personally, I think the human body is a beautiful thing.

 

Funny you should say that: Adam and Eve didn't feel shame until they ate the Apple(which is where it's said everything bad about humanity's nature came from), thus feeling ashamed of the human body is wrong and ungodly.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2014 by Shoboni

[Arctic Night 884]

Funny you should say that: Adam and Eve didn't feel shame until that ate the Apple(which is where it's said everything bad about humanity's nature came from), thus feeling ashamed of the human body is wrong and ungodly.

 

 

But one tree was forbidden. A tree of knowledge. Therefore the story you're referencing sends a bad message.

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

But one tree was forbidden. A tree of knowledge. Therefore the story you're referencing sends a bad message.

I never got how eating a fruit made them ashamed of being naked....I don't know

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

But one tree was forbidden. A tree of knowledge. Therefore the story you're referencing sends a bad message.

 

Maybe, or maybe "knowledge" represents only knowledge of evil. 

[Arctic Night 884]

Maybe, or maybe "knowledge" represents only knowledge of evil. 

"but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."

http://biblehub.com/genesis/2-17.htm

 

Two problems with this. The first is that it includes the knowledge of good. The second is that Adam and Eve never died. Either this is a mistranslation or a Biblical plothole. 

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

"but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."

http://biblehub.com/genesis/2-17.htm

 

Two problems with this. The first is that it includes the knowledge of good. The second is that Adam and Eve never died. Either this is a mistranslation or a Biblical plothole. 

 

Well, you could interpret that way because they have both knowledge of good and evil instead of just good being the default and only only truth. If Good is the default the concept of neither exists.

 

Much the same way we wouldn't consider light as a concept if the opposing force of dark didn't exist. 

Edited May 1, 2014 by Shoboni

[Dattebayo 2,850]

Bad energies? What, there are people that actually believe in that stuff? *blows raspberry*

 

Clothes were invented as a way to protect us from the the elements.

Skin cancer, pneumonia, f*cking giant shards of glass...

Just some of the many things that wearing clothes help protect against. It's kind of a bigger deal than...sh*t..."Bad vibes".

Somewhere along the way, it became the norm to wear clothes, and nudity became a private matter.

 

It's a matter of decency.

"Buy hey, Datte, decency is only what humanity has made it to be--BLARGH". It doesn't matter.

We've evolved into learning that certain things should only be done in the privacy of our own homes. We're civilized. That's the definition of the word. I don't question it.

I've heard that certain tribes in the Amazon pierce their scrotums with porcupine needles, do you wanna adopt that custom too?

How about the ones that shower themselves in dung and mud to stay cool because the sun is a brutal bastard and they have no clothes to stop it?

Or, because YOLO, the people that have to live with Elephantitis because they don't wear shoes?

Also, it's generally accepted that it's weird to shower more than twice a week in Europe, wanna try that? (Not taking a dig at my European comrades)

 

Look.

I like the naked body just as much as the next guy (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say OP does too). To you, the human body may be "beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of", but it's certainly not something many would want to see, day to day, every time you go to the grocery store to get some milk. In my humble opinion, being gun-shy around naked people is nothing at all bad. It means you are a decent person.

 

Y'all can site all the marginal-to-nonexistent health benefits and different cultures you want.

Until you, generally, start going to school/work naked everyday and try to act like it's normal and can say that you felt zero shame, you have no leg to stand on in the "nudity should be universal" fight.

 

You know what they say, friends:

"The world ends with you".

[Galen 1,352]

A long time ago, this book stated that being naked was indecent and wrong. Thus, people started to cover themselves. This book became one of the most influential and thought provoking book on the planet. Personally, I think the human body is a beautiful thing.

 

While I think OP also definitely makes a good point, I think we need to bear in mind there's two sides to the argument here. One, nudism isn't necessarily indecent, as OP mentioned. We're born naked, thus the term "birthday suit," and I also have half a mind to say that it's a blatant paradox that we're so sensitive to nudism but violence is acceptable especially in mass media. Why is that so acceptable while something completely harmless or even positive things like lovemaking so taboo in popular opinion, I wonder.

 

On the other hand, I can see why the book you refer to would mention humans need to cover themselves, altho it is not because it's "indecent" but rather that it's practical. Consider that the story of Jesus is meant to take place in Israel i.e. the middle east. Nights in the middle east can be really cold so covering ourselves is pretty natural. Granted, the best way to to get warm in such conditions is to keep contact with someone else (indeed while naked), but that's somewhat of a different thing. Clothes also help stop diseases, as datte mentioned.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Freedan

[Adorkable 2,737]

Such a strange topic, but I can do this! ^^

 

I think people would be "scared" of a naked person, because it's not really a common or acceptable way in the society we live in today.

 

If you seen a naked person in public and felt some sort of fear, it would probably be a result of thinking since a naked person goes against how we live in society, it could make one think that person in particular was "crazy" of some sorts, and could cause some sort of threat.

 

Does that makes sense? I hope it does. In a nutshell, if I seen a naked dude in the streets, I would think he's nuts crazy and may come over and wack hit me on the head with something, know what I mean? It just seems like if you did something so out of the ordinary like streaking in the city, people would think you have some sort of mental problem.

 

Something like that, at least I think so. ^^

 

Now, if I knew for a fact that the naked person was sane and not a threat of any sorts, I personally think I would be okay with it.

 

It could just be a hot day outside, too.

[Unikitty 1,211]

Bad energies? What, there are people that actually believe in that stuff? *blows raspberry*

 

Clothes were invented as a way to protect us from the the elements.

Skin cancer, pneumonia, f*cking giant shards of glass...

Just some of the many things that wearing clothes help protect against. It's kind of a bigger deal than...sh*t..."Bad vibes".

Somewhere along the way, it became the norm to wear clothes, and nudity became a private matter.

 

It's a matter of decency.

"Buy hey, Datte, decency is only what humanity has made it to be--BLARGH". It doesn't matter.

We've evolved into learning that certain things should only be done in the privacy of our own homes. We're civilized. That's the definition of the word. I don't question it.

I've heard that certain tribes in the Amazon pierce their scrotums with porcupine needles, do you wanna adopt that custom too?

How about the ones that shower themselves in dung and mud to stay cool because the sun is a brutal bastard and they have no clothes to stop it?

Or, because YOLO, the people that have to live with Elephantitis because they don't wear shoes?

Also, it's generally accepted that it's weird to shower more than twice a week in Europe, wanna try that? (Not taking a dig at my European comrades)

 

Look.

I like the naked body just as much as the next guy (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say OP does too). To you, the human body may be "beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of", but it's certainly not something many would want to see, day to day, every time you go to the grocery store to get some milk. In my humble opinion, being gun-shy around naked people is nothing at all bad. It means you are a decent person.

 

Y'all can site all the marginal-to-nonexistent health benefits and different cultures you want.

Until you, generally, start going to school/work naked everyday and try to act like it's normal and can say that you felt zero shame, you have no leg to stand on in the "nudity should be universal" fight.

 

You know what they say, friends:

"The world ends with you".

I don't know how to expand on this. +1 Dattebayo.

[Adorkable 2,737]

The second is that Adam and Eve never died.

 

By the way, they died. They're in Heaven right now. They didn't die at that second, but eating from the Tree of Knowledge caused death itself, so eventually they did die, not right when they ate from the tree. If they hadn't eaten from the tree, they wouldn't have died.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Adorkable

[Fluttershyfan94 5,737]

Well around here you need clothes or you'll die from hypothermia. Personally I'm not sure why people would be afraid of naked people. It's uncomfortable to see but not something that's scary. But I believe it's just because that's what society wants you to believe that we should not simply be completely natural. No reason being ashamed of our bodies. If we see it from a Christianity perspective then if we were are created in his image then we should be proud. But I wouldn't though, lol.

[Lagom 204]

I'm not 'afraid' of naked people, I just feel uncomfortable when people are naked. o_o

[Nine 707]

Organics are dirty, aesthetically displeasing, and poorly produced.

 

The proper emphasis in a human's life is on the mind; that incorporeal, powerful thing that gives us the ability to walk above the muck. It is more fitting that we give it the trappings it can produce, than to walk around like a bunch of hobbling, shitting stinkbeasts. Our means of flourishing is (as it's always been), taking what is, and turning it into something better. Not wearing clothes is not only impractical, I think it's an inappropriate protest of our station as sentient beings.

 

tl;dr, shut up and put on some god damned pants

[Silver Letter 1,830]

Or maybe not wearing clothing would have led to extinction? 

 

EDIT: I am an American, but I hear that nudity is considered normal on German television? (Correct me if I'm wrong.) This sort of thing would make a lot of my American friends freak out. That's just another example of how attitudes vary.

The US has attitudes more in line with a standard theocracy than a republic, interestingly enough. I think humans should be free to dress as they wish or to not dress at all. To enforce a standard of morality is really fascist. Upholding gender is another attribute of this.

[Hive King 1,998]

 

 

To enforce a standard of morality is really fascist.

Let's let the murderers run free then, we shouldn't enforce morality on them!

 

 

Upholding gender is another attribute of this.

What? I'm not sure if you are aware, but no one cares if a girl buys boy toys and no one cares if a boy buys girl toys either.

 

Nature is the one doing all the enforcing 

[Dattebayo 2,850]

The US has attitudes more in line with a standard theocracy than a republic, interestingly enough. I think humans should be free to dress as they wish or to not dress at all. To enforce a standard of morality is really fascist. Upholding gender is another attribute of this.

If it's fascist to not want to see d*cks and butts every time I walk outside, call me Adloph Muzzolini the Third.

[NomDeSpite 452]

Well, think of it this way: if we encourage more people, all around the world, to go naked, it raises the probability that Feld0 will start going naked. Is this something that you want to see? Feld0 sitting at his computer, with no clothes on, chugging a 2-liter bottle of flat Mountain Dew, coding for MLPforums and Poniverse? I didn't think so. :okiedokielokie:

[Vermillion 613]

im not scared of naked people

we were raised in a society where seeing everyone else naked is wrong. 

[Dattebayo 2,850]

im not scared of naked people

we were raised in a society where seeing everyone else naked is wrong.

Tell me why it's not wrong, I'm all ears.