Why clothing? Why aren't we all naked?

[Tyciol]

I believe, scientifically, that humans began wearing clothing as a form of protection: first from the elements of nature (coats for cold, shoes for thorny paths...), and then from each other (armour for war, loin cloths to show which women were off limits, etc.). Shame had nothing to do with it until we were so accustomed to wearing clothes 24/7 that nakedness became a rare thing, and nobility began to glorify the human body and hide it because commoners weren't fit to look upon it, and that shame and restrictiveness eventually leaked out into the lower class who wish in all ways to emulate the upper class royalty in as many ways possible according to their means.

This is in conflict with old testament Jewish/Christian myths anyway, but I haven't studied into a lot of other culture's religions. How do the Muslims, Hindus, Wiccans, Pagans etc. explain clothing, if at all?

[Telos]

Have you ever heard stories of "wild children?" That is, children who grew up in the wilds of nature without any human companionship?

They never make clothes for themselves. And, paradoxically, they love snow and are more comfortable in the cold!

When researchers would try to assimilate them back into civilization, they would try to clothe them, only eventually finding them taking off their clothes and running around naked. They would try to bathe them. And they would absolutely not touch the water unless it was cold, really cold, and had been running cold for an extended period of time.

I can't remember what class I was learning this in - either psychology or philosophy of human nature. Maybe both. But since then I've taken a new perspective on the cold, opting whenever I can to make do without a hat or with light clothing, and I'll be damned if there weren't times when I felt warm and "alive."

But, then again, I live in Wisconsin, and we're known to be pretty crazy about that sort of thing

[Tyciol]

Neat and awesome!

[beavis]

I'm not naked because they'll put me in jail if I get naked.

I'd usually prefer to be naked if its warm enough.

[Tyciol]

Not true, you can do it at home or in an art studio and not get in trouble.

[karnautrahl]

That's way too "back to nature" for me!. Naked round the house with a real fire on is good. naked in the garden in the summer when training is good too.

But naked in the cold? Unless you love being cold I personally can't see the point. Outside of the practice of "tumo" perhaps if you really have to have that challenge!

[Tyciol]

Nudists, cold showerers and polar bears might disagree.

[beavis]

I can be naked in my house, but usually only when I'm alone. Most people are too stuck up about it.

[Telos]

I took plenty of cold showers while I was a freshman. The water just took too long to heat up, and I thought it'd help wake me up anyways. And, well, I wanted to test the human tolerance to cold, remembering the stories of the wild children. It's true - so much of it is in the head. All in all, it's kind of like a distance run - hurts at the beginning, then you feel like you're almost superhuman when you reach a zen-high, and it's really nice when it's all over.

[Tyciol]

I want to find a nudist colony, but I don't want to have to pay to go there and I don't want it full of ugly people.

[beavis]

like USA did to the Indians they section us off into our own colonies (and make us pay to go there!), and keep most of the land for their own people.

[Tyciol]

What the heck are you talking about? The colonial pioneers were here before the nudists, unless you count the savages as nudists. Since a lot of them did wear clothes, I wouldn't say that. As for pushing them onto their own land, that's a much better alternative than just wiping them out, which is what a lot of past conquerers would have done. The natives were (and still are) given the chance to conform, the reserves are for living with nature in the old ways. Since few to none even do this any more, and spend all their government pensions on booze and gambling, I say take it all away.

[mickeydeez]

Natives were here before anyone else , why push them off THERE land? European greed?? besides europeans had no right to come to north/south america in the first place . killing off peacefull natives , and for what?? could it be in the europeans nature to do so?? hmm

[daidaluz]

Since few to none even do this any more, and spend all their government pensions on booze and gambling, I say take it all away.

What would be the psychological relationship between being naked vs earning money (gambling , etc.)?
To me  being naked means show yourself as you are,   not being afraid of personal limitations; in a way this helps to develop more self confidence and build up own reality.  
Gambling , and working for clothing and money just means covering the body, hiding all insecureness and giving a false sense of independence. Probably this people (and followers) spend long years living trapped by its own illusions.

[no_leaf_clover]

Since few to none even do this any more, and spend all their government pensions on booze and gambling, I say take it all away.

Yeah, and very few Irishmen don't drink and all muslims are terrorists.

Traditionalist Native Americans don't see our way of life as better, as if we're giving them chances to be a part of some more advanced culture. Our way of life is in many ways backwards from theirs. They're closer to nature and the Earth and can sense and enjoy things we aren't familiar with. They don't need money, or TV, or computers, etc. They don't desire our technology.

[Tom]

The way I was taught in school was that if men and women were naked and in the same place they would have to have sex and that sex is wrong. Of course, the teachers could go into whatever locker rooms they wanted and say it is because it was nothing they hadn't seen before. Maybe it is about sex and maybe it is about power. If you didn't have clothes, where would you keep the keys to your house when you are out in public? On a chain around your neck along with your wallet?

[beavis]

I wasnt trying to start an argument about indians. I meant they were sectioned off because they wouldnt conform, and so are nudists (in a nudist colony).

[Telos]

14. As a uniform (military, work, school)

[daidaluz]

Traditionalist Native Americans don't see our way of life as better, as if we're giving them chances to be a part of some more advanced culture. Our way of life is in many ways backwards from theirs. They're closer to nature and the Earth and can sense and enjoy things we aren't familiar with. They don't need money, or TV, or computers, etc. They don't desire our technology.

A GLOBAL view at world civilization  through time lead us to the concept of CULTURE, but there are no more advance or better cultures ,  all of us have learned that by experiencing war , and there are those who still don't get it. The Nazis believed that their culture was better.  Through history you'll find more cases.

Beyond culture is a matter of concepts; many countries were highly influenced in its origins by Masonery (and its derivations) which introduced  concepts as intellectual development in which every time you "win" an argument you go up one step and earn money.    Some Muslims may see this as evil, some Indians may not want this , but the truth is that this is something necessary, up to a certain point , just because it's an important learning.

I think globalization is about those 13 points that runlola wrote; mmm also is about having more control over own emotional and mental ,  ... to make this of some importance, lets say that  those 13 point could be an initiatory process to step into another culture.

[beavis]

Most people like to think their culture/country is best, but theres so many of them. Only a small fraction of all people who think that are correct, and YOU are probably not included.

[Telos]

are you trying to fight someone naked boy?
what are you going to do about armor?
you could get hurt, skin is fragile.

Yeah, and something to could get... caught.

[daidaluz]

That of being naked made think about the tale of the serpent that said to the first innocents " lets walk around being naked to dress of shame the bodies of others".  ... or something like that...  

It is interesting sometimes to explore old tales.

[Logic]

I live in Canada man, its cold in the winter..

[daidaluz]

"To each his own"......  I live in Chile, its kind of cold too.  
It only means that Australias winter is not big problem for you;  right?

[Tyciol]

Natives were here before anyone else , why push them off THERE land? European greed?? besides europeans had no right to come to north/south america in the first place . killing off peacefull natives , and for what?? could it be in the europeans nature to do so?? hmm

Right of conquest. The natives used it, they're just sad because this time they lost. They are fortunate they're still around, most cultures totally eradicate the cultures they conquer. Good enlightened British... for the age anyway.

To me  being naked means show yourself as you are,   not being afraid of personal limitations; in a way this helps to develop more self confidence and build up own reality.  
Gambling , and working for clothing and money just means covering the body, hiding all insecureness and giving a false sense of independence. Probably this people (and followers) spend long years living trapped by its own illusions.

Clothing represents our ability to alter nature and make it a part of us, to recreate what we are. It represents change and advancement. Nakedness should be mastered, but that doesn't mean clothing is bad. They are two sides. One is grounded, the other is flight.

Yeah, and very few Irishmen don't drink and all muslims are terrorists.

Traditionalist Native Americans don't see our way of life as better, as if we're giving them chances to be a part of some more advanced culture. Our way of life is in many ways backwards from theirs. They're closer to nature and the Earth and can sense and enjoy things we aren't familiar with. They don't need money, or TV, or computers, etc. They don't desire our technology.

The difference between us is that my stereotypes are grounded in reality and yours are grounded in the mysticism of the media. Grow up.

I wasnt trying to start an argument about indians. I meant they were sectioned off because they wouldnt conform, and so are nudists (in a nudist colony).

Not all the indians werer nudists, they just wore less than us because they developed in an area where clothing is harder to make, and they had less appearance-oriented values. The Europeans came over and brought their clothing values developed from that region, that is why it is more valued.