the nudist psyche

[bernardc]

I belong to a group called society for barefoot living.And daily we recieve e-mails of people apposed to others walking barefoot in public places,and in many places,barefooting is seen as typical of low soscio economic status,or primative or just plainly unacceptable.
Now that made me ponder a point or few.What makes nudists the people they are?What is it in the nudist psycology that almost compells them to be naked?Are we just plain "anti-establishment" or anti norms?Look,lets face it.Society views clothes as the norm,and nudity as the "un-norm".
when I read through the postings on this site,i am struck with the determination of people to be naked,and wanting to be naked.I am not against nudity,on the contrary,I am all for nudity,in public,in schools,in churches all over,and if I could have my way,i'd legalise nudity internationally,in all places and at all times.I believe humans are supposed to be naked,its just right....but why?
Are nudists compelled by some or other hormone that gets secreted from the brain when they do get naked,and is it like some enzyme that we just cannot live without?I just wonder,what sensations do we all experience once we get naked,and how do we deal or entertain that sensation.
When i sometimes get to a forest or lake or river,I am overwhelmed by its tranquility,and I have to get naked to experience it against my flesh/skin.I sometimes get the odd erection as well out of pure pleasure.
I just wonder,is it perhaps something that we experienced in our childhood that makes us want to be naked,or is it just some other form of sexual gratification? Are nudists in a way,perhaps 'legal exhibitionists'?What is nudity essentially about...just getting naked,or taking the oppertunity to expose our genitals to others....a form of insecurity perhaps,or a desire to be noticed and accepted?That is essentially what nudism is...exposing our most private parts to others.All persons are born with an inherrent shyness in them,especially when it comes to the genitals...Is it realy all that bad to be shy?Is shyness not also a sense of protection?
Are we actually rebels in our own ways...and why is nudity important to us?
perhaps we want to prove something differently,that once contrasted our lives.Why are we nudists?
We can excuse ourselves and say our parents brought us up as nudists,but then the question is...Why was it important for them to see us as naked people?Why did they want to see us naked?
What of the person that was not brought up a nudist,and just one day decided to be a nudist?What compelled them?Is it not some sense of genital lust?What do we realy feel when we are naked?I pose the question,is it not a structured form of exhibitionism?What is it about the naked human form that is so mesmerising...perhaps its a yearning to innoscence...free of shame...a cry into the world not to be embaressed or feel ashamed...a desire to be shame free....But why was there innitialy shame...why is shame so relevant to the average persons genitals...what is it about the human genitals that needs to be exposed....?If nudism was a norm...a natural thing...why wont we go walking nude in a mall as an example...where does that shyness come from...
I know,using nudism as a way of life,healed my son from his traumatic molestation and sodomising by his step father.Do we as nudists want to prove something to ourselves by being naked?I never wanted to feel ashamed and guilt ridden because I was molested as a child and raped twice in the army...I wanted to be nude,to live nude to show that I am not that filthy thing my molesters made me out to be.!And after a few years,I loved being a nudist,love being naked....loved to .....
What is it in the nudist 's mind that compels them to be naked, to seek other nudists out and form a micro cosmos within a cosmos?
Please,these are just questions...like I said...I love being a nudist and being nude,and would not change it for the world...but why?Is it fair for me to pose this question?Please respond to this,and let me know how you experience nudity,and why you think nudism is almost unique,and what it is you think that makes the nudist psyche tick.

[lordshipmayhem]

I experience naturism as freedom, as comfort and as levelling. Nobody has a more expensive "uniform" than anyone else, and that means you're looking more to their personality than to the mask they want to hide behind.

As far as bare-foot goes, there are times when that's definitely appropriate. Walking on the grass or the beach (if not too hot) are appropriate times, walking across a home's floors should be OK, walking on concrete, a stable floor or anywhere else where your tootsies would face physical hazards or difficult-to-clean messes is probably not. I'd discourage it on a waxed floor (human oils and sweat do horrid things to a floor's wax finish).

I too would like to see social nudity acceptable and accepted worldwide in the workplace, the schoolyard and classroom, the street and the houses of worship, any place where protective gear wasn't required. Wouldn't such a world be a wonderful place to be?

[bernardc]

Originally Posted by lordshipmayhem

I experience naturism as freedom, as comfort and as levelling. Nobody has a more expensive "uniform" than anyone else, and that means you're looking more to their personality than to the mask they want to hide behind.

As far as bare-foot goes, there are times when that's definitely appropriate. Walking on the grass or the beach (if not too hot) are appropriate times, walking across a home's floors should be OK, walking on concrete, a stable floor or anywhere else where your tootsies would face physical hazards or difficult-to-clean messes is probably not. I'd discourage it on a waxed floor (human oils and sweat do horrid things to a floor's wax finish).

I too would like to see social nudity acceptable and accepted worldwide in the workplace, the schoolyard and classroom, the street and the houses of worship, any place where protective gear wasn't required. Wouldn't such a world be a wonderful place to be?

Some years ago,I stumbled onto a site where it said something to this efect...The New Naked/nude world order..It was fantastic..I could not find it any more,but it had pics of people in stores,supermarkets,school,work,hospitals,parks,ri vers,all in the nude.It would be a wonderfull world.It makes me feel all happy to think of it.

[lordshipmayhem]

Originally Posted by bernardc

Some years ago,I stumbled onto a site where it said something to this efect...The New Naked/nude world order..It was fantastic..I could not find it any more,but it had pics of people in stores,supermarkets,school,work,hospitals,parks,ri vers,all in the nude.It would be a wonderfull world.It makes me feel all happy to think of it.

And I do wish you could find that link again, it sounds wonderful.

Unfortunately, you'd have to be either near the equator, or on a terraformed planet. This one's temperate zones just are too cold in the winter for that sort of lifestyle.

[NudonyII]

Originally Posted by bernardc

What is it about the naked human form that is so mesmerising...perhaps its a yearning to innoscence...free of shame...a cry into the world not to be embaressed or feel ashamed...a desire to be shame free....

That could sum up - very succinctly - why I got into nudism in the first place. An image that moved me very powerfully when I accidentally stumbled upon a nudist lake as a kid in Germany: a mother playing with her two kids - all completely nude. This image - in total contrast with my own reclusive and repressed childhood - resonated with me for years; and drove me to seeking out that purity and innocence.

In my experience, people become nudists for a variety of layered reasons. Certainly, at some level, there is a "titillation" component involved. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a from of "genital lust"; but the nudist community certainly struggles with qualifying it as "sensual" or "sexual"; I have no problem with "sensual". If one could monitor one's heartrate at all times, there is no doubt that the rate would accelerate upon the removal of a bra or briefs; likewise upon entering an area full of nude people. It's only human. But, at least for me, the genitals are not a focus; the uncovering of the genitals is merely a path towards the full body experience of "returning to innocence." Now, whether the "innocence" I mention is real or a creation of the mind is a much deeper philosophical question; to deep for me today.

The "shyness" you mention is taught/observed behavior. We become body-shy as a response to our environment. That's how we get there.

[Fitz1980]

As a long time reader/poster here I'd say that nudity is about the only thing that we have in common here, and we can't even agree on the how/when/why of that one. I read about every new post here every day and I can say that we have literally nothing else in common.

We certainly don't agree on a political ideology, an economic system or even a code of morality. Some here are conservative Christians who believe in no sex before marriage while I'm sure that others are polyamoris swingers, who I'm sure don't just come straight out and say it as this site's rules are against it. Same consider homosexuality a sin while others are proud homosexuals. Some of us consider things like the "World Naked Bike Ride" a great way to show the general public non-sexual nudity while others think it's just exhibitionists and political opportunists showing off to the textiles and making them uncomfortable. Some of us like to dress funny, do strange things with our hair and do anything to set us apart from the crowd; others get naked on the weekends (to blend with the crowd at a nudist venue) while dressing and blending with the textile crowd the rest of the week. Some of us have tattoos and piercings while others find them to be unattractive, or inappropriate. Some of us shave while others let the hair grow as nature intended. Some of us are exhibitionists while others would rather just blend in with the crowd.

[NudeAl]

Bernard man let me say you are one deep thinker. You always come up with some good ones. Well, I agree in that nudity in and of itself is a pure and noble thing. It is all about the mind set. You know the old saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder well I see it like that. If you have your mind in the gutter so to speak you will see vile things everywhere in everyone. Conversely if you have open mind and really see nudity as simple a lifestyle a way to enjoy the freedom it provides you will not view it that way.

As a side note on your barefoot living I believe there is a society of bare footers over here in the US as well. While I was visiting in Darwin, Australia I saw more barefooters walking around than anywhere I have ever been. It wasn't unusual to see barefoot walkers on the streets in shops and malls all over the place. I am more of a sandals guy if the weather permits. Here in the Northwest US Washington State we are going to be for a long hard winter last night it was 22F about -6C and we aren't even in winter yet.

[David77]

Bernard man let me say you are one deep thinker.

How true!

I have also wondered what are all the motivations for myself and various others, to becoming nude. I believe that there can be multiple causations operating all in the same moment, and causations where just one motivation is operative at a time.

Examples of multiple motivation to become nude - in hot weather it is cooler to take off our clothes, the rest of the people at the resort are nude and we want to blend in, we wish to become nude for an all-over tan, we want to comply with the rules to only swim in the nude, we have lost weight and have gained muscles from our exercising and we wish to show off our improved, nice body, we wish to feel free and unnecessarily unrestricted by society, some sleep nude not wanting to be restricted by PJs, we want to conquer shame about our body and accept our body as it is, we feel more in harmony with the natural world around us by being au-natural, (a few wish to make a strongly held spiritual humanistic statement in demonstrating that nature, including the nude body, is to be deeply respected), etc.

A less plausible motivation to get nude at resorts or beaches is merely to have an opportunity to view (and possibly photograph) nude women, and to spend the whole time in sexual fanticising.

[Peter B]

I have been reading posts for many years now and from this and from my own ideas, I think we are "hard wired " for this kind of lifestyle.

Then we start to advocate this deviation from the norm and some people we can "educate" in this mode of behaviour.

The benefits are obvious to nudists, but then, here, we are preaching to the choir

My wife would never give nudism any consideration was it not for my gentle nagging. Now she is happy to go to swim nights, she sleeps naked most of the time and with the coming summer she will not put on a performance when we go to the beach

Also, it has to do with age: children have no problem with nudity, teenagers cannot be convinced,adults can be educated.

But whatever, we will always be a minority; an unusual habit.

But then, habits change. Men no longer wear hats or smoke like chimneys.

Just as much as smoking has fallen from grace, general non sexual nudity could become more prevalent, but when?

[nudeM]

Though there are those who were 'motivated' or have motivation to be nude, I believe the ability to be nude is one we cherish. If those who are able to practice social nudity on a regular basis, then the motivation would be to try to look our best through diet and exercise. Although many don't bother, but for the most part, many try and with success. For that, the motivation has been achieved and now they want to 'show' their achievements. and share with others. Is this motivation or a psycological factor in that we feel better about ourselves and have a positive outlook?

This motivational factor could be in reverse as well. Many are able to be nude 24/7 but not able to enjoy social nudity. In this example, I tend to believe the motivation would be to try to make ouselves look "presentable" if a trip to a resort is being planned. Although they are nude 24/7 at home, they (not all), live their lives as many textiles and tend to 'let themselves go'. But they are ready to 'take the plunge' into social nudity, so they feel they have to take extra steps to get prepared, thus go on a diet and exercise kick before the big visit.

I tend to be in the group that simply enjoys the nude life, although I can't be nude 24/7 nor able to enjoy social nudity. But I don't care what I look like. I do exercise on a regular basis, but it's not because of looking 'presentable'. It's more of a health issue, which I believe is another factor we tend to overlook. I feel more positive about my body after I went on diet. But lately, things have gotten out of hand and now I have to diet again, but not as much as before. So, am I going to diet as a motivaional factor to nudism or am I dieting for health reasons? Personally, a little of both. Just my opinion.