"Why I can't be a Nudie ..."

[Aaron Stern]

Last week between cello class sections in New York, I had long, interesting conversations with my next-seat neighbor, Siki;  he was born in Ivory Coast (Africa) and is now a music student in New York.  We talked about famous cellists (Gregor Piatigorsky, Mischa Maisky, Michail Konizer et al.), then about Albert Einstein.  Sorry, once again I couldn't help myself, I just had to mention that Einstein was the most famous Jewdie-nudie.  Siki was somewhat skeptical hearing this for the first time, then his response was (and I'm paraphrasing), "I could never be a nudie ... For the last 60 years or so, we are trying to distance ourselves from our tribal past (when most folks were running around naked in Africa) and catch up with 'the civilized world'.  As far back as I can remember, my parents always saw to it that I was wearing a shirt, pants and shoes the way Europeans did (in Africa), and to be a nudie now would be a step back in time;  that's why I could never be a nudie!"  Any comments?  Aaron

[eldub]

My response is one of understanding with this: Not all advancements are good. In many ways, a step back could be healthy. And indeed, progress tends to be a cycle-perhaps the textilian cycle has ran its course, with the product being a naked society once more.  Valid though his concerns may be, nudists concider progress to be a greater acceptance of the human body, so perhaps the moral is progress is in the eyes of the beholder.


Just some thoughts.

[Fenris Drakon]

This is what I would say to him; "You can still be 'Civilized' and nude at the same time! A persons actions towards others and to a lesser extent, the technology they use, is what makes a person civilized. In fact, naturists could be considerd more civilized because we don't judge people on any sort of apearence, including if they are dressed or not!"

[Borntobenude]

What does wearing clothes have to do with being civilized? Countless barbaric acts throughout history have been committed by people who wee clothed. I see many people act in an uncivilized manner, yet they are wearing clothes. The people is that people are making judgments on appearances rather than actions.

[drivermatt]

My response would be that us in the west aren't necessary more advanced than anyone else and that we are finally realising that other cultures my have a better answer to life than the west and that we are learning from other cultures.

[Bobbert]

People had some good ideas/customs/traditions in the past.  We shouldn't have to abandon those just to prove to other people that we are "modern."

[prodigal_son]

That is a really interesting point that had never crossed my mind before. As Fenris said, you can still be civilised and nude.

[tanah]

Being nude means we are getting more freedom. But must see where we be nudie

[naked]

I couldn't agree more
To me being nude means you have reached peace with your own body and subsequently with nature. This is the most natural thing on earth and I don't see why being nude could make people less civilized... Sometimes, undressed people are even more civilized that clothed ones. There are examples all over the history

[JA]

Yeah, its a really interesting one. I've noticed how dark-skinned people sometimes want to prove that they are just as 'civilized' as white people by disassociating themselves from their tribal past.

From what I know about tribal cultures, they are far more in tune with nature, happier, more spiritual and less alienated. Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, which are extremely common in modern western civilization, are non-existent in tribal cultures. And if they don't wear clothes, its because have no reason to!

It's modern western 'civilization' which has brought so much death and unhappiness to the world.

Simpler tribal cultures may not be perfect, but they are far more sustainable. Modern western people could learn a lot from them. Not wearing clothes is just part if it, but its a good start!.

Why do some dark-skinned people need to be so insecure and feel they have to keep up with and assimilate with modern western culture? I'm not saying for a second that they aren't capable of it, I mean black people in western society have already proven they can do anything white people can do. But why do it just to prove how 'intelligent' or 'sophisticated' you are? What's the point of that? Why become part of a culture which is destroying itself and the environment that sustains it? There is so much to be proud of in  traditional tribal NAKED cultures, which have largely been destroyed by westerners.