I love how timeless this reads, so polite in its suggestion that we've developed an unhealthy codependency and fetish for clothing covering us, and so spot on too.
The author of this essay makes a compelling argument on several points. Clothing comes with a whole host of anxieties and hassles that in the 21st century are becoming all too familiar. We worry way too much about what wear and put so much unnecessary importance on it. It has to be the right popular style or we think others will judge us negatively. We work long hours to earn money to buy new clothes only to have the style change quickly. All those clothes get thrown away, which pollutes the earth and new styles get manufactured that further pollute the earth. People who can afford to keep up with styles, look down on others who can’t, which creates classism and disrespect for others. We wear clothes to hide our believed flaws and imperfections, rather than confronting and respecting ourselves to try and improve. The last part of the essay is also interesting. Are we naked in heaven? I would argue we are. In the dominate Christian tradition, God the father created Eden as a perfect paradise that was akin to heaven. The first humans are said to have been completely naked while living there. This says to me that God the father intended for his paradise to be clothes-free. The dominant Christian tradition also says that living in heaven is Eden reclaimed. Therefore I would logically say everyone who goes to heaven is naked.
As applicable in 2024 as it was in 1935—or 1919! Perhaps what is most noticeably missing from the author's list of complaints is how much we use clothing to denote gender identity/roles. What a fetish, indeed.
Thank you for sharing this article - to echo Alexa and others, at one hundred and five this is wonderfully, and perhaps eternally, timeless. David Vogel's point about Walker not commenting on the way clothes differentiate gender might simply reflect a 1919 society in which the two biological genders were functionally unequal. Contemporary Western Culture no longer acknowledges gender in that simple binary sense - we can all be 'whatever we want to be'. Except we can't. Even if the socio-intellectual climate has changed, our physiology and biochemistry hasn't - the socio-political environment is still differentiated by power. Perhaps more richly visible status signs - jobs, clothes, cars, accommodation, possessions etc - are what define us now? It may have been common-sensical to acknowledge our humanity by shedding clothes, but that didn't challenge the gender power imbalance. Might it not be that modern de-gendered nudism also requires the levelling of all power differentials? To me, that makes contemporary nudism inherently revolutionary - a direct and existential threat to politicoeconomic prudism...
The state and local laws stand in our way from being a truly free society. In order to be free we must change these laws. At present what are we doing to make that happen? These laws we have are the only laws where someone can just say that we are harming them in one way or the other without having any proof of being harmed.
I forgot to mention that the people in Spain had the same problem but did something about it. Now there isn't a law in spain thar says you have to have clothes on. Look it up.
I wear what is comfortable to me. Nothing! Shorts or jeans and a t shirt if in public. I’m not a clothes person.
I love how timeless this reads, so polite in its suggestion that we've developed an unhealthy codependency and fetish for clothing covering us, and so spot on too.
neay
neat
On hot days I find it too hot to wear clothes so I just walk around the house and poolside nude
The author of this essay makes a compelling argument on several points. Clothing comes with a whole host of anxieties and hassles that in the 21st century are becoming all too familiar. We worry way too much about what wear and put so much unnecessary importance on it. It has to be the right popular style or we think others will judge us negatively. We work long hours to earn money to buy new clothes only to have the style change quickly. All those clothes get thrown away, which pollutes the earth and new styles get manufactured that further pollute the earth. People who can afford to keep up with styles, look down on others who can’t, which creates classism and disrespect for others. We wear clothes to hide our believed flaws and imperfections, rather than confronting and respecting ourselves to try and improve. The last part of the essay is also interesting. Are we naked in heaven? I would argue we are. In the dominate Christian tradition, God the father created Eden as a perfect paradise that was akin to heaven. The first humans are said to have been completely naked while living there. This says to me that God the father intended for his paradise to be clothes-free. The dominant Christian tradition also says that living in heaven is Eden reclaimed. Therefore I would logically say everyone who goes to heaven is naked.
As applicable in 2024 as it was in 1935—or 1919! Perhaps what is most noticeably missing from the author's list of complaints is how much we use clothing to denote gender identity/roles. What a fetish, indeed.
Thank you for sharing this article - to echo Alexa and others, at one hundred and five this is wonderfully, and perhaps eternally, timeless. David Vogel's point about Walker not commenting on the way clothes differentiate gender might simply reflect a 1919 society in which the two biological genders were functionally unequal. Contemporary Western Culture no longer acknowledges gender in that simple binary sense - we can all be 'whatever we want to be'. Except we can't. Even if the socio-intellectual climate has changed, our physiology and biochemistry hasn't - the socio-political environment is still differentiated by power. Perhaps more richly visible status signs - jobs, clothes, cars, accommodation, possessions etc - are what define us now? It may have been common-sensical to acknowledge our humanity by shedding clothes, but that didn't challenge the gender power imbalance. Might it not be that modern de-gendered nudism also requires the levelling of all power differentials? To me, that makes contemporary nudism inherently revolutionary - a direct and existential threat to politicoeconomic prudism...
The state and local laws stand in our way from being a truly free society. In order to be free we must change these laws. At present what are we doing to make that happen? These laws we have are the only laws where someone can just say that we are harming them in one way or the other without having any proof of being harmed.
I see no difference in being nude at the beach pool or the lake swimsuits on or off l see no problem here. Have a great nude summer.
I forgot to mention that the people in Spain had the same problem but did something about it. Now there isn't a law in spain thar says you have to have clothes on. Look it up.