Where's the wrong in nudity in public?

[The_Fisher_King]

People may wish to read the Wikipedia page

Spoiler: Link to Article Containing Nudity

Wikipedia page on nudity

by way of background. I'm interested in both cultural (including religious) and legal perspectives on the question of nudity in public. Personally, I'm coming to this question with an open mind. If you see nudity in public as wrong, why is that? Equally, if you don't see any wrong in nudity in public, why not?

As a sideline, I'm also interested in the question of nudity in private, but I'll perhaps leave that for now.

 

[Polymath257]

If we were meant to be naked, we'd be born that way.

I don't see nudity or nakedness as wrong, as much as it is a violation of social conventions. In the same way, farting isn't wrong (we all do it), but farting loudly in church is usually considered rude.

 

[sun rise]

To me it's cultural. The original Olympics were in the nude. At the other extreme we have burqas. And looking at what people in the US consider proper over a fairly short historical period shows how standards change. A woman wearing pants? Horrors.

 

[epronovost]

Nudity is a social convention and a cultural phenomenon. In the modern western world, nudity is strongly associated with sexuality and sexuality itself is something that requires the informed consent of all party involved. Thus, people who are naked are basically committing a sexual act and if all those who see them didn't consent to the act, it's considered as wrong, basically forcing people into participating in a sexual act against their will. What constitute nudity can be fairly arbitrary, but in the western world, at the moment, nudity is basically when you can see a person's genitals, and, especially in the case of women, if one can see the nipples of their breastas these are considered sexual organs used and displayed for that use.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

To me it's cultural. The original Olympics were in the nude. At the other extreme we have burqas. And looking at what people in the US consider proper over a fairly short historical period shows how standards change. A woman wearing pants? Horrors.

So would you say there's nothing inherently wrong with it?

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Nudity is a social convention and a cultural phenomenon. In the modern western world, nudity is strongly associated with sexuality and sexuality itself is something that requires the informed consent of all party involved. Thus, people who are naked are basically committing a sexual act and if all those who see them didn't consent to the act, it's considered as wrong, basically forcing people into participating in a sexual act against their will. What constitute nudity can be fairly arbitrary, but in the western world, at the moment, nudity is basically when you can see a person's genitals, and, especially in the case of women, if one can see the nipples of their breastas these are considered sexual organs used and displayed for that use.

Do you feel it is right to so strongly associate it with sexuality?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Personally I would never walk outdoor naked, nakedness is a private matter to me, No need to show my body to others in public. What others do is up to them.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

What others do is up to them.

So you would be okay if many others around you in public went about in the nude?

 

[Spirit of Light]

So you would be okay if many others around you in public went about in the nude?

I am highly uncomfortable with it, but its a public place so I can not ask them to dress because I am uncomfortable with their nakedness.

 

[Stevicus]

People may wish to read the Wikipedia page on nudity by way of background. I'm interested in both cultural (including religious) and legal perspectives on the question of nudity in public. Personally, I'm coming to this question with an open mind. If you see nudity in public as wrong, why is that? Equally, if you don't see any wrong in nudity in public, why not?

As a sideline, I'm also interested in the question of nudity in private, but I'll perhaps leave that for now.

I don't consider it wrong, although I think there are also legitimate public health concerns about some body parts remaining uncovered. Not just because of the current virus, but I remember some concerns about an all-nude donut shop possibly not being as sanitary as one would expect.

 

[Brickjectivity]

People may wish to read the Wikipedia page on nudity by way of background. I'm interested in both cultural (including religious) and legal perspectives on the question of nudity in public. Personally, I'm coming to this question with an open mind. If you see nudity in public as wrong, why is that? Equally, if you don't see any wrong in nudity in public, why not?

As a sideline, I'm also interested in the question of nudity in private, but I'll perhaps leave that for now.

First there is the respect aspect. Clothing provides a type of privacy, but can also be a means of showing respect for others. Anything that causes strangers A and B to show respect is probably a good idea. I respect you. You respect me. That's the basis of society. Its important in a violent species such as ours. There are places where its warm and clothes are optional, yet even there people have ways of showing respect. I'm not saying you can't show respect without clothes, but they can help a lot.

Of the apes, humans are not necessarily the most violent but are somewhat violent. Hiding in plain site is very important. Its a skill, but clothes help with it. I know that sometimes we want to stand out, but usually we don't. We've all probably seen Madonna's half-gloves. They look great, but how many other people are wearing them? Only baseball players are, right? That's because everybody wants to look like everybody else.

If I'm slovenly it means I don't respect you, and to a lesser degree it means I don't respect myself. If my house is disorderly and you enter, I feel embarrassed. Why? Is it merely that you might think less of me, or is there something else? If you were someone important to me I'd have cleaned up before you arrived, wouldn't I? You know this. Clothes are similar. If I don't care how I look what it means is that I think I don't owe other people anything -- any respect.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

I think there are also legitimate public health concerns about some body parts remaining uncovered.

So you would circumscribe the places in public where a person can go about in the nude, but not proscribe it entirely?

 

[The_Fisher_King]

First there is the respect aspect. Clothing provides a type of privacy, but can also be a means of showing respect for others. Anything that causes strangers A and B to show respect is probably a good idea. I respect you. You respect me. That's the basis of society. Its important in a violent species such as ours. There are places where its warm and clothes are optional, yet even there people have ways of showing respect. I'm not saying you can't show respect without clothes, but they can help a lot.

Of the apes, humans are not necessarily the most violent but are somewhat violent. Hiding in plain site is very important. Its a skill, but clothes help with it. I know that sometimes we want to stand out, but usually we don't. We've all probably seen Madonna's half-gloves. They look great, but how many other people are wearing them? Only baseball players are, right? That's because everybody wants to look like everybody else.

If I'm slovenly it means I don't respect you, and to a lesser degree it means I don't respect myself. If my house is disorderly and you enter, I feel embarrassed. Why? Is it merely that you might think less of me, or is there something else? If you were someone important to me I'd have cleaned up before you arrived, wouldn't I? You know this. Clothes are similar. If I don't care how I look what it means is that I think I don't owe other people anything -- any respect.

I'm struggling to see the association you are drawing here between wearing clothing (that covers one's 'private parts') and respect. Surely one can care about how one looks without necessarily wearing any clothes?

 

[74x12]

People may wish to read the Wikipedia page on nudity by way of background. I'm interested in both cultural (including religious) and legal perspectives on the question of nudity in public. Personally, I'm coming to this question with an open mind. If you see nudity in public as wrong, why is that? Equally, if you don't see any wrong in nudity in public, why not?

As a sideline, I'm also interested in the question of nudity in private, but I'll perhaps leave that for now.

Causes arousal, covetousness. Thoughts of lust. Avoidable promiscuity.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I'm struggling to see the association you are drawing here between wearing clothing (that covers one's 'private parts') and respect. Surely one can care about how one looks without necessarily wearing any clothes?

Care about how one looks? Its not about that. Its about how you look to others -- to other people. Its caring how other people see you.

 

[questfortruth]

So would you say there's nothing inherently wrong with it?

check the Church social conception on nudity.

 

[Stevicus]

So you would circumscribe the places in public where a person can go about in the nude, but not proscribe it entirely?

Yes, that would seem fair.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

Causes arousal, covetousness. Thoughts of lust. Avoidable promiscuity.

If we assume, for the sake of argument, that that is generally going to be true, where does that stop though? How 'covered up' should other people be to make these thoughts go away?

 

[Windwalker]

From a purely aesthetic view, I can say that looking at everyone's saggy bits hanging out, flapping around while shopping for food, doesn't go so well together. Thank you all for dressing.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

check the Church social conception on nudity.

That was aimed at sun rise. But why should the Church's social conception on nudity hold sway in society?