kent@decwrl.UUCP (Chris Kent) (08/01/83)
I'll do my part by contributing a little, too... I think I was one of the (possibly many) vocal advocates of forming this newsgroup. But I haven't contributed anything since. I have never fully understood the hangups that people in this country show about nudity. Perhaps I am fortunate in that I had European parents, so that while I was born and raised in the United States, I had what seems to have been a fairly worldly upbringing, which among other things, involved a fair amount of nudity at home as the natural order of things.As a result, I am not ashamed of myself or my physique (even though I know it needs improvement). But I can't "expose myself" as much as I'd like, because I always have to be worried about embarassing OTHER PEOPLE. It bothers me not one whit for someone to see me nude, basically in whatever situation it might be. I don't need to go to a beach that's specially designated as a place to take your clothes off to enjoy myself in the buff. But the concern for other people's (lack of) comfort leads me to be conservative in my dress. It just feels more natural. For the most part, I begrudge the time I have to spend in clothes. They are bothersome, itchy, binding, and generally uncomfortable. Oh, they're necessary when it's cold, and it's enjoyable to get dressed up and go out for the evening once in a while, but for the most part, it just seems a bit senseless. I guess it just goes along with the Protestant/Puritan roots of the country, the work ethic, and all the rest of that. It's too bad. Face it, tan lines are the pits! Chris Kent pur-ee!purdue!cak
silver@csu-cs.UUCP (08/05/83)
The reason given was right on -- skinny dipping just plain feels good, and the more people around doing the same, the more comfortable it is. Looking at other people's nude bods is a secondary thrill, really. One of my favorite memories is hanging onto a rock next to a close lady friend in broad daylight, stark bare, in the middle of a roaring California river. (One of my LEAST favorite memories is the sunburn we both got...) Years later I was taking my wife back to the same spot, but we never made it. We stopped into a little country store and mentioned where we were going. The proprietor referred us instead to a nice little lake just up the road, the local fun-in-the-sun hangout.