Nudity is beyond reproach
This morning I saw a young lady in a flashy dress, with a lot of make-up, high heels and the movements of someone who knows what she’s doing. All OK. I would have already forgotten about it if it weren’t for the fact that the practice of nudism makes me constantly reflect on the meaning of clothes in the social context. I thought that clothes are a projection of what we want others to see in us. The naked body is sincere: as soon as you put on a hat or a pair of sandals, you already communicate something more, you already make something of yourself known. I usually dress in inconspicuous clothes, I don’t want to be noticed. I don’t want to stand out in that certain way. A few decades ago, the Japanese cartoon UFO Robot Grendizer was shown on television: when needed, the character became a formidable war machine in the shape of a monster with weapons everywhere. Is it the same with clothes? Do we want to impress our interlocutors with our clothes? Do we use clothes as a weapon? Is it our modern ‘armour’? Is a uniform compulsory? As members of a society, are we enlisted in an army? Is there someone we have to defend ourselves against?
As I often take self-portraits, I see that the sincerity of the body is the backbone of self-esteem. And self-esteem is not to be seen as a bargaining chip in society: it is something that is valuable in itself, that makes you feel good and acceptable just as mother nature made us. It is out of the question. It does not need surrogates, corrections, superfetations. Social conditioning is certainly not to the advantage of self-esteem.
Right words. But I do not conquer fear about my imperfect body.
I was like one before but not anymore
Big true Vittorio!
always a sharp comment from your part, Vittorio. Clother have come from modesty to a armour or show-off something that is not you. The first rule of being elegant, is not to be noted.
Deep eloquent thoughts. To me being nude has to do with simplicity. Clothes as Vittorio stated not only protect us against an environment, they bear a message, make a statement. Being nude and show myself nude bears another message, returning to basics lay off the self imposted harness of rules and stigmas. Simple be naked.
Beautifully written Vittorio. Clothes convey a message, even when they are conspicuous. Nudity also conveys a message, but a very different one. Most people will see exhibitionism, some boldness, I see vulnerability. When you are naked, you are totally vulnerable. You’re exposing your vulnerability. Most people see weakness in vulnerability. I see great strengths. When you’ve accepted, deep inside you, that you’re vulnerable, you become stronger and almost unbreakable. Nudism grows confidence, self-esteem and strength!
I enjoyed your reference to vulnerability. I’ve always been amazed at the Spartans who practised naked, the athletes of the ancient Olympics who competed naked. It is true that greek gymnos means “naked”, but especially “without weapons”. And I think it’s a great lesson compared to today’s trend: the Spartans and the athletes practised on their own bodies. They didn’t need anything else. Today we need a thousand crutches, a thousand prostheses, more or less like the protagonists of Japanese comics who turn into technological monsters: they have become war machines, tanks. The naked body helps us see what man is in his essentiality… and we change our vision a little at a time.
Very eloquently put.