[dnem41 (OP)]

I understand that if you live in a cold climate, one needs to clothe themselves to stay warm. But what's the use of being embarrassed in the nude in warmer climates, like Africa, Mexico, etc.? I live in Virginia in the United States, and it's a nice day out. I want to walk around naked, but can't because it's against the law, and even if it wasn't I think I would be too embarrassed to.

[Pwee]

It's mostly a cultural thing. It is fairly common in tribes living in warm temperatures to not wear clothes, or only wear clothes that cover the genitals.
One thing is common though: women genitals are covered in almost all of the known cultures, and if they are not covered by clothing, there are strict rules how to cover them with movement and posture.

This is thought to be because however common the sight may be, men will always be distracted by the vagina. It's hardwired into us.

[neilep]

Did someone mention ' vagina' ?

yep, I agree with Dr Pwee.

we're just conditioned from such an early age to wear clothes and to expect others to wear them too. I don't want to get all religious and all that but wasn't it mentioned in Adam & Eve that they were embarrassed to be seen naked ?...so..that...... coupled with the need to keep warm has instilled culturally our need to wear clothes and our embarrassment to be seen without them. In my opinion.

However, I've often wondered what it would be like to live in a society without clothes ....where would people put their mobile phones ?

[Pwee]

I'm ceratin women would just put them right next to their lipstick, makeup kit, and comb. Men wouldn't need mobile phones. Hell, we are talking about THE perfect world here!

p.s.: neilep do ewe have a script that constantly uses the search term 'vagina' on the NS forum and you get texted by it if it finds a match?

[neilep]

I'm ceratin women would just put them right next to their lipstick, makeup kit, and comb. Men wouldn't need mobile phones. Hell, we are talking about THE perfect world here!

p.s.: neilep do ewe have a script that constantly uses the search term 'vagina' on the NS forum and you get texted by it if it finds a match?

LOL..cheeky !!  [] []

[Variola]

This is thought to be because however common the sight may be, men will always be distracted by the vagina. It's hardwired into us. 

And yet the phrase 'less is more' seems to be appropriate here. Male naturist's have said that after the initial fest of flesh, the novelty does wear off. Indeed, I am told the the   split up the side of a long skirt is more sexy than the short skirts, and the lace of a bra just peeing over the top is more off a hook than the boobs hanging right out.

The penile brain is a mystery to me...

[Bored chemist]

the lace of a bra just peeing over the top 

The penile brain is a mystery to me...

So it seems.

[Variola]

the lace of a bra just peeing over the top 

The penile brain is a mystery to me...

So it seems.

LOL!! As is being able to type correctly....!! []

It was supposed to say peeping!

[Geezer]

Doesn't embarrass me.

Lots of pix coming. Stay tuned.

[geo driver]

how much do you like your bodies?

[Karen W.]

Not much..LOL Although I do not wish to be without it... I am embarrassed to be unclothed around anyone women included .. even in a locker room situation... I still dress in a bath stall and redress in the closed shower.. LOL It is very ingrained as was mentioned but truth is I love being without my clothes anytime possible it is comfortable...

[doppler1]

This is a good topic there is an element of cultural conditioning that comes into play for sure. I was born and raised in Africa and find some of the local cultures have no problem with nudity and having many wives whereas the western cultures frown on having more than one wife and public nudity....I agree that if you had to see it all the time then I guess it would lose its allure but i guess we would adapt accordingly. Anyway, this has been bred into our brains and would be quite difficult to change. I vote that we do it for one week out of ten, that way it keeps its novelty although the male form is nothing to look at compared to the female form (from my perspective of course) so it would be a big win for the guys and not so much for the ladies.....what with all the Homer Simpson look a likes out there!

[Eric A. Taylor]

It's mostly a cultural thing. It is fairly common in tribes living in warm temperatures to not wear clothes, or only wear clothes that cover the genitals.
One thing is common though: women genitals are covered in almost all of the known cultures, and if they are not covered by clothing, there are strict rules how to cover them with movement and posture.

This is thought to be because however common the sight may be, men will always be distracted by the vagina. It's hardwired into us.

This is not really true. In fact most "stone age" cultures in hot climates go naked or nearly naked. However most people live in climates that are too cold to be naked for some part of the year. It's these cultures that develop "modesty".

In the Abrhamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) embarrassment of nudity came with the fall of man and so is tied deeply with religion. To be nude is a sin!

In cultures that see humans as different than animals often wear some kind of body decoration that animals do not use to separate themselves from animals.

The origin of clothing is not known but probably predates the arrival of truly modern humans. Most lice species are specific to one species of host. Humans have very little fur and the body lice that infect humans needs to have clothing to live in (head lice is a different species) so clothes had to have been around long enough for the bugs to make this evolutionary change.

There is an indigenous tribe in South America who wear nothing but a thin cord around the middle. The cord hides 0% of their bodies but for them it is unthinkable to go in public without the cord.

People who grow up as naturists are not embarrassed (or titillated) by nudity at all. It's simply what they wear (nothing) to swim or relax or sleep in warm weather. If you think about it wearing clothes while swimming is really stupid. It's uncomfortable to wear clothes. Swim suits slow you down and make it harder to swim. The Swedish Olympic swim team did time trials nude in the 80's and found they had faster times. Unfortunately the Olympic committees (not to mention American Network Television) frowned on nude competitors. Only in the last few years have fabrics been developed that are faster than bare skin.

One of my favorite quotes is "If God had wanted us covered He'd have given us fur".