Little Children & nudity (was) RE: [at-l] Clarification to nude hiking post

[shane@theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

> Shame is in the mind of the society.  And kids have to learn
> shame.

This goes along well with your recent 'SENSAWONDA' post.  To quote you,
"They (kids) are open to the universe."

Kids are born as natural animals and they are eventually 'broken' in the
name of 'socialization'.  In my experience kids can be 'socialized' without
breaking them.  It's also interesting that there is a rather large body of
research that shows that children who grow up in a nudist setting tend to be
more self-confident, more self-accepting, and more sexually well-adjusted.
They feel better about their bodies, and more comfortable with their
sexuality.  This is pretty good evidence that the Freudian model of kids
seeing a naked person growing up to be a pervert are pretty much bunk. I've
never worried if kids saw me nude; I worry about the adults because they are
the one's apt to throw a fit at the sight of a naked person because they
have been conditioned to do so.

> I tend to wear the least I can in my apt.  I just keep hoping
> the fire alarm doesn't wake me some nights and I forget where
> I've put my swim trunks.

Just do what I did and take the sheet with you, and grab a coat hanger and a
pack of marshmallows and a pack of hotdogs on the way out.  That way, if the
house does burn down, at least you can have a weenie roast and it won't be a
total waste of the evening.

> I promise I won't do that on the trail, but the little kid in
> me wants too.

So long as you sometimes let the little kid out to play.  Some people's
inner child was pretty badly abused, so it takes awhile to get them out of
their box.  Sometimes this rediscovery process is amusing, but it's always
fascinating to watch an adult rediscover that they can still play.

Shane