Why are people so hung up over nudity?

Question

Granted there are those that I would never ever want to see unclothed but, barring really ugly people why is it such a big deal?

Answer 1

It points out the shortcomings of some men?

Answer 2

As salaamu 'alaikym, my friend.

Insha'Allah, I would assume that ti is a hold over from the religious prohibitions regarding illicit sexual activity and the obvious fact that few people have sex while dressed.

If one should look at the story of Adam and Eve as the same is presented in the modern Christian translations of the Torah, immediately after eating of the forbidden fruit, they realized they were naked and hid themselves. God, after confronting them, gave them clothes sewn out of leaves. God didn't simply say, "Well okay then, as your already naked, let's go to the beach!"
I would imagine that this is where most of the modern hang up regarding nudity has come from (that and you correct observation that there are simply some person whom one would never wish to see nude...pity their doctors...)

Ma'a salaam

Answer 3

That's a good question - one that I've been asking myself for years, but haven't been able to find an answer to.

I'm not sure when it started, but there must have been some point in the Homo Sapien evolutionary time-line, when a female turned around to a male and said "Hey, stop looking at me, you old perve!", and then covered herself with some fig leaves.

In the ancient Roman & Greek times (1000BC), for a female to show off her left boob if her tunic only hung over on shoulder instead of two (which was in fashion at the time) was nothing unusual. Even the Egyptians at that point in time, often only wore skirts, and walked around in public half-naked.

The Vikings - from 500AD until about 1000AD - could not expose themselves, as they predominately lived in northern Europe, where it snowed more than it did anything else. Although they used certain techniques to accentuate their breasts and worshipped Gods with rather large penises (historians have found several wooden statues that are believed to be those of Viking Gods, with either spiked breasts or long, erect penises), they rarely undressed themselves.

At around 1000AD, after the Anglo-Saxons invaded Great Britain and England, the Bible was first printed in Latin. Although the Bible was a keepsake only purchased and read by the noble hierarchy, it's teachings soon became known through-out Britain and Europe, and for some reason or another, it became very 'indecent' to expose your naked body.

I believe that the commandment "Though Shalt Not Commit Adultery", made many people frightened of even thinking of their own bodies in lust, so a trend began where nobles wouldn't even undress themselves when they took a bath. They wore a special white light-weight robe instead of being entirely naked. The people back then were just starting to develop the roots of one of the world's most powerful nations, and since there was no such thing as science, the only 'rules' that culture had to believe in were that of the 'Bible'. If one of the rules back then said that you would 'live in a fiery damnation for eternity if thou shalt commit adultery' and you knew no better, wouldn’t you try everything possible in your might no to slip up, and make sure you were covered 100% of the time?

1000 years later in the year 2000 - many advances have been made in the science spectrum. Fewer people believe in Christianity, divorce is no longer a dirty word in most cultures, and women dressed in underwear (or less) can be seen everywhere - on bill-boards, TV, catalogues, run-ways, movies - you name it. The word 'sex' is for most people no longer taboo, and 'different' sexual preferences are made fun of openly, and relevant articles can be bought at a local sex store (I know of about 10 sex stores within a 30km radius of my house).

While some countries such as the USA and Australia, still proclaim themselves as being 'Christian countries', their citizens are entitled to free speech (or so they say) and free thinking, which allows them to openly proclaim sex.

Although many still consider nudity 'taboo', the younger generation of today's society, no longer sees it that way and nudity and sex is openly on the rise in every developed country. It's only a matter of time before being fully unclothed on TV day-time soapies will be the 'norm', and even children as young as 5, will know what a penis is for, and where babies come from. :-D

But then said, there are cultures in Europe, for example, that openly boast their nude bodies - such as Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, etc. There are many public pools there where adults walk around fully unclothed with their children, and feel no shame or uneasiness. There are even swimming pools that have a policy that you are strictly not allowed to swim there, if you are not naked. And that's fine - no one seems to have a problem with those kinds of regulations in those countries. Nudity is nowhere near as taboo in those countries, as it is in some others, for example. Sexual abuse & rape cases are also significantly lower in those countries than they are anywhere else in the world.

Answer 4

Not in Europe, no matter what the shape or size of the body.

Answer 5

Not sure... It is just another fact of life!

I use to walk around my house naked until I caught my perverted neighbour pressed against my window.

Answer 6

Its natural

Answer 7

Because of the amount of pedofiles around. I'm a teen and a lad lives across my street who watches me when i get changed. Like eww.. Ill stay clothed thanks/

Answer 8

i know you walk naked down the street and everyone points at you.