4 ms·
This kind of story is indicting of our culture. Outside the US nudity is not so taboo. In my daughter's kindergarten (a nice private school in Southeast Asia)
by holdenc 16y ago
This kind of story is indicting of our culture.
Outside the US nudity is not so taboo. In my daughter's kindergarten (a nice private school in Southeast Asia) boys and girls share the same bathroom, with no private stalls, and no door on the entrance. Everyone sees everything -- passers-by included. Meanwhile, in the US, nudity is synonymous with sex, and good people have to worry about things like this.
- c1sc0 16y agoI'll add to that by saying it's a sign of our times as well. I was educated with material from the 60's / 70's & having nudity in school textbooks was perfectly normal then, including shared nudity between adults & children.
- pyre 16y agoI almost have a feeling that in the US we are building up to a Hilter-esque take-over of the government. It's just taking a lot longer than it took the Nazis because the times aren't as extreme, and our system of government was better designed to resist such things...
- waivej 16y agoLet's just hope our economy holds out. It reminds me of a photo of a German shoveling money into a woodstove because it was so devalued...and the folks were ready to listen to someone promising a way to be a world power again.
- bpyne 16y agoIt's troubling that you make this observation. A friend of mine did his Ph.D. in East European studies before the Berlin Wall fell. He told me 15 years ago, over a few Newcastles, that "the US is ripe for fascism". I find the thought terrifying still. Let's hope the US political process keeps such a Dark Age from occurring. EDIT: Corrected typo: Lets -> Let's
- Tycho 16y agoThere's a book on this very subject called 'The Ominous Parallels.' I've been meaning to read it.
- c1sc0 16y agoInteresting, I started reading Mein Kampf a while ago because I sometimes feel like we are living in similar times. Let's just hope that no one charismatic enough to make a difference stands up. Or if one does, let it be quick & painless. In my darker moments I often think "This would be a damn fine planet to live on given current technology and a few billion humans less."
- Yaggo 16y agoAfter reading the article, my first thought was "why I can't imagine that happening outside the US?". When and why did nudity become such a taboo there? It seems to be much more acceptable to show children violence than nudity, which I found absurd. I mean, which is more harmful for 13 years old child to see on TV, a breast or shooting?
- randallsquared 16y agoWhile I don't necessarily disagree, let me point out that it's considered okay to show a painting of a breast, or an acted shooting, but showing an actual breast or real shooting are both considered taboo. I think people lose track of the fact that violence on TV (and in video games, etc) is pretend violence, whereas most nudity is real nudity, rather than a simulation of same. I'm not saying that makes it sensible, but it does bring the American treatment of them closer together than they seem at first glance.
- olliesaunders 16y ago> but it does bring the American treatment of them closer together than they seem at first glance. To my mind it merely identifies hypocrisy.
- Yaggo 16y agoNow I'm a bit confused. Does (real) breasts of an actress seen on tv count as "actual breasts"?
- randallsquared 16y agoYes. :) However, showing a centerfold spread on TV doesn't. I remember seeing _Dead Poets' Society_ on TV when I was a teen, and wondering how they could get away with showing the centerfold's breasts on broadcast TV. Somehow it doesn't count if it's a painting or photo of nudity.
- nooneelse 16y ago
- wil2k 16y agoAnd as the late Terence McKenna put it: Culture is your Operating System http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c8an2XZ3MU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c8an2XZ3MU Stuff to ponder about! :O
- olliesaunders 16y agoAh, I see, the solution is to get high! (That's what the video says).
- yummyfajitas 16y agoEven in Canada, nudity is not such a big deal. In Montreal last week, I saw billboards with ads like this (partially cropped): http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/documents/csm/images/ImageCropper/BILLETTERIE_redimensionner_305x185.jpg http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/documents/csm/images/Im... It was advertising this: http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/exhibitions/sex-a-tell-all-exhibition.html http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/exhibitions/sex-a-tell-...