NationStates Jolt Archive

I looked in the TOS to see if this was a banned topic, it appears not, but hey, my apologies if so.

I've noted an attitude among some people (not just in the forum, but also in my day to day experiences) who view anything regarding the outward expression of sexuality to be immoral. Many people feel that this aspect of our humanity should remain confined to private. I've done some sociological research, books and informally, on this topic, but I want to gauge some of the gut reaction of people that I do not know. So, the question I pose here:

Why would something so vital to humanity be the subject of such taboo in some cultures, while others embrace it?

What drives people to the need for privacy, for instance the feeling of shame when having ones sexual organs exposed?

Society vs. Biology?

Any opinion welcomed, that supported with links encouraged.

EDIT: this sent before a poll was added... oh well...

There is also the distinction between immoral and just embarrassing.

There is also the distinction between immoral and just embarrassing.


Idea: would the line between that vary between person to person? For instance, would someone who's more outgoing be less embarrassed, which seems obvious, but does anyone know of a natural tendency to be reviled?

I looked in the TOS to see if this was a banned topic, it appears not, but hey, my apologies if so.

I've noted an attitude among some people (not just in the forum, but also in my day to day experiences) who view anything regarding the outward expression of sexuality to be immoral. Many people feel that this aspect of our humanity should remain confined to private. I've done some sociological research, books and informally, on this topic, but I want to gauge some of the gut reaction of people that I do not know. So, the question I pose here:

Why would something so vital to humanity be the subject of such taboo in some cultures, while others embrace it?

What drives people to the need for privacy, for instance the feeling of shame when having ones sexual organs exposed?

Society vs. Biology?

Any opinion welcomed, that supported with links encouraged.

EDIT: this sent before a poll was added... oh well...
I agree; this world should free itself of its inhibitions. It is not harmful to children to see naked people; it is natural and healthy. I also do not think that PDAs should be limited in any way.

Well, clothing does more than just preserve our modisty you know. I wonder if it's more the case than humans developed clothing first, THEN developed taboos for being naked.

Of course I still think it's a case of 'HEY! That naked man/woman you're looking at and getting excited over is MY naked mate! Lay off!'

Well, clothing does more than just preserve our modisty you know. I wonder if it's more the case than humans developed clothing first, THEN developed taboos for being naked.

Of course I still think it's a case of 'HEY! That naked man/woman you're looking at and getting excited over is MY naked mate! Lay off!'
Jealousy is really just human stupidity and irrationality in a not-so-convincing disguise.

Who said the other day on one of these threads, "What is morality but a towel failing to hide an erection?"

That is my new favourite. My staff agrees.

Jealousy is really just human stupidity and irrationality in a not-so-convincing disguise.
Yup, but it's rather popular in humanity.

People take sex way too seriously. It really isn't as important as so many people seem to think it is.

People take sex way too seriously. It really isn't as important as so many people seem to think it is.
I agree.

Yup, but it's rather popular in humanity.
And to them I say, simply, "evolve", and to those who don't believe in evolution, I say, "pray to your god(s)/goddess(es) that one day you will be more intelligent than you are right now."

I looked in the TOS to see if this was a banned topic, it appears not, but hey, my apologies if so.

I've noted an attitude among some people (not just in the forum, but also in my day to day experiences) who view anything regarding the outward expression of sexuality to be immoral. Many people feel that this aspect of our humanity should remain confined to private. I've done some sociological research, books and informally, on this topic, but I want to gauge some of the gut reaction of people that I do not know. So, the question I pose here:

Why would something so vital to humanity be the subject of such taboo in some cultures, while others embrace it?

What drives people to the need for privacy, for instance the feeling of shame when having ones sexual organs exposed?

Society vs. Biology?

Any opinion welcomed, that supported with links encouraged.

EDIT: this sent before a poll was added... oh well...
I take it you're from a christian culture, right?
The sex taboo is bred into our bones over millenia. What do you expect?

We've only just begun questioning the value of our culture. It will take many many years before a real change happens.

I wonder if it's more the case than humans developed clothing first, THEN developed taboos for being naked.
Ahem, if that wasn't the case, there would've been a pretty unhappy society there for the Australopithecines (sp?).

I say it's society. Brazilian Indio tribes are not offended by seeing boobs, nor are many other cultures. Americans are (some). Isn't that enough proof?

Well, clothing does more than just preserve our modisty you know. I wonder if it's more the case than humans developed clothing first, THEN developed taboos for being naked.

Huh? As opposed to having a society which has taboos on nakedness, but no way of not breaking those taboos? Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't think your speculation makes much sense.

The interesting thing is that there are moral or sexual taboos no matter what society you look at.

Many Asian civilisations will think little about bathing nacked in full sight of everybody, but to expose the nacked soles of your feet is regarded as extremely indecent.

A friend who's a nurse in a local hospital in Berlin told me that she observed young Arab mothers covering their heads when people came into the room while breastfeeding their baby and being absolutely naked to the waist.

It's as if humans NEED some taboos, no matter what they actually would include.

Why would something so vital to humanity be the subject of such taboo in some cultures, while others embrace it?

What drives people to the need for privacy, for instance the feeling of shame when having ones sexual organs exposed?

In a way, Judaism is to blame for this. The books of Genesis describe Adam and Eve as having to clothe themselves for shame after they fell from Grace. With the ascent of Christianity and Islam, this got imposed on European culture, which imposed it just about everywhere else.
The Greeks had their Olympic games naked, before they were Christian.
Germanic and Celtic warriors would sometimes enter battle naked to prove their bravery.
The fact that the Church dominated European culture for so long is the basis for it being such a deep social taboo.