In three days we will be boarding a plane with the destination being Paris, France in order to spend just over six weeks in northwestern Europe. Naturally, there is a lot that is keeping me busy in terms of preparation for this adventure, including mowing the lawns and preparing our home and yard for the approach of winter. We have arranged for a neighbour to mow the lawns if there is a need before our return but the likelihood is usually quite low because of lower temperatures hurrying to make a presence here on the Canadian prairies.
There are no nights where the temperature doesn’t drop below 10 Celsius anymore. I was fortunate to have warmish temperatures to mow our back lawn yesterday as you can see. I didn’t put it off as the forecast is for rain over the next several days. Right now, the sky is overcast and there is a strong wind blowing with the result that it feels like 6 Celsius more than an hour after sunrise with rain expected by the afternoon.
But enough of weather, what about the travels, and will there be any posts by me here? There will be posts. With the purchase of this new laptop, chosen so that it fits within my small day-hike backpack, and because I typically can find moments and places for writing, there will be posts. Will the posts contain nude images? Of course, that is an unknown. But then again, this blog site isn’t all about nude images.
If I have something of interest to me, and hopefully for you, I write. For example, I am being stressed by what I am seeing on social media and how that can, and likely will, impact on my life as a Canadian naturist.
The political world is becoming darker in North America and in Europe. Tolerance for differences is waning. Voices of opposition are getting more and more strident. The solution for me is easy, turn off social media. But, is that a solution? As society devolves, the impact on naturism is negative. Rory Andrews at Rory Writes talks about the three technologies that are killing nudism. Read his blog post here. One of the biggest threats is the seemingly innocent world of photo-editing made easy with cellphone camera software ensuring that everyone can present an improved version of the “real” self.
The negative effect is the growing dysmorphia, dissatisfaction with our real images of ourselves and our bodies. Dissatisfaction with our real appearance leads us to hide our bodies even more. I see the reality of this when I talk with grandson number six who is nine years old. We always video chat and he is constantly using the option of showing himself with all sorts of distracting overlays such as bunny ears, funny glasses, etc. Of course, he is only nine, so perhaps there is no dysmorphia for him.
The second, and integrally related technological threat is the cellphone camera. They are so easy to use and the quality of images is quite good, leading so many to photograph everything and everyone in their lives. Our world is being completely digitized. CCTV cameras are visible everywhere purportedly for our protection.
Drones with cameras are becoming more and more common. And then there is the proliferation of nanny cams and spy cams. The result is that feeling of somebody always watching. Even smart TVs are capable of recording audio and visual data. The word of the peeping tom has entered into our homes and almost everywhere we go outside of our homes. And, it’s all done in the name of our security.
The third technology, unsurprisingly, is the porn industry. The influence of this industry has filtered into mainstream television which confirms the bias that seeing nudity, even partial nudity, is all about sex. Gymnophobia is on the rise. Taking showers at a public pool is now done with bathing suit on. Men and women hide behind towels to change out of sportswear in change rooms.
Young people, especially females wear long tee-shirts over their bikinis. That personal, gut-level fear of being seen nude is being passed down to very young children who panic if someone should see them nude. Toddlers should never have a fear of being seen without a diaper/pull-up, yet this is the new reality. Parents rail against undressed manikins in store windows as being harmful to children who might see them.
It’s depressing. I don’t have any answers other than to be an authentic person who refuses to hide. What are your thoughts about these three threats to a saner world?