After 65 years of being naked,...., growing up on a very old school German family ranching/farm. I never knew there was all this going on about nudist and naturism. We were all just NAKED and after the work was done my family and neighboring other German families would all get to the big pond on my family's property and we'd relax, swim talk over the day and what was happening tomorrow. In university I went to the beaches and was naked in VA, and I met "nudists". I found it funny and a bit "odd" honestly that such a simple thing as taking your clothes off and relaxing could be such a religious experience. I later found that as far as what I had in common with, the term "naturist" fit better. In my own observation, "nudism" is a lifestyle. It comes and goes out of fashion in its own ways. "Naturism" is a Way of Life. Rarely changes like your own personal ideals. My spiritualism has become a part of it and the more I was exposed to the Naked Society the more I met Naturists that also contained a spiritual aspect to their nakedness. Naturists in my experience are not resort hounds, they do not need to be seen or hang out and talk about being "naked". It is no reason to have or not to have friends, Textiles are not the enemy to Naturists, yet I have heard some ideas to that affect when poolside at nudist resorts. ( yes I go to resorts every great once in a while! LOL!) I can say I do see a few defining facets to both. yes, we are both naked but like clothiers, they too have their defining differences.
I was asked the differences years ago- this discussion never seems to go away. and here is my answer still. A Naturist will hike in 5+ miles to a clean untouched lake and pitch camp for a few weeks and no one will know they even went. a nudist will carry a cooler to the pool from the car for the day and return home to talk about their naked day for a week or more. Is either one better- not really when each got out of their experience what they needed.
I was asked the differences years ago- this discussion never seems to go away. and here is my answer still. A Naturist will hike in 5+ miles to a clean untouched lake and pitch camp for a few weeks and no one will know they even went. a nudist will carry a cooler to the pool from the car for the day and return home to talk about their naked day for a week or more. Is either one better- not really when each got out of their experience what they needed.
Like many of the definitions in this thread, that's your personal definition and I think you'll find it doesn't match how people describe themselves.
Aileron wrote:Like many of the definitions in this thread, that's your personal definition and I think you'll find it doesn't match how people describe themselves.
That's how words work. In the end, words mean what we think them to mean, and as long as you don't try to persuade others that your definitions are the only ones, all is well. Of course dictionaries are seen as ways to fix the definitions of words, and some will see them as an authority but, in reality, all the dictionary does is attempt to describe the word in terms of what they perceive popular culture would dictate. For more insight into this process, I would recommend Word For Word by Kory Stamper. Ms. Stamper is a professional lexicographer for Merriam-Webster, and her book is definitely worth a read.
My own definitions were stated back in post #9, and haven't changed. I usually use the word "naturist" when writing in the common culture, because "nudist" has long had a bad association with sex. Example: type "nudism" into Wikipedia and you're immediately given the page for "Naturism."
Maybe "naturist" will fall to the same fate, as the German "Freikoeperkultur" (FKK) has already succumbed, to the point where it is used in advertising to indicate sexual content. Then we'll have to come up with another term for being naked outside of a sexual context.
I was asked the differences years ago- this discussion never seems to go away. and here is my answer still. A Naturist will hike in 5+ miles to a clean untouched lake and pitch camp for a few weeks and no one will know they even went. a nudist will carry a cooler to the pool from the car for the day and return home to talk about their naked day for a week or more. Is either one better- not really when each got out of their experience what they needed.Like many of the definitions in this thread, that's your personal definition and I think you'll find it doesn't match how people describe themselves.
Actually, I think opinions should be respected, not discounted. These are ALL opinions on this site as well as others. Mine are thru 65 years of living from a German Farm family to the hippies of Big Sur and surfing culture in the 70 to the swinging Calientes of the early 2000s. I base my opinions, and I hope everyone does for their own lives on real life experience in a myriad of life experiences. My now 87yo Aunt p in Idaho just came out one day in the 70s when my mom, a very judgmental person negatively passed judgement on me packing up for another Summer on the Big Sur River, ( I worked all year to spend my Summers in Big Sur in HS), "Well Ruth, opinions are like Ass holes- everyone has one". Simple but deep wisdom and I left a few days after! LOL!!!! Today everything seems to be a word game, 1+1=11, I rarely participate but I do try to respect others that lived their "observations". So be patient with those that came before, I was when I was 20-30-40yrs old. The way things are going I hate to think how the "war on, (not of) Words" will be in 20 years from now.
"and I think you'll find it doesn't match how people describe themselves.,....," well like my auntie said in her deep moment of eternal wisdom! LOL! Kind of like telling an old man getting out of his Rolls that had he done things differently, he'd have been a financial success. (Personally, I'd have thot the old guy did pretty well with how he saw things!)
Things I have not seen myself?, naked resort fans, Nudists, carrying a Colemen metal cooler down the bluffs of the North Coast near Arcata CA, or the Big Sur River, on Ft Story VA before it was made easy. Tenting in the Mohave would be fun to see, or kicking back at the shores of Back Bay at Pungo VA. and all so they could enjoy a spiritual experience for a few weeks to a day in the Creation. I KNOW I have never seen a group of 20-30 naked folks (Naturists) at a Resort in a full Lotus enjoying a few buttons, or saging an area before setting you camp near Turkey Run in Indiana as a daytime retreat. Or having paid respect at a German Soldier's graveyard in Heidelberg GE- and that was a very special moment for not just me but a few other US Soldiers who were there at sun down and only heard about WWII. But see these are MY experiences and how I celebrate my natural form with others. You make yours and I know we will all enjoy hearing of them. Well I know I would,..... especially the Naturists in full lotus enjoying the buttons at Caliente! LOL!!! No REALLY I would- in fact take pictures!
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