Conservative Nudists

This article, in itself, is not a bad essay.   The author has made a coherent effort to express concerns he has about social behavior and the effect certain behavior has on others.  It is an easy read and does well in summary.  However…

Merriam Webster tells me “pervert” is a transitive verb, not a noun, meaning “to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right.”  One who perverts is a perverter.  So, as this medium is all about using words to communicate, let’s be mindful of which words we use.  Yes?

My next issue with the blog post is the very hypocrisy of a liberal accusing someone of going too far… unless the author is spinning nudism as a reactionary stance to the advent of clothing centuries ago.  Nudists are liberals by their very stance on nudity.  We are arguing that such a state is not only natural, but an inherent Right of expression.  In the U.S. we have even argued it’s a protected form of expression under the First Amendment… unsuccessfully.

Do I even need to go into the hypocrisy of advocating against “body shame” and using derogatory words to condemn others?

The argument about nudity being natural, a regular state of being, is valid.  We are born naked and have no concept of shame about it until we are taught otherwise.  Children generally realize their nakedness when their development reaches a state of “other” awareness when the innate narcissism begins to subside and comparison begins.  Adults carry with them decades of shame through such comparison (mine all has high school gym class written all over it) and provides many of the obstacles to social nudity blogs all over the web attempt to dispel.

Now, to then classify sexuality as a different state of being than a lack of clothing is absurd.  Sexual attraction (arguably a learned trait) is as natural as eye color.  Sexuality is innate, it’s expression is normal.  Different societies have chosen when, where, and how this expression is tolerated, but that doesn’t make expression less natural.  Just less accepted.

The blog screams at the unsavories of the world leering, ogling, and otherwise aggressively looking at people.  There are even those who chose to masturbate during this time.  Public sex is apparently a major no-no for this author.  Yet why?

I’m not condoning aggressive behavior of any kind.  Intentionally causing unease is a power grab that nobody should get away with – not even kindly bloggers who want to police behavior.

Finally, the author suggests this would cause a new breed of criminal and overwhelm the local constabulary with emergency calls against beach-front erections. Perhaps the author isn’t aware of the ubiquitous sexual offender registries.  These web sites are dedicated to making the public aware of sexually aggressive individuals, no matter the circumstance of their choices.  “Creeps” and “perverts” aplenty are among us, staring or leering or masturbating in unacceptable locales.  Granting public nudity legality would do nothing to create or encourage the sexually aggressive people, they would simply continue what they’ve intended to do.

Perhaps nudists could consider their words – and their motivations for nudity – a little more carefully.  Hypocrisy of logic does nothing to further a political cause or more to hinder an attempt at social change.  While some of these statements may go a long way to easing the “fears” of statesmen and voters about the consequences of social nudity, it ultimately fails to uphold reason by attempting to be a conservative for liberation.

Moving

Saturday is the big day. My partner and I are moving. “So what,” you say? I know, people move all the time. This link says that nearly 40% of people live in a town different than where they were born.
However, we are not moving down the street. Rather, we a moving across the country. From Wisconsin to Florida – that’s 1700 miles and 24 hours of driving. No longer will I suffer bitter winters that kill a person or two every year. No longer will I have to hear the local time-passing chatter about the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Also, no longer will I be able to pop in to my parent’s house for help removing a stain from my shirt. (Where do mothers learn such things?)
On the whole, this will probably be a good move. My upper Midwest work ethic – rumored to be excellent in comparison to the rest of the country – will be useful in landing a quality job and the perks of not living in Green Bay, Wisconsin will surely outweigh the detractions… is that a word?
My partner is so excited he’s losing sleep, and I have money on my mind (and mind on my money). Moving is universally known to be expensive and every day I’m realizing a new something we will have to pay for; higher auto insurance rates, re-registration of the plates, re-issue our licences, etc… and that’s on top of the gas for the drive and restocking a pantry! Oy!
At this point inertia has taken over and I could hardly back out of the move. I’ve quit my job, gave the landlord notice, and announced a change of address to the postal service. I even have an appointment to keep on Tuesday… in Florida. It would be rude to cancel with such short notice. And I’d have to return all the bon voyage gifts we got last Sunday. Then think about all the housewarming gifts I’d forgo.
Nope. Definately hitting the road on Saturday.

Compassion Locally

For those who know me I tend to come across as a grumpy old man, though I like to think more along the lines of optimistically jaded.  The world would be a better place if there were no people in it, yet people tend to be the best thing about living.

This article I found by following a link in another’s blog got me to – once again – ponder the selfishness of people.  Each breath is taken for selfish purpose and Altruism is merely an ideal that is impossible to achieve.  Should I think on it too long, I despair our pointlessness in this world and begin to ponder the glory this life could be without “us.”  Yet, I’ve been told I have unwittingly changed the path to happiness for others and brought joy to life without trying.  I am aware of the happiness I’ve caused when I set out to do so, but the instances of creating pleasure and ease when I’m not focused on it are a bit startling.

One of the easiest ways to bring happiness to the world is to give what one has to one who does not.  Easily phrased, this is charity.  However, charity is not only about giving things or money to someone who’s hungry or cold.  It is as simple as giving time and attention to a conversation (rather than thinking about what you plan to say next).

My boss is a rich man who has never wanted for anything.  He thinks himself charitable because he gives money to the church.  While this is indeed an effort, to give to those who can provide what is necessary, and perhaps he thinks himself incapable of giving the most to those who need and provides those better suited to the task, it is not truly all he could give.  He spends a couple of minutes each week dropping a check into a basket, then drives his SUV to his lake-side second house for the weekend.

I ask everyone, when was the last time you actually gave to a specific person, a poor person, rather than “the poor”?  It’s easy to give to an organization that has overhead costs and markets themselves as socially conscious while paying its employees a very nice wage.  It’s quite another to give directly to someone in need – be it time out of your busy day or a sofa to sleep upon when someone doesn’t have their own.  What about the 31% of the food we throw away?  What about the living room furniture we replace with new decor?  What do we do with the children’s room after they move away to college?  Or the extra car in the three stall garage?

And if you can honestly say you’ve done any one of these things in the last year, then I’m going to guess you are somehow related to the recipient.  Am I right?

I got nothin’: Part 2

What happens when I don’t have anything even remotely important (at least in my mind) to say?  Generally, I surf the web for interesting male nude photos, read other people’s words, and check my twitter feed obsessively.  Of course, none of that activity actually gets anything written.

Sadly, there is nothing to be done for a lack of ideas.  Thankfully, I don’t believe I live my life in such a state… that would be Mississippi.  Still, I sit in front of my laptop (nude, of course; though I guess I’m supposed to point that out), flipping from one image search to another – checking out various photographers work, and mulling over various possible topics for this edition of the Treatise.  Yet, still, I got nothin’.

I thought about taking the easy road and simply adding my latest piece of fiction to the blog – a mere two minutes of cut-and-paste and I’d have my self-imposed quota of once per week entry completed.  Two reasons that didn’t happen: I want to keep the copy-write should I ever get to a point where my poor efforts earn favor and I refuse (this time) to take the easy way out.

Living in this city-that-believes-it’s-a-town, I could simply ask, “How ’bout them Packers.”  That, and the weather, seem to be the go-to topics of conversation.  Believe me, the weather is too chill for my taste (yet the A/C must be on as it is summer) and American football is a whole ulcer-inducing diatribe waiting to happen whenever I’m within earshot of those placeholder words.

So, I pace.  I leave this studio apartment for the distraction of the street smoked cigarette and check my Twitter – @EmergencyKittens gives no inspiration.  I return as silently as I can so as to not wake my sleeping partner and wonder if I should start breakfast yet.  I light a smell-good candle and return to my laptop to read the latest from Finn West.  No inspiration.  The porn sites beckon.

One might think me capable of channeling Jon Stewart as it is Independence Day and I could spend many hours pondering the disrespectful manner in which the beer-soaked obese members of my community celebrate, yet I haven’t the urge to rant on against those who see no problem with their behavior.  There is the slight possibility I am incorrect in my priorities.

More photography.  I do often wonder what someone would think of me should they analyze my search history.  Would someone at Google know me well based on those site names and time stamps?  Would they understand my preferences and attitudes toward various life choices?  Perhaps I’m just a dirty old man who worries the young ladies asked to spot check the automated systems that send me Viagra ads.  (Ads, mind.  Could use a discount coupon once in a while.)