Spring Break
Pornography A Product Of Puritan Principles
Josh Blodgett
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Commentary
Many have seen National Geographic Magazine and thus are well-accustomed to the nude photographs of native people so often found amidst its pages. Some were even exposed to this publication in grammar school. Yet modern culture has separated National Geographic from Playboy, and drawn a line between anthropology and pornography. It is disingenuous to allow one publication to be educational reading material in an elementary school classroom, while the other is to be concealed behind plastic wrapping or regulated it to the shelves of an adult bookstore. Modern culture has perverted the naked body.
When children are very young, you will often see them running around without any clothing. Not only do they play in the nude, but they do so without fear of reproach. As the brother of a 5-year-old sister, I have experienced this first-hand on many occasions. In high school when friends came to visit my house, they would be both humored and embarrassed as my baby sister would remove her clothes and jump around from room to room. They would make remarks such as "Your sister is crazy," or, "I can't believe she runs around without any clothes on." Yet I thought to myself that my sister was not crazy. She is only doing what comes naturally - which is to be without clothing. When humans are born, they do not come out of their mothers fully dressed in a cute outfit from Babies R' Us. They are taught to clothe themselves through enculturation and even then, many still fight this societal pressure.
In modern culture, society tells its children that it is not acceptable to show a large portion of their bodies. As they grow older, societal mores quickly shape these children's thinking. They learn that to be naked is something one should share with a romantic partner in only the most intimate of settings. For example, strict fundamentalist Muslim tradition women are forbidden to reveal any part of their body with exception to their eyes. Any woman found to be in violation of this code is subject to severe punishment. A less extreme example can be drawn from Hasidic Judaism in which women are required to completely hide their hair with a hat, or else wear a wig. This is because in their tradition only a woman's husband is allowed to see her real hair.
When children are very young, you will often see them running around without any clothing. Not only do they play in the nude, but they do so without fear of reproach. As the brother of a 5-year-old sister, I have experienced this first-hand on many occasions. In high school when friends came to visit my house, they would be both humored and embarrassed as my baby sister would remove her clothes and jump around from room to room. They would make remarks such as "Your sister is crazy," or, "I can't believe she runs around without any clothes on." Yet I thought to myself that my sister was not crazy. She is only doing what comes naturally - which is to be without clothing. When humans are born, they do not come out of their mothers fully dressed in a cute outfit from Babies R' Us. They are taught to clothe themselves through enculturation and even then, many still fight this societal pressure.
In modern culture, society tells its children that it is not acceptable to show a large portion of their bodies. As they grow older, societal mores quickly shape these children's thinking. They learn that to be naked is something one should share with a romantic partner in only the most intimate of settings. For example, strict fundamentalist Muslim tradition women are forbidden to reveal any part of their body with exception to their eyes. Any woman found to be in violation of this code is subject to severe punishment. A less extreme example can be drawn from Hasidic Judaism in which women are required to completely hide their hair with a hat, or else wear a wig. This is because in their tradition only a woman's husband is allowed to see her real hair.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 5
Sahira Mohammad
posted 10/24/07 @ 9:49 AM EST
Please note that it is not strict fundamentalist Muslim tradition for women to have only their eyes visible.
In Islam women are expected to dress modestly and not wear figure hugging clothes, only their face, hands and feet are supposed to be visible and their beauty should only be seen by their husbands. (Continued…)
hasidicrebbele
posted 10/28/07 @ 3:10 PM EST
have you read the first "chapter" of the bible? about adam and eve and why they covered up? hmmmmmmmmmmm
hasidicrebbele
posted 10/28/07 @ 4:27 PM EST
have you read the first "chapter" of the bible? about adam and eve and why they covered up? hmmmmmmmmmmm
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