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A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

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31–40 of 97 posts

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#31

This is like saying all Americans love McDonalds :) (I'm German) If this was voted up for fun I'm on it, if it was voted up because someone thinks it is true count me out :)

Being naked is nice but there are also negative freedoms that are quite important, although seemingly not as newsworthy. Has to be said that Germans enjoy quite a few of those, like * the freedom to not get bankrupt if they have a medical issue, * not get murdered while at school, * not be unable to afford rent and groceries unless working three minimal wage jobs (possibly four to afford health insurance), * not bein…

This is how they drive innovation, to over simplify just a bit, you are either an innovator or a peasant. A bit of devils advocate here: Would we have the MRI machine without extreme competition? I hope so, but I am not convinced. What technological revolutions will/have come from Germany?

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#34

Just an FYI, the German word for naked is "nackt", not to be confused with "nacht", which means night. Which might not seem important, unless you, like my sister in law, accidentally signed up for a "nackt wandelen" or "naked hike", as opposed to a "night hike" at her daughter's university (Freie Universität Berlin) when she went to visit her last year. Fortunately her daughter saw the mistake long before they attemp…

FYI, it's "Nacht/Nackt Wandern". No such thing as wandelen (Apparently Dutch, as noted below). German OCD kicking in, please ignore ;-)

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#35
post #17

Anecdotally, if you have body-image issues, spending some time nude around others (like at a nude beach) can actually help alleviate them. Seeing other peoples asymmetrical, weird and quirky bodies makes you realize that it's the norm.

Going to a gym with a shared locker room or communal showers can have this effect, too. Even at a place like a gym, you will find very, very few people who are perfectly "cut." And while we all tend to obsess over the ways in which our bodies are weird, it can be liberating to realize that everyone else's body is weird too.

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#36

Just an FYI, the German word for naked is "nackt", not to be confused with "nacht", which means night. Which might not seem important, unless you, like my sister in law, accidentally signed up for a "nackt wandelen" or "naked hike", as opposed to a "night hike" at her daughter's university (Freie Universität Berlin) when she went to visit her last year. Fortunately her daughter saw the mistake long before they attemp…

> before showing up!!!

Not only overdressed, but at entirely the wrong time of day as well!

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#37
post #17

Anecdotally, if you have body-image issues, spending some time nude around others (like at a nude beach) can actually help alleviate them. Seeing other peoples asymmetrical, weird and quirky bodies makes you realize that it's the norm.

Yeah but then it’s possible to start imagining people as domesticated deer. In other words like sedentary house deer. Except non ruminant deer.

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#38
post #17

Anecdotally, if you have body-image issues, spending some time nude around others (like at a nude beach) can actually help alleviate them. Seeing other peoples asymmetrical, weird and quirky bodies makes you realize that it's the norm.

Most nudists are not that perfectly built so you probably get a pretty realistic impression how people really look.

My body image got shattered on a beach in Santa Barbara... No nude people but everybody almost perfect.

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#39

This is like saying all Americans love McDonalds :) (I'm German) If this was voted up for fun I'm on it, if it was voted up because someone thinks it is true count me out :)

If we Americans were a little less fond of McDonald's, we might be a little less unsettled by the idea of other people seeing us naked :D

Re: A German Idea of Freedom: Nude Ping-Pong, Nude Sledding, Nude Anything

#40
post #8
post #2

Why is this only a German thing. There're nude beaches everywhere. Basic idea of freedom is to be free from the conventional norm.

> Why is this only a German thing. I'd say that German is the sense of comfort towards nudity. > There're nude beaches everywhere. Well, islamic countries are very unlikely to have them. When it comes to European countries, there are, however, some religions (ie. catholicism) are generally more conservative, and in countries with such beliefs, nudism/nudity is considered sort of "hippy", or strange in general. Someth…

There are certainly plenty of nude beaches and nude ranches in the U.S., but Germany certainly might be more accepting of nudity in public.

In Iceland, people are invited to shower in the nude with soap before getting in the sauna or hot tub "for hygienic reasons". Personally I like that one better than naked or clothed for hygiene.

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