A Trend in US Politics By Kin no Kokoro

By @Kin no Kokoro
POSTED: 13 Apr 2013 11:05
CATEGORY: Polemic Rant
FEATURED: Yes (@Epifex)
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I've noticed a trend recently. Mainly through this site and others, since its been 10-11 years since I lived in the US.

You notice how every once in a while some unimportant aspect of society gets a lot of media attention and gets hotly debated to the point of dividing the country almost?

Like, first it was teaching religion in public schools, then it became gay rights, then it became marijuana use, and most recently its been the right to own guns.

They all get the same arguments, too. "I shouldn't have to be forced to (be taught religion/marry someone of the opposite sex/not smoke marijuana/give up my guns) because (some variant on "thats how things are in nature"

" or "You're oppressing me isnt this the land of the free?" or "You're only against me because you were spoonfed this as a kid. YOU WERE BRAINWASHED LIKE A ZOMBIE!"

And all these topics tend to be things that we're brought up being told not to do, or that are against the morals of civilized society, or actually DO go against nature or the basic freedoms that most arguments claim they're fighting for (a topic for another blog, if I feel like it).

I can see how supporting these movements or whatever can be appealing to kids who grew up being told they can't do things without being told why. It makes you feel edgy and cool when you dont listen to authority figures. I felt similar on the days when I would eat dessert before dinner. But please stop and think what it is you're actually supporting for a while, or whether its worth it in the end.

Anyway. The point of this blog was to speculate a bit on the next big trend like the above. I predict that the next hotly debated topic will be.....

Nudism.

If you saw Asparagus' last blog and read my comment on it, you'd have seen this coming.

Anyway. When we're born, we're born without clothes. Animals do not wear clothes, either. So theres the nature argument for nudism.

When we're born, the first thing the doctors do after they clean us off is to cover us up. Be it a blanket, or tiny pajamas or whatever, they're restricting our freedom right off the bat. Then we grow up being told that we're not allowed to be naked. Nudity is seen as a taboo. And when we want to leave, our mothers ALWAYS ask us to wear our jackets, i.e MORE clothes and restricted freedom. So theres the spoonfed/brainwashed zombie argument.

And in religions, they tell us to cover up. Religions started war so thats instantly wrong. Theres the anti-religion argument.

And thats all I wanted to say for now. Civilized discussions are welcome.

+5 -0

GleeoK
13 Apr 2013 21:05

Freedom is the tiny space between what you are and not allowed to do in order to not restrict someone else's freedom and vice versa .

We are constantly limiting and being limited by those around us, thats how our "civilized" society works.

What I constantly see are factions of extremists trying to make others swallow their ideologies based on loose arguments. Aiming at gaining support via people's most symbolical and emotional values such as; the first I usually hear from someone condemning same-sex civil unions is the definition of "Family"; Ok, but what is Family then? Is it based on what books tells or is it based on mutual commitment by both parties looking forward raising a kid?

Who said "Family" relies on biological aspects only? Yes, to make a kid you need a biological man and a woman. But soon enough, with artificial womb development and genetic manipulation you won't need a biological woman and man anymore. So, what is Family again?

And then, from the other side, the representatives of the oppressed minorities condemning conservative cultures and religions almost demanding them to accept and incorporate gay-values to their lives.

You don't need anyone accepting you in order to respect you. Demand respect, and respect back. Nobody will ever achieve this attacking one-another.

The side that needed to come up first with this is the side who dove further into the conflict and wants it solved by force.

One big example of "shoving my ideas down your throats" is the gay pride parade, in Sao Paulo, which publicly offends many people through obscene nudism and often sexual acts, and is actually SUPPORTED by local administration, obviously, it makes Tourism and the local lodging companies happy. Of course, you do have religious/conservative groups who do that as well (and are not as mainstream), but will paying with the same coin solve the problem?

Extremism, is the key word for most of the social screw ups we see all around.

HullBreach
13 Apr 2013 23:59
In reply to GleeoK

Very good points

Raisons du Coeur
13 Apr 2013 12:08

Something I've noticed is young people thinking they have political insight and revolutionary thought on topics that have been around for much longer than the young people have been alive. They also seem to think that just because they only recently noticed it, it only recently became not just an issue but the biggest most splitting issue of all time.
Just some things I recently noticed. Seems pretty big.

Village Idiot
15 Apr 2013 05:19
In reply to Raisons du Coeur

Coming from a young person.

I agree.

HullBreach
13 Apr 2013 12:38
In reply to Raisons du Coeur

Also, the Internet adds the semi-anonymity that makes the whippersnappers feel all powerful with their faux vitriol. How many people would argue in that manner to someone's face and not expect to see a set of incoming knuckles at high-velocity?

Kin no Kokoro
13 Apr 2013 15:03
In reply to HullBreach

So you're saying these arguments arent as bad in person as they are on the internet?

Thats reassuring

Raisons du Coeur
13 Apr 2013 12:49
In reply to HullBreach

Not many, but I think it takes a different and more amusing type of person to do it in someone's face. Sometimes they even expect the knuckles, and that just makes it even better to watch.

HullBreach
13 Apr 2013 12:57
In reply to Raisons du Coeur

I need to make a new BBCode command for this community, where we can place an image of an incoming fist when someone says something offensive.

HullBreach
13 Apr 2013 12:02

Let me toss some items into this topic, just to get some discussion (without actually taking a side):

1. Newborn babies are used to the tight confines of the womb. Clothes and receiving blankets reproduce this at the hospital for comfort and warmth.

2. Extra-Biblical historical evidence points toward a naked Crucifixation of Jesus. The Roman soldiers of the time frequently tore off the clothes of those being crucified in an attempt to humiliate them. Many Christian nudist groups use this as their inspiration.

3. When Michelangelo carved the David, he used a preteen boy as the model. The Vatican officials and populace at-large were offended by the nudity, so for centuries, a wire-and-leaf loin cloth was fashioned to cover the crotch. Scratches along the waistline are still visible in the marble, where the coverings once were.

4. In many jurisdictions of the United States, there are no laws against women being topless, and there are laws protecting public breast feeding.

5. In some jurisdictions of the United States, one cannot be charged with public nudity, as long is that is the secondary action to some other task (for instance: mowing the lawn naked).

6. Janet Jackson is less feminine than Michael Jackson was. *rimshot*

Waffle King
13 Apr 2013 13:44
In reply to HullBreach

Waffle King wholeheartedly supports topless women in public.

Guys are always shirtless in public, and yet it's socially unacceptable for women to be. Where's the feminist movement when you need them? OUR VOICES MUST BE HEARD. #toplessrights

HullBreach
13 Apr 2013 15:06
In reply to Waffle King

here you go

Kin no Kokoro
13 Apr 2013 15:11
In reply to HullBreach

XD
That actually ended that way?

I think thats the best way to fight those protests. Ignore them legally and send them a group of guys to gawk at them.

Epifex
13 Apr 2013 11:50

Link below contains a bypass. That's unfortunate. Well, if you want to see it, you can just go to his channel and it's one of the recent ones in his gallery.

Epifex
13 Apr 2013 11:47

There's a relatively interesting video by Vsauce which I feel is relevant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4HGfagANiQ

I think that quite a lot of what he says seems to make sense, but also that attitudes towards nudity nowadays are probably based less on instinct and more on the fact that that's just how we've been brought up. There are many practices and attitudes in society which, objectively, can seem very weird, but everyone accepts simply because it's the norm.

Swearwords, for example. Why should certain words be particularly ruder than others? After all, they're just synonyms for different, more acceptable words. There's nothing inherently evil about that specific string of letters, but people still react harshly when they're uttered. Food for thought.

As for the jacket point, I imagine that's more just that they want to make sure you stay warm. Freedom aside, clothing definitely helps us keep warm, and it's a mother's instinct to protect their children, including from the cold.

Also, people seem to throw around the word 'freedom' without really knowing what it means. In many ways people aren't really 'free' at all. They ought to stop and think about exactly what they mean when they say that.

A Trend in US Politics

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