Ok, so in the month of me not blogging I have actually been putting together something that I want to eventually turn into a workshop. I want to title this "the future of Naturism" and basically inform people of why I think young people are not getting involved with naturism. I have basically described my theories on this subject throughout the life of this blog, but I want to take all of my theories and basically wrap it up into something that can be used to help the community.
The entire premise of the workshop will be centered around this idea of the generation gap. Each generation has a few characteristics that the other one lacks. The problem from here is that even people that are one generation apart have a hard time seeing each others prospective. Now let's look at how Naturism fits into all of this.
The people that basically founded Naturism in this culture were of the Builders and the Baby Boomer generations. Those generations are very centered around conformity (Builders) and involvement (Baby Boomers) meaning they are more inclined to join a club for cultural identification. Whereas the characteristics of Generation X and Y are informality (X) and sociability (Y) meaning they do not really need to be a card carrying member of a club for means of cultural identification. Generation x and Y are also techno-literate (X) and techno-savvy (Y), which could equate that members of those cultures can culturally identify with people from their generation through technology and be satisfied with that kind of cultural identification. This would mean that a member of generation Y will most likely be satisfied with identifying themselves as a Naturist and not have ever been to a resort or belong to a club, but be members of clothesfree.com, facebook groups, write blogs, etc.
What does that mean for the culture? It means Naturism needs to be this evolving concept so future generations can take it and make it their own. Right now nude socialization that occurs in the real world are still centered around the concept of being a "card carrying Nudist," and my generation says "why do we need labels?" I believe that we need to slowly change the culture so it is not centered around where your home club is, but how the culture plays into your life.
So this is the premise of my workshop. I hope it can actually turn into something productive and not just an idea that exists in my head.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Interpreter Training Program eats my LIFE!!!
One of the classes I am taking this semester is called "multicultural issues in interpreting." I find this class very interesting because I am always analyzing people, culture, and how I fit into the mess. In this class I am personally learning about cultural identity. The class really discusses how various cultures communicate with each other, I usually strive to get more out of a class t than what is on the syllabus.
It's through this class I am finding my cultural identity. I may have said this in previous blogs or people may have heard me say it at one point or another if they know me, that I am Naturist first and Gay second. Meaning I feel like I relate to Naturist culture more than Gay culture which can seem funny to my textile friends that do not get the opportunity to see me in a Naturist environment. I have recently realized that in a gay bar I'm usually found in the gross hole in the wall bars or the bars that are not on Halsted. This also includes straight bars which I seem to be spending a majority of my time at as of recent. The point is that even in gay culture I still feel as if I'm on the outside looking in. This was the first clue to my realization of my cultural ties to Naturism.
The second indicator was my progression of coming out. I realized I was a Naturist about a year before I realized I was Gay. My idea of a nice vacation is being at a Naturist resort or being at GNI, not Gay days at Disney, or southern decadence in New Orleans, although both would be fun, I won't sacrifice my naked time :-). This realization calms my constant feeling of not really ever fitting in.
One point I would like to express in this self-realization is why do we do what we do and why do we feel the way feel? I guess I am always asking the question why and I believe people should walk through their lives not only just asking that question, but demanding to find answers to that question.
Stay naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
It's through this class I am finding my cultural identity. I may have said this in previous blogs or people may have heard me say it at one point or another if they know me, that I am Naturist first and Gay second. Meaning I feel like I relate to Naturist culture more than Gay culture which can seem funny to my textile friends that do not get the opportunity to see me in a Naturist environment. I have recently realized that in a gay bar I'm usually found in the gross hole in the wall bars or the bars that are not on Halsted. This also includes straight bars which I seem to be spending a majority of my time at as of recent. The point is that even in gay culture I still feel as if I'm on the outside looking in. This was the first clue to my realization of my cultural ties to Naturism.
The second indicator was my progression of coming out. I realized I was a Naturist about a year before I realized I was Gay. My idea of a nice vacation is being at a Naturist resort or being at GNI, not Gay days at Disney, or southern decadence in New Orleans, although both would be fun, I won't sacrifice my naked time :-). This realization calms my constant feeling of not really ever fitting in.
One point I would like to express in this self-realization is why do we do what we do and why do we feel the way feel? I guess I am always asking the question why and I believe people should walk through their lives not only just asking that question, but demanding to find answers to that question.
Stay naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Wow
I could have swore that I updated more, but apparently I was wrong. Since I last updated I had a nice few weeks off from school, I passed all my classes, and I had a nice time celebrating the holidays with friends and family. For some reason my naturists friends in chicago haven't really been organizing anything, so I haven't seen any of them in a while, unless I just happen to see them out.
Currently right now I'm taking a January-term class that discusses religious interpreting. I just got done with a very interesting reading on how younger people aren't joining churches and what churches are doing to get younger members. This made me think of the "naturist problem" and I started to think different things that the community can do as a whole to get new people to join.
I think a major problem is creating an environment that is suitable for multiple generations. In the reading I just finished, someone asked a congregation "how many of you have grandchildren?" and people raised their hands, then they asked "how many of you would give your lives for your grandchildren?" and they all kept their hands up, then they asked "how many of you would give up their music for their children?" I think that is very profound because everyone seems to want to get younger people in their congregation, groups, or clubs but are not willing to make changes to make younger people feel welcome.
Now I'm not saying to change the music in the disco to current top 40's dance music every night of the gathering, that would be AWFUL, but what I am saying is that we as a community should make people feel welcome. I have always said and I still stand by it today that the GNI gathering has everything for every generation. People in my generation LOVE the music that is played in the disco every night. I know that they would love all the shows, social hours, and cabin parties as well GNI has done a marvelous job in creating a comfortable environment for everyone. The only thing is that nobody really knows about it, that's why it's so important for the members of GNI to tell their friends that have an interest in Naturism to tell them about GNI even if they are straight, because every straight person has gay friends and out of those friends knows someone that is always naked.
It's kind of interesting because new years almost doesn't have any meaning to be, because my year is pretty much based around GNI. I love this organization and I want to see it grow and thrive.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Currently right now I'm taking a January-term class that discusses religious interpreting. I just got done with a very interesting reading on how younger people aren't joining churches and what churches are doing to get younger members. This made me think of the "naturist problem" and I started to think different things that the community can do as a whole to get new people to join.
I think a major problem is creating an environment that is suitable for multiple generations. In the reading I just finished, someone asked a congregation "how many of you have grandchildren?" and people raised their hands, then they asked "how many of you would give your lives for your grandchildren?" and they all kept their hands up, then they asked "how many of you would give up their music for their children?" I think that is very profound because everyone seems to want to get younger people in their congregation, groups, or clubs but are not willing to make changes to make younger people feel welcome.
Now I'm not saying to change the music in the disco to current top 40's dance music every night of the gathering, that would be AWFUL, but what I am saying is that we as a community should make people feel welcome. I have always said and I still stand by it today that the GNI gathering has everything for every generation. People in my generation LOVE the music that is played in the disco every night. I know that they would love all the shows, social hours, and cabin parties as well GNI has done a marvelous job in creating a comfortable environment for everyone. The only thing is that nobody really knows about it, that's why it's so important for the members of GNI to tell their friends that have an interest in Naturism to tell them about GNI even if they are straight, because every straight person has gay friends and out of those friends knows someone that is always naked.
It's kind of interesting because new years almost doesn't have any meaning to be, because my year is pretty much based around GNI. I love this organization and I want to see it grow and thrive.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
DONE WITH SCHOOL!
Now that I'm done with school and have had my time to "de-stress" from the semester, I actually can actually think about topics not related to school. It makes me feel almost normal what ever that is. I was eating dinner tonight with my friend and he was telling me about how he met someone last weekend that I almost ended up dating. The topic came up as to why I never dated this individual and the reason being was because he couldn't deal with the fact of me being a naturist. He then started to talk about how his friends at work know that I'm a naturist and how they make jokes about it from time to time. Hearing that doesn't bother me one bit, but it does intrigue me as to why that reaction. I think it's because since I really don't see it as a odd lifestyle I really can't empathize with his coworkers.
The one thing I always here is "I could never do it," and I just think it's absurd that people have that mentality, especially when someone tells me that they love trying new things and have an adventurous personality. I always love to try new things and have new life experiences and for someone to limit what they want to experience just seems odd to me. What is stopping them from trying "it?" Are they afraid that they might actually enjoy doing it? It's fine if they don't I know people that have tried naturism and decided it wasn't for them. I've been to a number of different churches and found the social culture to be similar to that of naturism, and as many times as I go and as many different churches that I go to I just never feel like I fit in to that world, like it just isn't for me. I was at a church this past Sunday and a woman was talking about how she can't understand why the church isn't filled every sunday and if people came they would come every sunday. As I heard this the first thing I thought of was "I've heard this before," and as I was listening to her say this I realized that sometimes people just aren't into the same activities as other people are.
Just before you are going to think that I'm negating myself, let me finish. Just because going to church "isn't my thing," doesn't mean that I won't stop going to church altogether. There is a lot to be said about being out of your element and it makes you think what is important to you and not important to you. I love learning and experiencing new things, I say go out and do something that you wouldn't ordinarily do, you just might learn something new about yourself.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
The one thing I always here is "I could never do it," and I just think it's absurd that people have that mentality, especially when someone tells me that they love trying new things and have an adventurous personality. I always love to try new things and have new life experiences and for someone to limit what they want to experience just seems odd to me. What is stopping them from trying "it?" Are they afraid that they might actually enjoy doing it? It's fine if they don't I know people that have tried naturism and decided it wasn't for them. I've been to a number of different churches and found the social culture to be similar to that of naturism, and as many times as I go and as many different churches that I go to I just never feel like I fit in to that world, like it just isn't for me. I was at a church this past Sunday and a woman was talking about how she can't understand why the church isn't filled every sunday and if people came they would come every sunday. As I heard this the first thing I thought of was "I've heard this before," and as I was listening to her say this I realized that sometimes people just aren't into the same activities as other people are.
Just before you are going to think that I'm negating myself, let me finish. Just because going to church "isn't my thing," doesn't mean that I won't stop going to church altogether. There is a lot to be said about being out of your element and it makes you think what is important to you and not important to you. I love learning and experiencing new things, I say go out and do something that you wouldn't ordinarily do, you just might learn something new about yourself.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Thursday, November 20, 2008
School is eating me alive!
Due dates, research projects, and Interpreting the spoken/unspoken word has lead me to drinking. I don't drink alone so while I was at the bar I was people watching and living in gayville USA I get a pretty good perspective on superficiality. Sometimes I think it's funny how we all compete with each other in trying to look better than the other peson. I always thought the older I become it won't be that important to look a certain way to impress people, but it's something I see in a lot of people of all ages.
It's not just the obsession with what clothes one is wearing that sort of bothers me, but how they all must be this thin muscular thing to be attractive and wanted and the thing that bothers me the most is that I constantly find myself caught up in this cultural norm. It always makes me giggle just a little bit because I can take the time to actually get ready and look nice, I'll go out to the bar, and nobody will talk to me. It's when I don't really care what I look like when people come up and introduce themselves to me.
It's this need to be visually attractive that prevents people from wanting to be involved with naturism. Since we never feel like we are good enough people tend to think that if they have no real qualities to make them attractive. When really the truth is the reason why people fall in love with other people is because of the personality that shines through, not the label that is trying to cover up their "flaws." We should stop caring what others think of us and just live and enjoy life.
Stay Naked,
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
It's not just the obsession with what clothes one is wearing that sort of bothers me, but how they all must be this thin muscular thing to be attractive and wanted and the thing that bothers me the most is that I constantly find myself caught up in this cultural norm. It always makes me giggle just a little bit because I can take the time to actually get ready and look nice, I'll go out to the bar, and nobody will talk to me. It's when I don't really care what I look like when people come up and introduce themselves to me.
It's this need to be visually attractive that prevents people from wanting to be involved with naturism. Since we never feel like we are good enough people tend to think that if they have no real qualities to make them attractive. When really the truth is the reason why people fall in love with other people is because of the personality that shines through, not the label that is trying to cover up their "flaws." We should stop caring what others think of us and just live and enjoy life.
Stay Naked,
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Since I've become a naturist I've met some pretty interesting people, but mostly I've learned a lot about myself. When I went to that resort for the first time, I honestly thought that it would be just a new experience and I never thought that it would end up being a driving force in my life.
For me the lifestyle isn't just about being yourself and accepting yourself, it's about being apart of a family. There were many times this year where I felt very alone and whenever I would feel that way, I would go to a naturist party, get a call/e-mail from a GNI member, or read a post one of my naturists friends wrote on facebook and suddenly I didn't feel so alone anymore. All I am saying is it's just nice to know that there are other people in the world that are just like you.
So what I urge the people that read this is if they are looking for people like them, to embrace them, because life is a lot more than what we can handle, and we need people that understand us so we can get through our lives and be happy. Really at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about anyways? Don't let fear get in the way of embracing a community.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
For me the lifestyle isn't just about being yourself and accepting yourself, it's about being apart of a family. There were many times this year where I felt very alone and whenever I would feel that way, I would go to a naturist party, get a call/e-mail from a GNI member, or read a post one of my naturists friends wrote on facebook and suddenly I didn't feel so alone anymore. All I am saying is it's just nice to know that there are other people in the world that are just like you.
So what I urge the people that read this is if they are looking for people like them, to embrace them, because life is a lot more than what we can handle, and we need people that understand us so we can get through our lives and be happy. Really at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about anyways? Don't let fear get in the way of embracing a community.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
Sunday, October 5, 2008
School has taken over my life!
With school running full force in my life at the moment, it really leaves me with little energy to do anything else! Since my last post I co-hosted a naturist party. I was going to take the opportunity to promote GNI, but then I realized that half of the people that were at the party already go to the gathering, plus we talked about the gathering extensively so everything worked out well. My friend that I hosted the party with wanted to meet more naturists and he had such a great time that we went to another even the next saturday. This event was at a very rustic resort outside of Chicago and the event was hosted by another group here in Chicago. It was a lot of fun because I got the opportunity to meet new people and spend time enjoying this rather warm fall.
I've noticed something very interesting during the past few weeks I've been talking about my naturist life. What I've noticed is I would never have found some of the people that have an interest in it if I were more of a reserved personality. Since I just say "I went to naked camp this summer," or whatever people learn something new, and sometimes I find people that are very interested, or have been looking for other naturists that I would have never guessed that they would do anything like that. This incredible process starts by just simply saying "I do this," and even when you tell someone that isn't interested, they might know someone who is. This all just comes to show that word of mouth is actually the best form of advertisement.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
I've noticed something very interesting during the past few weeks I've been talking about my naturist life. What I've noticed is I would never have found some of the people that have an interest in it if I were more of a reserved personality. Since I just say "I went to naked camp this summer," or whatever people learn something new, and sometimes I find people that are very interested, or have been looking for other naturists that I would have never guessed that they would do anything like that. This incredible process starts by just simply saying "I do this," and even when you tell someone that isn't interested, they might know someone who is. This all just comes to show that word of mouth is actually the best form of advertisement.
Stay Naked
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
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