Couya wrote:I wonder when men became shy of showing their organs. Look at costumes of bygone centuries : Romans did not worry about nudity, or showing whatever was under their tunics; then, in the Middle Ages, men were happy to sport colourful cod pieces; prominent pouches in Renaissance times -- often looking as if in full erection; obvious bulges in 19 th century tight britches, still seen in matadors' costumes today. Then came the 20th c, and, until the 1950s, men's trousers were wide and loose enough to hide the week's shopping. Nudity and anything suggesting men had genitals were out.
I speculate a lot of it has to do with this "modern day" puritanical ideology that the west is founded on. At one time men and woman alike were expected to remain VERY modest. Around the mid point of the 20th century, women began to break those chains of modesty and, save for the topless issue are able to show more and more and more, meanwhile, while men have won the right to go about their day shirtless, in the most modern era (last couple decades), we are expected to not show much of any leg, and tops need to be masculine.Taj wrote:Martin, it's power, money, control, and folks inclination to be sheepole - unthinking and fearful herd followers. I wish I could remember the source where I read about Queen Victoria's connections to the textile industry. People didn't used to get dressed to bathe, or as we call it now, go swimming. The fashion industry makes a killing off of the ways they tweek what we think we can wear. Whether it's the outline of gender parts under clothes or flat out nudity, it isn't necessarily perverse or lude. That thought is more likely in the mind of the observer. I think it's crazy the way society obsesses over what we wear, if anything.
Also consider the "eye candy" factor. Nobody wants to see a half dressed ugly man or ugly woman. Society champions the "Margot Robbies" and "Chris Hemsworths" of our culture, everyone says "YES LETS SEE MORE SKIN!!!" Then someone ordinary like most of us come along and its "BOOOOO!!! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON! , BLEND IN!, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT!" It's really quite sad.
*Addressing everybody now...*
And so I ask you all.... why do we put some much value on the opinions of these (most) people? People who clearly see what's only skin deep. Why do we worry so much about pleasing a populace so shallow? If we want to look good, and be eye candy for the ladies, toss the skirts, hit the gym, and don a power suit! I thought we were doing this primarily for ourselves... not for the likes of society...
I don't know about you all, but I know I'm the laughing stock of many places I visit. I know most women find me even more repulsive when I'm wearing skirts, and I've been called ugly to my face. Yeah... it hurts a little, but you know what... f#$% them anyway.... I'm living my life for ME, I like me, my wife loves me, as does my daughter. And that's all I care about.