My Naked Self
A group for those wishing to explore and discuss how nudism and naked self portraits (aka nude selfies) help us explore our personal, social and cultural identities and how we express these aspects of self. All photos welcome with accompanying meaningful text to convey how the pic is an expression or exploration of self and identity. Please note - Private accounts or those with nothing to share...
- created by simone_b_free
New members feel free to say hi! We're here to be 'real' .
Return to DiscussionsHello all, I hope you are really well. The world is not getting any simpler or easier to live in just now but it seems that our shared love of being naked keeps us connected to the simple pleasures that make life worth living no matter what else is going on in the world. It is autumn here and the days are cooler and shorter though there are still pockets of sun to be caught in the garden here and there. My naked self is showing up more in my writing than my photos at the moment, in being authentic and 'real' and it is interesting how many people comment on authenticity and finding someone 'real' to talk to. What do you notice? How can you tell who are the 'real' people online? The genuine beings showing up as they say they do?
The topic of real v fake people online is a sensitive topic isn't!? None of us want to feel tricked or played or taken for a ride but we all want to connect with other humans in authentic ways. Trouble is, from my perspective, very few of us put any effort in to being 'real' ourselves and expect others to do the work of connecting and sharing for us. So easy to point the finger at everyone else and make it 'their' fault. Taking the time to develop deep self awareness, to really know who you are and what you stand for, your values and ethics, and then presenting in a consistent way, whether you use your real name or not, will help you to show up as authentic. Trouble for most people is that this takes time and effort - isn't there an app or a 5 minute quiz or something for that??? Nope. No short cuts to really getting to know yourself and do the inner work it takes to be the best version of yourself you can be. But imagine: If each of us took responsibility for our own authenticity, for showing up consistently aligned with our values, our online communities, and the rest of the world, would be a much kinder, safer place to be. Namaste Sx
Well put I think being close to true self helps yourself and others a lot. But also understand that it can be challenging fpr some and takes time.
Hello, all, and thank you, Simone, for accepting me into the group. When I opened this topic I didnt expect it to go where it has gone. For me, my primary concern is about my own authenticity. I try not to parse others. I take them as they come and if I dont get the feeling theyre being genuine with me than thats one more piece of the puzzle I add to my perception of that person. Also, I allow space for the very real possibility that my perception might be wrong - I make mistakes. I dont expect folks to fully understand themselves or to lack contradiction. Im a human contradiction detector who has yet to meet someone devoid of hypocrisies. Accepting this is one step toward understand more about yourself and allowing you to cope with and work toward fewer contradictions in the future. One major factor regarding this topic is that were communicating via the written word. Wow, the pitfalls within this single aspect of communication are manifold! My first experience with the online group dynamic was in a Christian theology debate and discussion group. I was a brand spanking new Christian who was young enough and idealistic enough to think Id found a shiny happy place of folks like me who could thoughtfully and meaningfully discuss and, truly, debate topics. I tell you, my eyes were opened to the nastiness of online anonymity (though my screen name was my actual first and last name). More than seeing peoples asses I saw the written word failand fail spectacularly! It fails those who write poorly and eloquently; the class clown and the valedictorian; the writer and the reader. No matter what, it can be miswritten, misread, mischaracterized, and misquoted. I learned to have patience and to give people the benefit of the doubt because I, too, need others to offer me those things in return because Im imperfectly susceptible to all of the mis-givings I just mentioned. When it comes down to it, Im here to make meaningful connections with folks who share an intimate passion for being naked physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Evaluating the authenticity of these things online has primarily to do with what we feel about what someone has written. So, mostly, I hope Im graceful because I know I need a lot grace in return. I hope you all are well? Best wishes. Ken
My naked self is showing up more in my writing than my photos at the moment, in being authentic and 'real' and it is interesting how many people comment on authenticity and finding someone 'real' to talk to. What do you notice? How can you tell who are the 'real' people online? The genuine beings showing up as they say they do?
I appreciate the fact that you are communicating that there is more to you than your naked photos. It is easy in this age of ubiquitous social media to be define or define ourselves only through photos online. Your question about real people is a big question to which there is no simple answer. Authenticity is so elusive in the age of social media. I look forward to the part of you showing up in your writing, since I firmly believe nudists or not we are more than our naked bodies.