Utopian Dream

• “Utopia”: meaning ‘no place’; from Greek: οὐ (not’) and τόπος (‘place’)

During the 1920s, the term ‘gymnosophy’ (from Greek words ‘gymnos’ – naked and ‘sophia’ – wisdom) was used by various groups and organisations who practiced and advocated for a holistic free body culture, as an alternative for the term ‘naturism’. Unfortunately, some writings on gymnosophy were contaminated by language from eugenics, sexism and racial prejudice that was prevalent in some circles at the time. It is interesting, nevertheless, to study the early 20th century gymnosophy movement in its social, political and historical context.

The Golden Age by Lucas Cranach the Elder

The following extracts are taken from a book “The New Gymnosophy: Nudism In Modern Life”, by Dr Maurice Parmelee, an American professor of sociology who was visiting nudist communities in Germany in the 1920s:

Mankind has become largely cut off from nature and life is too artificial, much to the detriment of its health and happiness. Thus man can little know and understand himself, his fellows and his natural environment, and this ignorance causes much of the stress and strain of human existence. This situation is strikingly exemplified in the concealment of the body, which hampers the rearing of the young, gives rise to unhealthy mental complexes, and creates abnormal relations between the sexes.

The new gymnosophy is a philosophy both of nature and of cultural evolution. It embodies the enjoyment of all of the beneficent aspects of nature, of which mankind is in large part deprived, and also the utilisation of every beneficial product of culture. While it involves the simplification of life in many respects, it does not require a ‘return to nature’ in the sense that everything artificial is to be discarded. It faces the two fundamental human problems, namely, man’s relation to nature and to his fellow men.

The new gymnosophy endeavours, therefore, to regain what mankind has lost through civilisation, without rejecting anything of human, social and cultural value. Nudity aids materially in bringing mankind closer to nature, in promoting more genuine and sincere relations between the sexes, and in rearing the young. It is symbolical of a life healthier and saner than our present hectic existence. Such a life would be possible in a more humane and democratic society, whose principal features I have attempted to outline. …

They sometimes call themselves ‘naturists’, and are very likely to be vegetarians as well. Communistic ideas influence some gymnosophists. Humanitarian and democratic ideas also have an influence, and manifest themselves in the desire to bring the sexes closer together, and to give each individual an equal chance in a free democracy. … On the other hand, we find nationalism, militarism, race pride and prejudice forming a group of ideas and principles diametrically opposed to those mentioned above. …

Epicurean notions of a balanced life in harmony with the natural world, with longterm happiness (‘eudaimonia’ to the Greeks) as its fundamental objective, can be identified in the writings of Parmelee:

left panel from Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights

But while the day of the explorer and the pioneer is not yet entirely past, the time has come for mankind to consolidate its achievements and its resources, and to organise its life for the promotion of human happiness. And the ideal of mere magnitude in the size of population and in the extent of territory inhabited too often conflicts with the ideal of the greatest possible happiness. The ideal of magnitude has been encouraged by patriotic and nationalistic delusions, which have led chauvinists to crave numerous inhabitants and extensive territories for their countries, and by certain religious doctrines which have encouraged procreation, or, to say the least, have opposed birth control on the ground that such measures are contrary to divine purposes.

When mankind has become segregated in the regions of a genial climate, and the conditions of existence have been simplified, the normal life in accord with the natural environment and fundamental human traits will commence. Then will be much more feasible the free and spontaneous expression of human nature, limited only by the restrictions upon the individual in recognition of the rights and interests of other individuals, which are inevitable in every community. Here will be ample opportunity for adventure and experimentation in ways of living as interesting and exciting as the era of exploration and pioneering. The environment is sufficiently diversified, with its highlands furnishing a bracing and rarefied atmosphere, and its lowlands in close proximity to seas, lakes, and rivers, thus furnishing all kinds of topography and of flora and fauna.

To many readers the changes which I have outlined will seem to constitute a regression to a more primitive state. But it will be rather a sloughing off of cultural institutions which are demonstrably injurious to mankind, and their replacement by a culture better adapted to man’s original and fundamental traits. … When a generation free from artificial modesty, and fond of a life close to nature, has arisen, then will the gymnosophic society blossom forth into its fruition. …

During the past ten thousand years has arisen our civilisation, which has become in the main urban. But man himself has changed very little during that period. … So that while his environment and mode of life have changed greatly, man’s physical traits have remained essentially the same. Hence has arisen the acute maladjustment between man the air and light animal, and his civilised and urbanised existence. By giving to the human body its proper dignity, gymnosophy will aid greatly in restoring mankind to a more natural existence, and it implies and connotes many other important and beneficent changes for the individual and for society. … But it is only human to dream of a saner world in which mankind will not be largely deprived of contact with nature, and where under its beneficent influences children will grow up into healthy and happy adults; a world in which equality between the sexes will encourage harmonious relations between men and women, and where races and nations will dwell together in peace and mutual respect. No free and frank discussion as to how these ends may be attained can wholly fail to aid in promoting, in however small a measure, the health and happiness of mankind.

Every utopia is, of course, inherently contradictory. One person’s utopia may be another’s dystopia. Socialist, anarchist, ecological, feminist, egalitarian, free love, gay, lesbian and many other forms of utopias have been envisaged and attempted, whilst dystopias have become a more popular form of literary genre. Settings for utopias may range from the mythological Celtic otherworld of Tir-nan-Og (‘land of the ever-young’) to the philosophy garden of ‘Ho Kepos’ in Ancient Athens or modern Earthship communities for autonomous and sustainable living.

Illustration for the 1516 first edition of “Utopia”, by Thomas More

“Wherefore not Utopia, but rather rightly my name is Eutopia, a place of happiness.”

- Thomas More, 1516