Change

It seems to me that in most cultures and societies there is a strong tendency for people to be in favor of existing conditions and to feel existing conditions are “best” and even in some way “natural.” This does not mean that all people feel that way, but that most do. Change comes about as the people “push” the boundaries of social norms or as those people who are not in favor of existing conditions start to voice their opinions. In this way people in general begin to become more comfortable with the particular change either by hearing about them or by experiencing small changes. As people become more comfortable with the change, change is more likely to occur. Once the change occurs, either through small incremental change or large change that people have become comfortable with, the change becomes the new existing conditions and there develops a tendency for people to feel that the new existing conditions are “best” and even in some way “natural.”

This is what I feel has happened, since the beginning of the 20th century in regard to women exposing more of their bodies either in terms of exposing more skin or wearing tighter clothes. I feel this change is most clear in regard to beach wear, but it can be seen in other types of clothing also. At the beginning of the 20th century women wore bathing costumes that covered almost their entire bodies and even had skirts to conceal their forms. The amount of clothing that women comfortable wearing in public has become less and less over the 20th century, particularly on the beach, but also elsewhere. This also has occurred as women have become more independent and assertive, so for this reason and others I feel the tendency for women to wear has generally been pushed by women. I feel that this change will continue until women become willing to be completely naked in public.

Tom,