# Share stories about when you were completely culturally clueless **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 11, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008 "2013-02-11T19:23:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/121 "2013-02-19T03:46:22Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > The only stand outs in my memory are trying to get into the cabbie’s seat first time in the States (he was just finishing putting the bags in the trunk). I did the same, only in reverse: when I arrived in Sydney, Australia on business, I expected to see my Australian business associate waiting for me–during phone calls to set up our meeting at his office, he had offered to pick me up when I arrived and take me to my hotel. And indeed, he was there when I came through Customs, no problem; but after we loaded my stuff in the trunk of his car, I headed for what was (to me) the passenger side of the car. With both diplomacy and humour, he said, “Tell you what, Spoons, since you’re new in town and don’t know your way around, why not let me handle the driving?” We both had a good laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/122 "2013-02-19T04:06:00Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > That’s not my experience. Getting naked in front of fellow classmates isn’t a comfortable situation and isn’t practiced. Similar for adults. > > ETA: Perhaps others could chime in with their experiences. Not my direct experience, but when I was part of an international team staying in Baden Baden (Germany, and the name means something like “Baths Baths” - yes, it’s full of baths), people who were interested in the baths asked at their hotels’ receptions and selected which one(s) to attend based on different criteria: décor, price, distance, what other services were offered… Those Europeans for whom clothing or lack thereof was important generally took that into account; a Brit and a Spaniard who hadn’t thought about it found themselves in a no-clothing place, went “oops”, said “when in Rome, or in this case Germany” and got into the pool. As the Spaniard put it when we kidded him about it “well, it’s not like I’m afraid of people ogling me [with a gesture indicating his ehr, comfortably padded body]”. Of the Americans who went the first day, none had thought of taking that into consideration; all of them (about a dozen) had assumed that you’d bathe clothed; only one of them happened to pick a clothed place (it was the place closest to the hotel); none of the others was psychologically able to stay. The other Americans who were interested in taking the baths were very, very carefully to ask about clothing beforehand (none of them went to one of the no-clothes places). None of the Indians had gone the first day, they chose no-clothes or clothed according to their preferences and no surprises. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/123 "2013-02-19T05:57:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > That’s not my experience. Getting naked in front of fellow classmates isn’t a comfortable situation and isn’t practiced. Similar for adults. > > ETA: Perhaps others could chime in with their experiences. While I would agree that Americans are a bit more inhibited about nudity than the Generic European, I think the extent to which this is so is either somewhat exaggerated, or simply varies wildly by locale. We didn’t have naked swimming when I was in high school (in the early 90s–they had this at some high schools in Chicago up through the 70s), but we did get naked in the locker room almost every day my freshman and sophomore years in high school for gym or swimming classes. Same with running track (or doing any other sport, but that was my sport of choice) and showering up afterwards. Skinny dipping was common in college, too, but any excuse to get naked in college with members of your preferred sex were taken wherever possible. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/124 "2013-02-19T09:58:02Z")
Some time in the 90’s, back in the days of BBSs this one girl that I know mentions that she did something for S’s and G’s (this is a live chat). I don’t remember the exact conversation, but it went something like. Me: S’s and G’s? Her: Yeah, shits and giggles. Me: Shits and giggles? She then attempted to explain it to me, but didn’t do a good job. Looking back, she should have just said something like, “Shits and giggles means for the hell of it.” Of course to be honest, even though I know what it means now, the phrase still makes no sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/125 "2013-02-19T11:16:03Z")
> [@digs](#): > > What??? Do you know any “North Americans”? I teach at a school, and work out at a big health club (both in a typical Midwest city). Both places have large communal shower rooms where everyone showers after swimming or working out. You take off your swim suit, shower, then walk to your locker. Naked. You might stop and weigh yourself (you sure don’t want any extra ballast for that task). Then you get dressed. It is no big deal. > > _“The only other person to see you naked should be your spouse.”_ Were you serious? This sounds like 1620 Puritanism. Actually, I don’t even know if any religions believe this. > > Rest assured, non-North Americans, we’re not as neurotic as that. You mightn’t be, but there are a lot of Americans that share that idea. Just a few days ago, an American told me that nudity is unnatural and it’s abusive to expose children to nudity. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/126 "2013-02-19T17:06:11Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > That’s not my experience. Getting naked in front of fellow classmates isn’t a comfortable situation and isn’t practiced. Similar for adults. > > ETA: Perhaps others could chime in with their experiences. It was common in every school I attended that when you went to gym, you changed your clothes in the locker room. At the end, there was a big group shower then back into your regular clothes. We didn’t have a pool. I expect that the same sort of thing went on in the girls’ locker room, but also with pillow fights. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/127 "2013-02-19T17:07:52Z")
I have a “neurotic nudity” story. I was at my parent’s house. I picked up a magazine from their national church organization(same as what I grew up in) It seems a month or two before there had been an article about the nature of sin, or something like that. Two of the illustrations had been a depiction of Adam and Eve(Adam was behind a bush) and one of the central painting on the cieling of the Sistine Chapel, the one in which God is reaching down to give the spark of life to Adam. The latter is arguably one of the most famous paintings in the world. So, in the letters to the editor of this magazine a woman is complaining about those pictures. She said \*“I didn’t appreciate that picture of Adam and Eve in the buff!” \* This person followed that with _"And that picture, the one where one man is reaching out longingly for another? I call that HOMOSEXUALITY_!!!"😕 ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/128 "2013-02-19T17:44:01Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > This one’s not really so clueless. Unless you knew that your friend kept kosher, there’s no problem. I’m Jewish, and I eat everything. There are lots of people like me. > > Besides, many observant Jews will go to gatherings where food plays a big role (BBQs, picnics, etc.) just to hang out, even if they’re not eating. Some will bend the rules a little and be OK with eating, say, a fruit salad, even though they wouldn’t touch the ribs. I think you were being nice, not necessarily clueless. Well, my parents certainly made me feel like an idiot. “WHAT were you thinking? He’s JEWISH!”. I asked “So?” and then they had to explain it to me. I certainly felt like an idiot… ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/129 "2013-02-19T17:59:28Z")
The American Nudity Insanity is definitely regional. We have a nude beach about an hour or so away. And just a few years ago a local town made international news when a group of teens decided to wander around downtown in the buff. Turns out there was no law against this. The town passed a temporary law outlawing the practice. The ban lasted 30 days during which they would consider whether to make it permanent. They decided that to let it lapse and it is still legal to this day. In fact, in Vermont public nudity is a local matter and state law is silent on the matter. [cite](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/us/23brfs-nude.html?_r=0) [cite](http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100629/NEWS02/6290333/) FYI: Montpelier is our capitol city ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/130 "2013-02-19T18:11:28Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Reverse culture shock: I was talking to my 17-year-old daughter not long ago and happened to mention Carly Simon. > > Having spent **lots** of time with me, she’s usually pretty astute when it comes to pop culture. This time, she said “Who’s Carly Simon?” leaving me absolutely speechless. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but here goes: Went to see the group Boston and when I got back, I was pretty excited. My next door neighbor’s daughter was out and asked what I’d been up to. I said “I just got back from the Boston concert”. She said “You went to Boston to see who?” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/131 "2013-02-19T18:17:03Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > So, in the letters to the editor of this magazine a woman is complaining about those pictures. She said \*“I didn’t appreciate that picture of Adam and Eve in the buff!” \* This person followed that with _"And that picture, the one where one man is reaching out longingly for another? I call that HOMOSEXUALITY_!!!"😕 Adam, whom Jesus loved :eek: ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/132 "2013-02-19T18:49:22Z")
> [@Pabitel](#): > > In fact, in Vermont public nudity is a local matter and state law is silent on the matter. Then again, I would imagine there are only about 6 days a year where it would be warm enough to go strolling down the street in the nude in Vermont. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/133 "2013-02-19T20:08:22Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Then again, I would imagine there are only about 6 days a year where it would be warm enough to go strolling down the street in the nude in Vermont. I spent three summers in Vermont when I was going to Middlebury. I assure you, like most places on the US East Coast, it can be stifling in the summer! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/134 "2013-02-19T21:03:34Z")
Yes, all 6 days of summer!😉 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/135 "2013-02-19T23:01:56Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > …None of the Indians had gone the first day, they chose no-clothes or clothed according to their preferences and no surprises. I’m a little surprised that any of the Indians would’ve opted for an FKK spa; espicially a coed one. > [@midnight-dreary](#): > > You mightn’t be, but there are a lot of Americans that share that idea. Just a few days ago, an American told me that nudity is unnatural and it’s abusive to expose children to nudity. During the Sandusky trial had to point out to a female coworker that a lockerroom with private shower stalls (especially stalls with the little private changing area & locking door) would actually be more dangrous for her son than a group shower where everything is out in the open; Sandusky never would’ve gotten caught if he had a private stall to pull the boys into. > [@DMark](#): > > Then again, I would imagine there are only about 6 days a year where it would be warm enough to go strolling down the street in the nude in Vermont. One of my friends went to a summer camp in Vermont that allowed skinnydipping. I think it was run by Quakers. He had the rich freethinking liberal parents. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/136 "2013-02-20T03:01:15Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > My absolute most embarrassing was as a brand new freshman at a very alternative college (Friends World College, North Shore Long Island, in 1976), when, to make pleasant conversation I brightly asked a young black man from Harlem, “So, how did YOU end up here?” > > He looked at me with a totally deadpan face and said, “oh I was just sitting on my stoop eating watermelon and this van pulls up and they grab me and throw me in and drive me away and next thing I know they dump me out here.” > > I cringe to this day. Knocking a chip off someone’s shoulder isn’t the same as being culturally clueless. That guy’s reaction gets a heaping helping of :rolleyes: from me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/137 "2013-02-20T04:02:38Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Knocking a chip off someone’s shoulder isn’t the same as being culturally clueless. That guy’s reaction gets a heaping helping of :rolleyes: from me. Meh. If the emphasis really was on “YOU” as in, “the black guy,” then I hardly think the reaction was inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/138 "2013-02-20T04:13:03Z")
Nah, I’m sort of with Rand on this one. “How did YOU get here?” is a pretty normal question for new freshmen to ask each other, the idea being to share your stories. Only sort of with him, though, because it’s possible that the guy was just trying to be funny and came across as off-putting instead. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/139 "2013-02-20T06:12:26Z")
> [@midnight-dreary](#): > > nudity is unnatural Things like that should be subject to the two-click rule. The stupid, it hurts! > [@alphaboi867](#): > > I’m a little surprised that any of the Indians would’ve opted for an FKK spa; espicially a coed one. I’m assuming FKK means no-clothing? First time I run into that TLA. I know some of them went to no-clothing, no-unclothed-coed spas, don’t think any went to the no-clothing, coed spas. Perhaps part of the surprise is linked to their being from at least three different regions and two different religions. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008/140 "2013-02-20T18:42:37Z")
On North Americans and nudity. For the mid-Atlantic region, it is very much family specific. I know families who ate breakfast together nude, and bathed in their private swimming pools nude, and I know families where if one parent walked around nude in front of the kids, the other would call Child Protective Services on them. In my family it was not unusual for my brother or I to walk in on my Mother naked, but my Dad - NEVER! From an early age I automatically locked my bedroom door while changing. It was required in Junior High for girls to shower at least once a week after gym class, but many preferred to take the points off rather than get naked in front of classmates. I always thought it was pretty shabby to downgrade somebody’s GPA just for modesty. And while it’s true that public gym locker rooms are places where nudity is common, it’s also true that many people don’t join them for that reason. For myself, I do join, wrap a towel around while I walk to and fro, but feel no need to hide behind it while I’m dressing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-stories-about-when-you-were-completely-culturally-clueless/650008.md?page=8)