Comments on: The Courage to be Immoral

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:21:02 +0000

Thanks for the great feedback, I appreciate it. Know that I’m trying my best to be both accurate and respectful to Maori history and culture. Thanks again!

By: Moerangi

Moerangi — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:19:37 +0000

Our ancestors also wore a short kilt call a maro it was triangular, tapering down mid thigh. They also sometimes wore a pare which was a covering across the chest. This was not for modesty sake but more for the cold. they also decorated their clothing with woven patterns. You could try those for modesty sake. As for nudity, while we are not a prudish people we do not go around parading ourselves for all and sundry. Pre european and pre christianity we were ‘innocent’ to the mores of a western english speaking society and were unabashed in our nudity. Today we are very protective of our modesty and mana. You will probably experience a huge backlash from Maori if you were to publish this game with a nude Maori kotiro.

By: McFate

McFate — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:40:30 +0000

I would leave her in the nude, but find some way, even though she is athletic, not to make her body-shape quite conform to the ‘idealised sexual form’. Some proportion that you would not see in a fashion mag, like her shoulders, maybe. Anyway, if someone wants to criticize you, they will; that’s their prerogative. In a sense, every option can be considered wrong, which means that really, every option can be considered right. Or you could quit making the game.

By: John

John — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:28:14 +0000

I think you are generally on the right path with the nudity. You can’t fix a culture clash. However, not being able to fix that you can still address the body image. The US may be prudish with nudity but strangely enough we also have very much sexualized women with clothes on by moving to images of women focused on breast and ass. Look at comics, videos, games, etc.

You are exactly right about how athletic women are skinny, because they have less fat which of course impacts particularly the size breasts.

Women in our culture are beset with images either of way too skinny models or women getting implants… forget focusing on simply the issue of nudity and at least take the higher road in body shape. Your worried about the shawl but when I look at the pictures you put up of the Maori women the difference in body shape is much clearer…

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:57:38 +0000

I think what you need to do is choose one option – either one is OK – and make a note in the game package explaining yourself. :)

Probably without the nudity, unless you have exceedingly cultured players who would appreciate realism.

Good luck

Andrew

By: Max

Max — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:41:07 +0000

“why not give people the choice.” By giving them a choice, it would seem to be another pointless option for the player’s amusement.

It may not be entirely accurate, but why not go off of what the girls are wearing in the picture? I think it’s fantastic that you are considering going against the “standards” to make something more historically accurate and representing the culture in as much detail as possible.

To avoid this; “that would also be sexualizing her in a way I specifically wanted to avoid.”, perhaps make her … (as politically correct as possible) slightly less attractive? Maybe age her 5 years or so older, slightly reduce her breasts and thighs some. I completely understand the necessity for her to have strong legs, but for the sake of cutting down on the skepticism of having those proportions purely for the player’s enjoyment, it may be something to consider.

Good luck

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:24:48 +0000

Instead of doing it for them, why not give people the choice. By default the game could be non-nude but if people wish they could change to the more authentic style by having an option for nudity within the game.

That way it becomes immoral in the way selling tobacco products is immoral. Everyone knows they are harmful and that people cash in on the suffering of others even if it is addictive but that is okay in society because everyone knows that they chosen to take up smoking and they could choose to quit if they so wish to.

By: ryan

ryan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:18:20 +0000

I live in the Czech Republic and the attitudes toward nudity are amazingly open, yet the abortion rate here is also very high. I agree that the shame attached to nudity in the west is harmful, but I don’t think it so directly correlates with so many other variables. Cultures are mechanisms of immeasurable complexity.

By: Malcolm Boura, British Naturism

Malcolm Boura, British Naturism — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:55:24 +0000

Body-shame causes widespread and often serious harm. Just compare the teenage abortion rates, pregnancy rates and STI rates for prudish countries (USA) with liberal ones (Denmark, The Netherlands, most of Europe). Attitudes have consequences and they censoring the human body encourages harmful attitudes.

To save readers the trouble of looking it up, several times more likely to have an abortion, about ten times more likely to be pregnant, over seventy times more likely to catch gonorrhoea. The mechanisms are well understood but there is incredible reluctance by the prejudiced to face up to the facts. The attitudes prevalent in many countries are just a different form of child abuse.