Why do Australians love to go barefoot? - BBC REEL

[@kasondaleigh]

I saw children in New Zealand going to school barefoot and I couldn’t believe it. Then I took my shoes off too! Feels great!

[@sonia94ist]

I have nightmares over forgetting to wear shoes and feeling like my bare but is showing... I believe you, it must feel nice, I do it when I've been on high heels at parties but generally I can't.

[@cucummmber]

Ex-country kid here from New Zealand. My mum used to hate it when I didnlt wear shoes to school or whenever we went to town. And itʻs very common in many workplaces to see people take their shoes off, even in corporate jobs. I should know. I was one of them.

[@Livetoeat171]

But you have to wash your feet off before you come in the house instead of just removing your shoes. Also, your heels will start cracking, and more chances to injuring yourself walking barefoot. You can't even walk on the grass, because there are ground bees that will sting you, and if you live in California, they have fleas in the grass.

[@GoldenMean168]

Not the only country, come to South Africa and see Afrikaans kids. I wonder they are actually South African immigrants to Australia.

[@danielmakesfood9664]

It’s obvious that people who walk barefoot are psychopaths lol 😂

[@juliaconnell]

As a New Zealander, I'm barefoot the vast majority of the time - like 99% of the time - don't even think about - the 1% I do wear shoes they slip on shoes, and they often come off when I'm out Edit - wait, what?! that woman wears shoes inside her HOME - now *that* is strange

[@jennybailey3152]

Your shoes are thongs right?? Lol I'm Aussie and go barefoot allot reason being I don't think we should have anything between us and the earth 😊

[@georgerustic3817]

i love walking barefoot it feels good after wearing shoes my whole life

[@Dinu-desculţ]

In fact, dear @@georgerustic3817 ... life's too short to wear shoes !

[@juliaconnell]

@Baby Hunn good question - umm it's not that you don't see cigarette butts at all - but they're not a common occurrence... certainly never walk over them, occasionally see them in the gutter, ((I live in Auckland, the largest city, about 1.7 million - not, like out in the country) yeah it's not something that I'm aware of / see on a regular basis NZ went smoke free in .. hang on ... 2004 "New Zealand passed an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act on 3 December 2003 (effective in 2004) which covers all indoor public workplaces and hospitality venues (pubs, bars, nightclubs, charter club bars, restaurants and casinos)." I've never been a smoker - remember those days - come home from a night out reeking of others people smoke, urgh I lived in Canada btw 2013 and 2014 - with a partner who smoked, much more aware of cigarette butts there - some of my best friends smoke - it's really expensive (the govt keeps increasing the tax - deliberately - while also providing free resources to help people quit smoking so there are still smokers, just - oh - far less, and the smokers I know use up every last bit & chuck the rest in the rubbish -and more & more of the remainder are turning to vaping as a cheaper option - or alternate between the two (prefer smokes but can't afford) - plus we're taught since kids to be a "tidy kiwi" - not litter at present, about 85% of New Zealanders are smokefree - the govt has a goal to get that to 95% by 2025 - making smoking more expensive & providing a lot of (free!) support for quitting. sorry - longer answer than you probably expected

[@juliaconnell]

@@jennybailey3152 LOL - sorry, don't see your comment before - now as an aussie, you should know that thongs are completely different - we're going to confuse people LOL (thongs - in NZ and I assume Aussie, at least the aussies I know, are skimpy, barely there, underwear or bikini bottoms ) thongs can also be what we call jandels - I assume by thong, you mean jandel - or what you call flip flops (just made me laugh that - flip fops) "The Australians call them 'thongs', a word which in New Zealand refers to an item of ladies' underwear," .... In Newzild, he explained, flip-flops are known as "jandals" whatever they're called - basically a sole, held onto the foot with a 'thong' btw the big toe and other toes oh I have a few pairs of jandels - one by back door (some stupid person put rocks down, gets a bit painful watering my plants - one for the pool, one somewhere in my car... (beach, if forget pool jandels) normally though I just wear slip on shoes - (strip of material over front/middle of my foot) - jandels annoy me - only really wear them driving / going shopping - MOST of the time, barefoot even as a kid would take my sandles off & walk home barefoot

[@toocutepuppies6535]

My mom grew up barefoot, I grew up barefoot and my kids were raised barefoot. Shoes make my feet hurt and cramped - yes, they're the correct size. Our family just hates shoes. We're Americans though, so everybody tells us to put on shoes.🤨 Maybe we should move to Australia?

[@Blastburn]

you should try barefoot shoe they have wide toebox to accommodate the shape of your foot

[@silent1967]

Enjoy all the jabs and the their new world order.

[@jaynemeulman8484]

@Baby Hunn you rarely.. (not never)...see cigarette butts on the street and especially not on the beach...yes people here smoke but littering is really frowned on and throwing down ciggie butts is considered particularly poor behaviour...

[@silent1967]

@Baby Hunn You could move to New Zealand. If you're born on or after 2008 you can mot have tobacco products of any kind ever as long as you live. If you live in san francisco you can use your smartphone to avoid the human feces so it doesn't squish between your toes. 🤣 Oh and do a little research about Strongyloides before you go walking around in public places barefoot, in Australia or anywhere else. Might be one of the reasons humans invented shoes.

[@12time12]

You can get hookworms and other parasitic nematodes by not wearing shoes outside. They will crawl out of your bum at night to lay eggs, causing intense itchiness… they are difficult to get rid of. If your immune system stops working Infections eventually get out of control leading to blockages in liver and intestines. There’s a reason our ancestors invented showd.

[@samarakrieger]

As someone who's attended school both in Australia and New Zealand, I must say that Kiwi kids are barefoot 99.9% of the year. Even in the dead of winter. Shorts, T-shirt, no shoes. In Australia, because of WHS (Work Health and Safety), it isn't as common to see kids barefoot at school or in public. Maybe the video should be about Kiwis going barefoot instead of Australians 😂

[@danidejaneiro8378]

Or maybe kiwis should accept that they're really the 7th Australian state.

[@samarakrieger]

@@danidejaneiro8378 GOOD LORD NO. WE GOOD. 😂

[@marvwatkins7029]

Good point.

[@CQuinnLady]

It used to be really common to go barefoot. OH&S has changed alot of that. Never in the workplace, but once outside the office, those shoes are off! (OH&S = Occupational health and safety)

[@mysteriumvitae5338]

Yes, New Zealand is probably the most barefoot developed country in the world. And the 'dead of winter' is more like autumn in mid-European terms (except in the mountains), so this is no wonder.

[@sanjuansteve]

I was born with bilateral severely clubbed feet and had a corrective operation at 4 yrs old. I go barefoot everywhere (and usually in nothing but swim shorts) I can too and it's only partly because my ankles hurt less when barefoot than wearing shoes.

[@VTSifuSteve]

Curious. Ive had the opposite experience. I was born with bilateral fusions of the talus and calcaneus bones in my ankles. Ever since late adolescence I have been unable to walk comfortably barefoot. At one point I tried for months, taking regular barefoot walks. Almost crippled me!

[@aliendroid8174]

"most people don't like feet and I don't think that it's something that we shouldn't be promoting" daheck I can't believe that she went for reinforcing the silly stigma rather than pointing out that the feet are beautiful body parts like the rest and are perceptive to so much sensory stimulation through which we can experience the world more intimately

[@davetaylor1687]

About 30% of all men are foot fetishists, including me. But I don't like dirty feet.

[@aliendroid8174]

@@davetaylor1687 I dont prefer feet dirty either but I love being able to feel the ground as I walk and in general just find footwear uncomfortable

[@davetaylor1687]

@@aliendroid8174 That's totally fine. I wasn't wondering about you, but about the feet hating woman in the video. She has no idea how many men she can attract with her feet. But maybe she doesn't like men too. ;-)

[@aliendroid8174]

@@davetaylor1687 In a sense probably not lol. As in she probably doesn't care to attract most men. But if her feet could help her pique the interest of a handsome excecutive then I wonder what she'd think

[@davetaylor1687]

@@aliendroid8174 She is a kind of woman who finds their own feet disgusting. They always hide their feet, because they think that everyone is the same. Hard to believe that some people dislike parts of their own body so much.

[@TheRealJavahead]

I’m an Aussie and regularly barefooted. Those who look down upon it as if it is unclean are illogical. I wash my feet at least twice a day, how often do they wash the soles of there shoes. Additionally, I am more careful where I step so the soles of my feet are always cleaner than the soles of most shoes and my feet much healthier than those who don’t go barefoot.

[@Wasserkaktus]

Just because you do doesn't mean that other people do. You are also likely exchanging all sorts of bacteria and fungi with people you never actually meet doing this as well.

[@jackd1582]

@@Wasserkaktus double face nappie bro. Double it up 😷😷

[@CQuinnLady]

@@Wasserkaktus I do too... Thats what happens when u take ur shoes off, u become more aware of ur surroundings. Where does fungi grow? In wet humid areas, like feet sweating inside shoes. Bacteria that occurs on handrails is more disgusting than the dirt on the footpath. I refuse to touch handrails unless i have wipes in my bag, with the amount of people who sneeze then touch something with the hand they just sneezed in makes me 🤮 Best place to pick up a bug.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

@@Wasserkaktus The truth of the matter is the bacteria and fungi you mention thrives inside the dark, humid recesses of a sweaty pair of shoes...that type of bacteria is unable to thrive outside of shoes.

[@vegetaismydad5382]

@@CQuinnLady I don't touch public surfaces, shoes aren't allowed to be worn in my home, and I most certainly don't walk around outside barefoot. That is just unsanitary. Every culture has gross habits. This is a gross habit of Aussies. 😂

[@CARambolagen]

I lived in Australia for 14 years altogether. I didn't notice an exaggeratd barefoot culture except for the obvious reasons of really hot weather. Most people will wear at least thongs for foot protection, which you will even need in very hot weather because the ground can get unbearably hot.

[@prabhat_testOK]

why do people not wear any thing when its hot temperature 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JMK007]

Thank you for talking more sense than these so called “experts” 🙏

[@simonmorter9341]

What? I spent nearly 3 years there (mostly in Melbourne and Perth) and it was one of the first things I noticed! Definitely heaps of people in thongs and flip flops but I’ll never forget all the barefoot people I saw in grocery stores, out in the (very hot) city streets, and most of all in line at maccas 😂

[@Wasserkaktus]

@@simonmorter9341 In Arizona we are all about sandals but going barefoot is just begging for either: a) a sanitation citation; and/or b) some sharp object (like a cactus spine or long pebble) to get shoved into your foot.

[@timanderson5981]

True. Australia is very urbanised. Sydney and Melbourne aren't any different than large cities elsewhere. There is also the weather making the pavement too dangerously hot to walk on without shoes. Videos like this are far more applicable to New Zealand than Australia.

[@tbc9096]

My wife and I have a friend who is a New Zealand native who brought her love of being barefoot to the States. Generally when we are in her presence, we both take our shoes and socks off so she feels more comfortable.

[@elasmotherium12]

Don't encourage her lol

[@12time12]

You can get hookworms and other parasitic nematodes by not wearing shoes outside. They will crawl out of your bum at night to lay eggs, causing intense itchiness… they are difficult to get rid of.

[@tbc9096]

@@12time12 I have walked outside in my bare feet plenty of times. There’s nothing risk free. I could also be injured by my own shoes if you stop to think about it.

[@pixelvnce]

That’s really considerate in thinking of your friend

[@marvwatkins7029]

Your friend has issues.

[@chamini2031]

Others may wonder why they walk barefoot? I wonder why people don't walk barefoot? I would love to see that kind of culture in my country...

[@jamesbedugraham8056]

In Ghana everyone has to wear shoes by convention.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

In the United States, the civil rights movement of the 1960s prohibited businesses from banning people based on race, so they banned barefoot/shirtless hippies with signs posted in the doors and windows requiring people to wear shoes and shirts. Those signs are "anti-hippie propaganda," and a belief spread that there was a law that shoes were required (as well as health department lies), something that the barefoot lifestyle websites (Society for Barefoot Living, Barefoot is Legal, etc.) cleared up when asking if going barefoot in public was legal in all 50 states, as there's no law in the U.S. against the barefoot lifestyle whatsoever, and driving barefoot is also 100% legal. In Canada, they have the same shoe requirements, but they're rarely enforced...

[@TheMorningtrain]

I love it that they made a news piece about this, and that everyone thinks it’s weird! Bare feet just work!

[@beachbum1523]

People need to get over their hang-ups about going barefoot. Going barefoot here in the U.S. was quite common until the 1980's. Children going to school barefoot was actually quite common until the end of WWII, because here in the U.S., shoes were rationed due to the war effort. Being barefoot is healthy.

[@Oldcarnut63]

Yes its the grounding that helps.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

It was the "anti-hippie propaganda" that was those "No shoes, no shirt, no service" signs that hindered the barefoot lifestyle in the United States, starting in the 1960s...

[@NMOCAO]

Honestly, I think you have the wrong country. Barefootedness is probably more prevalent in New Zealand. Nevertheless, well done.

[@danidejaneiro8378]

Literally every foreign visitor to Australia remarks on this custom coz, you know, the same thing can occur in multiple places did you know?

[@andersdottir1111]

As a primary student in the 60s most of the boys turned up to school barefoot! They had shoes - they just preferred going barefoot (climate sub-tropical)

[@ronzac55]

i am Indonesian and i love going barefoot in nature mostly at the park or beach. feels so good when i step on the grass and just feel the ground. every step counts and it's like a walking meditation. Many villagers also left off their shoes in front of my shop and went barefoot inside, i never mind it. Many times i go barefoot in my own shop as well. My town is very chill, but still we wear sandals when we are out. Because going barefoot all the time could expose our feet to parasites that can enter our skin.

[@jackd1582]

Not as many as in your water

[@marvwatkins7029]

Yes, do not get carried away.

[@verdecillo9940]

Personally I dislike wearing shoes. I am barefoot as often as possible- so basically I only have shoes on when at the hospital (where I work). I even walk barefoot almost everywhere outdoors- when I take my dogs for walks with my family for example. Here in the United States this is not very common, so I sometimes get some strange looks from others, but I don't care, and people who know me just accept that it's who I am. Even when I must wear shoes (for example when shopping or eating out- since most stores and restaurants here require shoes), I wear sandals/minimalist shoes as long as it's not too cold (i.e. 50°F/10°C or above). I have been doing this for a few years and now I very rarely have achy knees or leg cramps (I had these often before). For the majority of people, walking and exercising without shoes and being barefoot prevents and alleviates musculoskeletal problems and is good for one's physiology in general. I really don't understand why it's still considered weird- something so obvious should become common knowledge and accepted. For anyone considering adopting a more barefoot lifestyle, definitely just try it. If you're concerned that you can hurt yourself- don't worry- it's just unfounded fear. When barefoot, you become more aware of your surroundings and your feet give your body constant feedback, so these things help you avoid injuries. Feet are also naturally quite resilient and adapt quickly. Your soles, arches and ankles might be a bit sore at first simply because those muscles and joints have become accustomed to shoes (and consequently have atrophied), but it quickly gets easy and becomes second nature after your feet return to doing what they are designed for. I know that for me, at this point, I have no problems- the soles of my feet are like leather (and by that I mean a nice supple leather- soft but strong). Even though I mostly avoid such things, I can step on twigs, pebbles, acorns, etc. and they don't bother me (I feel them of course, but they don't hurt me).

[@krystle2312]

Look at the floor under any woman's desk in the office in Australia and there is a 90% chance you will find a pair of shoes that were 'kicked off' sometime previously and she has forgotten about them.

[@loxodoncyclotis1823]

That grossed out lady is so hilarious 😂

[@AlexSpy3DS]

No

[@JMK007]

And turning ‘being judgemental’ into a profession 🤣

[@timanderson5981]

If the BBC thinks Australians love to go barefoot, wait till you try New Zealand. People go to supermarkets and do their errands barefoot. I remember in my days, half the kids at school were barefoot on any given day (and when we were doing sports, it was closer to 100%)

[@Snooty-Pookie]

I actually walked barefoot for an entire year… Honestly, I loved walking barefoot everywhere in public since it is so hot where I live.

[@Rick-ih7wp]

Why did you stop after a year?

[@mariaelmahdy1962]

I'm Australian and barefoot is owesome !

[@okamijubei]

pretty daring for anyone to do that in Australia, since there's Taipans, jackjumpers, funnel webs, sea snakes, etc. Then again... You people are pretty adaptive, daring and durable.

[@reyne8424]

I've been walking barefoot here in Germany for 6/7 years now. Any walk outside of home is guaranteed to feature at least one 'Aren't you cold?' or 'Have you lost your shoes?' from some stranger.

[@danelbrun480]

I live in (Northern) France and almost always go barefoot : very few people do like me, but it is well accepted.At least some find that funny or even courageous in winter. As it has been said, living nearby the see is also an powerful incentive to go barefoot. And that's true for most people in NZ and Australia. Another reason, which makes New Zeeland even more barefoot-friendly than Australia is that there were no harmfull plants growing ton its two islands and few aggressive animals, quite the opposite of what happens on that continent.

[@tonyhaycock7735]

As a barefoot New Zealander I go to France regularly, and my permanently bare feet never seem to be an issue there :)

[@fariesz6786]

walking barefoot is fairly common here in southern germany as well, and it's mostly a leisure thing. kids walk barefoot a lot, otherwise it's typically people who are part of barefoot movement i suppose, that or they are of the overly relaxed kind. which makes it even funnier when you dress up nicely but then walk around barefoot bc it breaks people's conceptions.. and brain. walking barefoot in winter is only for the highly determined though. i've had my occasional run in the snow, but that's more of an exercise module. and i do wear shoes at home. it's a thing here.

[@Wasserkaktus]

My Bavarian cousin claims that going barefoot has been a common thing in Bavaria, aber wenn ich da war, hatte ich es nie erlebt.

[@danschoenharl3856]

Modern shoes, with a raised heel and thick sole, prevent the foot from functioning as it was was designed to function. I have worn "barefoot" shoes for many year now and it would feel like torture to go back to "normal" shoes. I occasionally go barefoot at home and in my yard, but America is not very conducive to barefootedness.

[@danschoenharl3856]

@@patrick-bu3eq No, not really. In German it means “beautiful hair”.

[@danschoenharl3856]

@@patrick-bu3eq Not to put too fine a point on it, but… ö and oe are different spellings of the same sound in German. (As in the name of the poet Goethe) Schön = beautiful And harl, as it was told to me by my German Literature professor, is a diminutive of the German word for hair, Haar When my grandfather came to the US from Germany, as he was under pressure to conform, we may have indeed exchanged the ö for oe. There are now three pronunciations of my last name, but none of them sound like; shoe. Peer pressure makes people do all sorts of crazy things, even like causing billions of people to wear shoes that make no sense for how the foot actually works.

[@jonathanj.7344]

That etiquette woman has a real problem with bare feet.

[@danidejaneiro8378]

Anyone who dedicates their life to promoting ettiquette rules has more than a few problems upstairs, for sure.

[@ruthieo54]

Don't like feet? What supports and transports us daily? My feet are special to me. Lol! I go barefoot a lot and get criticised for it. I'm American.

[@artoliann]

As an American, I'm so jealous people in Australia can just go barefoot and it's culturally acceptable. I run barefoot here in New York State during the summer months, but I've always hated having to put on shoes to go into public spaces or school. If only it was socially acceptible here in the Northern hemisphere countries like it is in Australia and New Zealand. You guys in Australia and New Zealand are awesome!

[@Dinu-desculţ]

Walking barefoot is natural, so normal !

[@frederickstudio6658]

In Italy going barefoot Is even more and more difficult!😂😂😂

[@larrykoz4009]

Have you considered being a Barefoot pioneer? If you have the confidence to run barefoot, perhaps you may have other opportunities to go barefoot, and blaze the trail for others.

[@cconwell21]

@@larrykoz4009 In America we basically come out of the womb with Nikes on lol. Its sickening how big shoe culture is here and the business liability of insurance and safety gets in the way of going into shops and businesses. Also the constant danger of glass and needles in the streets due the overwealming drug and alcohol problem is here with the homeless that limits alot of us from not going into big cities barefoot. I go to every park, nature reserve, campground and state forest barefoot and i don't care what others think of it they can simply ignore me and move on.

[@Fox-Mann-Fam]

Man that etiquette lady is a buzzkill. I'm a Minnesotan and prefer to be barefoot throughout the summer (and spring and fall when possible). There's nothing obscene or innately unclean about feet. I've only stopped going barefoot because I'm a klutz and have broken too many toes and stepped on too many stinging insects.

[@Saucyakld]

My dutch relatives think we are poor as in Auckland we go barefooted in summer hahaha!

[@apage7430]

I've been all over Australia multiple times and there are only a handful of areas where this is actually common. Gold Coast and Byron Bay for sure, but I almost never saw it in Sydney or Melbourne. New Zealand on the other hand it is much more common and in all parts of the country. Even in the Auckland, the largest city, it's very common, something you'd see every single day even in winter. South Africa also has a barefoot tradition among its Afrikaner population. Around 2018 there was a couple studies actually done looking at the health of children being barefoot, comparing different societies. They looked at Germany, where 0% of the children were habitually barefoot, New Zealand had 50% of kids surveyed habitually barefoot, and Afrikaner South Africans, where 90% of the kids were habitually barefoot. The studies found the Afrikaner kids had the healthiest feet.

[@Livetoeat171]

South African areas may be safer to walk, but in a city, or like New Zealand and Germany, obviously children should not be going barefoot. Those studies did not state what they were walking on like sand or sidewalks, etc..

[@PRGRAMMING]

Never saw this once in Auckland....

[@mdee8784]

Agree

[@thespamdance311]

It used to be quite common down my way as a kid (Melbourne, 1980s) but it’s now exceptionally rare. Even then, we only did it to walk on hot bitumen in Summer as a test of strength.

[@MagnusVonBenz]

Going barefoot is so infinitely liberating.

[@EmilyBock10]

I’m an Australian and I Think the main reason we go barefoot is because Australians and New Zealand’s can really feel in love the sensation barefoot that Americans and the rest of the world don’t really feel that’s why we most the time go barefoot as much as possible

[@jgroenveld1268]

A lot of New Zealand primary schools encourage this by making students take off their shoes when they enter the classroom. Most students don't bother putting them back on when they go out into the playground. I don't think such a thing would be encouraged by schools in other countries but my take is due to NZ unique no-fault accidental injury compensation scheme that covers everyone.

[@AntTonyLOLKID]

Okay, as an Australian, I didnt even know this was a thing?? I think it was said in the end, it's mostly at parks, beaches or somewhere in nature, I pretty much never see bare feet in an urban place (unless is 100m from the beach).

[@michellewiggins3297]

Exactly what I'm thinking. I live near the beach as well, and people mostly wear shoes/sandals outside except for the beach. Why does the video keep showing people at the beach not wearing shoes? Who wears shoes at a sandy beach? I rarely see people barefoot.

[@jacobt1045]

People with foot fetish: "Time to move to Australia"

[@seikojason]

Yes XD

[@kayborndadon4009]

Bro that was funny ASF 😂😂😂

[@robroy6374]

haha 😀

[@christinah.8504]

you must be from the U.S

[@FLAPARON]

We all went to school with shoes, once there they were removed winter or summer. This was New Zealand in the 60s. It had some advantages, you could play on a muddy field and not have to clean shoes, just run your feet under a tap and you were clean again.

[@speccogecko7296]

I hardly wear shoes and never really have. I only wear them for school, work or if I’m travelling far. I like running and walking and the feeling of using my feet the way intended, rather than wearing shoes which make me sweaty, stinky and also chafe and hurt sometimes.

[@jackd1582]

Imagine if shoes came with those 4 warnings on the box 😂👻

[@harrygordon6205]

Aussie here: sure take off your shoes in the park or on the beach. But walking down the street🤢 or in an indoor area🤬. There aren’t that many people that do this, but rest assured, all the other aussies are judging them😅

[@RhodieRowley]

Not just Australia. In South Africa we LOVED being barefoot. In some areas the children went to school barefoot (not through poverty, but through choice!). I live in the U.K. now, and people here seem to think going barefoot is weird, even disgusting.

[@cameronlloren4865]

Well due to covid i forgot how to wear shoes now, been walking barefoot just in my house for almost 2 years 😅

[@andyroman9089]

I should move to Australia so I can live a totally barefoot life.

[@Dinu-desculţ]

Very good, dear @andyroman9089 !!!

[@realhawaii5o]

This is weird. I'm Portuguese and people here don't even take their shoes off in their home most of the time. And this is a "hot" country.

[@larsstougaard7097]

Very weird 😕

[@rivertam7827]

Growing up in Australia in the 80s, wearing shoes in the house was considered dirty, you either go barefoot or wear slippers, moccasins or ugg boots inside the house (and you never wear those outside of the house). With the influx of a lot of migrants and influence of American TV that has changed, and some people wear street shoes in the house, but I absolutely hate it, first thing I do when I get home is kick off my street shoes.

[@larsstougaard7097]

@@rivertam7827 agree wearing the same shoes outdoors and indoors is a dirty habit. I live in a colder climate and always wears slippers indoor, I just love it, but have bare feet in the park in the summer. 😊❤🌏🦶🦶🌻

[@snells-window]

Just look at what shoes have done to our feet cramping all our toes together and weakening our foot structure. I've spent a large part of my life barefoot, and it's the best way to be. Since moving to Melbourne from out bush, I now wear shoes more often, but that is just because of societal norms in the city, although I still often find myself going out shopping etc and forgetting to take my shoes with me. Going barefoot is much healthier and more hygenic than wearing shoes, and leads to increased agility, strength, and balance.

[@otreblig1889]

I live in Mexico, it is hard to walk barefoot here but not impossible. I love to go barefoot.

[@estiennelesueur366]

"Some of the places I have seen terrible barefootedness"😂 So judgy

[@Canopus68]

This is dumb. Going barefoot is far better than wearing shoes. The Australians know what they are doing. The rest of the world should follow their example.

[@AlexSpy3DS]

Yes

[@chesychels]

As an Australian, I am scared to take my shoes off unless I’m at home

[@scottrobinson3281]

So, the denizens of the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town have some companions across the Indian Ocean. It was quite a culture shock to move here from hot and humid Durban where you might see children going barefoot in summer, but never middle aged adults in shopping centres. Seems its an Afrikaner culture thing.

[@satah5045]

No it's the heat

[@a1184079]

As someone who has lived in AU for 15 years, I can tell you most Aussies see those barefooters as weirdos.

[@larsstougaard7097]

Good to know 😁🦶🦶

[@Anthology_of_Holly]

Depends where you are. Barefoot culture is very common in QLD and even more so if you live anywhere near the beach or water

[@marlenalinne]

We used to go barefooted at home all the time when we were kids. But when we had to go to the store with mom, we had to wear shoes. Between the disgusting things that humans and birds deposited on the sidewalk, she wasn't having any of that on the bottoms of our feet. Thanks, mom.

[@metricstormtrooper]

We Don't, end of story. How about a video about how the British can't cook, the Germans don't have a sense of humour, the Americans don't understand irony etc etc.

[@hakohito]

My aunt lives in NZ and she told me about this weird culture thing. I just don't care that people do this, but its really weird to see barefoot people in the middle of the city. And nasty

[@TheCarlScharnberg]

Why would they say "Australians" started to go barefoot, when really they mean those who aren't Native to the land. Going barefoot was already the norm among the Natives, who are ethnically Australian.

[@ADbe-me]

I don't think I've ever worn shoes at home, just always seemed to me like I'd be spreading filth from the street/sidewalk all over my floors. I've now been running barefoot for 12 years and absolutely love it. The connection to the earth and the feedback quickly fixed my form. I've never been a better, happier runner

[@Ganiscol]

I feel sorry for that etiquette lady 😄

[@nord7556]

Wow it was also a culture in rural India but now it's been reduced to the poor folks only.

[@MicahPotts]

I wish that was socially acceptable here, kinda makes me want to move to Australia for that and the weather alone.

[@annarobinson7380]

really odd as a wollongong resident to see out little city being featured on the BBC! was a bit of a shock to see such familiar places.

[@trevormillar1576]

"Why do you fear to touch the ground? Does not the concrete separate you from it enough?" -Shang-Chi -"Master Of Kung Fu"

[@justabarefootcollegeboy4934]

I do like how this is one of the few news reports that don't go into the "dangers" of being barefoot. Most people have the common sense to know when or not to do it.

[@stellamarina4123]

I think it was partly influenced by all the poor Irish immigrants from the Irish countryside who were usually bare feet back home and felt more comfortable that way in the new country where it was still hard to afford shoes. As a Kiwi kid in the 50s and going to a country school, we went to school bare feet all the time or at least in the summer.

[@alessiomarin1218]

That woman obviously hates feet. I suspect it might be because she secretly has a foot fetish. If we think about the social implications of barefooting within the context of self-consciousness and from a Freudian perspective, it would make sense for someone who perceives feet as more or less sexual objects to be disgusted by the bare feet of at least those to whom they are not attracted, as well as self-conscious about being barefoot around others. It would be analogous to walking around butt-naked in front of others, or being clothed and seeing a butt-naked person walking around in public every now and then. I should add that, despite foot fetishes being more common in men, they are - in both men and women - by far one of the most common fetishes. In men, they are THE most common fetish.

[@14.huanle60]

A heaven for foot fetish enthusiastic individuals.

[@robroy6374]

yup!

[@leedsman54]

I remember being taken slightly aback when I saw people barefoot in the supermarket when I was in the colonies.

[@jaynemeulman8484]

gosh...when were you in the colonies???

[@JMK007]

“In the colonies”!!! You were on aboriginal land, sovereignty was never ceded.

[@jackd1582]

@@jaynemeulman8484 😂😂

[@hannahgendron7094]

As an American, I walk around my neighborhood barefoot all the time in warmer months, but when I'm actually going somewhere I at least put on flip flops. I'd say most people do wear shoes whenever they're outdoors though, but that one lady saying she wears shoes in her own house? That seems unhygienic to me cause most people don't notice what they've been stepping on when they wear shoes.

[@PraveenSrJ01]

Exactly!

[@tbc9096]

Someone needs to confiscate that lady’s shoes lol

[@Drskopf]

I'm from Nicaragua and i also like to walk barefoot but not everywhere, as a tropical born person you know that you have to pay attention to where to set foot, there are snakes, Scorpions, spiders, ants, i even brought this custom to the U states, and my first time walking barefoot in a lake park in the summer i step on a Bumble bee 🤦🤦🤦🤦 the pain was not a great feeling, what a lucky day. I don't blame Aussies when it comes to living in urban areas, i wouldn't like to face killers snakes and Spiders in the bush 🤦

[@nicktl8815]

I would honestly love to go barefoot, my only worry would be cleanliness: how can I walk outside all day and then put those same feet under my bedsheets?? Some light cleaning won't do, I'd need to scrub the soles of my feet pretty dang well to get everything off of them, and I'm not sure it would be good for them to do that every single day. I truly wish i could try it, I believe in the benefits it would bring me, but since I don't live in a hut in the middle of a forest I don't think thats possible for me

[@sarahhavillamelooliveira5825]

Just wash them man, it isn't complicated. Usually your hands touch dirtier things than the floor anyway (like doorknobs).

[@jaynemeulman8484]

Have a wash before you get into bed. Simples

[@sulaymanhaq5630]

Excuses , you should be washing yourself before bed anyways. It's really not hard. And if that's your concern go for some barefoot running shoes. Easy problem solved. But you'll probably come up with some other excuse now.

[@jackd1582]

@@sarahhavillamelooliveira5825 and money 💸👻

[@Rick-ih7wp]

Has it occurred to you that you can WASH before you go to bed. Are you REALLY that thick?

[@Dinu-desculţ]

BLA BLA BLA ... I was born to live barefoot. Bare feet are happy feet ⚫

[@tashikoweinstein435]

I love going barefoot!

[@_Just_Another_Guy]

In my home country, going barefoot is very risky because the streets are very dirty with stray dogs' feces, and other mysterious bodily fluids, plus malaria/dengue from street water. And there's barely any grass. Going barefoot is seen as being in poverty and homeless in my homecountry.

[@jackd1582]

Ummmm ya get malaria from mosquitos FFS🤦

[@wilsonov87]

as a kiwi who goes barefoot. it's not that common in the cities unfortunately, I will only see maybe one other barefooter in any normal day, but at least nobody finds it weird! Shoes suck!

[@tonyhaycock7735]

Great to see another barefoot Kiwi here. There are a few of us...

[@robroy6374]

shoes protect your feet, weirdo.

[@Livetoeat171]

In America, if you don't wear shoes you can't go to the restaurant because they don't want the patrons to sue them if they stub their toe on a table or cut their foot on a piece of broken glass.

[@jojomakes]

My real concern is accidentally stepping on something gross or something sharp while in public.

[@danidejaneiro8378]

You can be imprisoned or fined thousands of dollars for littering in Australia so the streets are pretty clean.

[@gihankanishka]

Same in Sri Lanka and most other Asian countries as well, it is so comforting and there is certain connection to mother earth

[@edwardellis9741]

I love how that guy goes barefoot at a train station

[@yellowumbrella2711]

Same 😅

[@kmgonzales6958]

The streets of Manila can literally fry an egg, not to mention all the shards of grass and dog poop. In rural areas you run the risk of getting parasites. Good for Aussies for having walkable cities.

[@hijodelsoldeoriente]

This culture is great. It gives an implied "I don't give a sht about superficial things" kinda vibe.

[@MC_MMV]

I grew up in Australia and now I think about it, I do go out barefoot all the time.

[@taraloker6045]

Where is that beach in your profile picture?

[@MC_MMV]

@@taraloker6045 I think it is Greece but I can't remember anything else about it. I didn't take the photo so it might be possible to reverse image search it.

[@Myperfectshell]

I’ll never forget seeing people barefoot on the ferries around Darling Harbour. I thought that was one of coolest things I’d ever seen.

[@jackd1582]

What country are you from?

[@Doll.The.Solver]

He means Darlington I think, which means he is obviously British!

[@Myperfectshell]

@@Doll.The.Solver I honestly don’t get it! I’m Canadian and I had lived in the northern beaches of Sydney.. I’m sure it was called Darling harbour where all the little ferries came into downtown…! Am I losing my mind lol

[@twominds2006]

3:41 Why is the Barefoot Podiatrist walking heel to toe? Very puzzling.

[@ThatOneGirl505]

Oh my gosh that "etiquette" lady is so annoying and close-minded.

[@ramihilwani1843]

BBC Reel is a wonderful channle. Please keep uploaing such videos.

[@rivertam7827]

In case anyone mistakes the woman in white for being representative of anyone in Australia, most Aussies (even those who don't go barefoot) would deem her uptight and a bit of a bore. Only reason I don't go barefoot now is doublegees 😭

[@BioAbner]

Being barefoot is actually healthier. If you're going to wear shoes for cold and protection, use shoes with large toe boxes so they won't deform your toes..

[@babkb77b7]

But what about all the venomous critters that could bite or sting your bare feet?

[@alliswell3372]

Not sure about Oz but here in Nz we don't have snakes, scorpios or nothing venomous at all.. you can be lost in forest for days and you will come out alive. There's no reptiles, snakes pretty much nothing that can harm you or kill instantly🤣.. feels blessed to be living in NZ.. oh and the weather is great. NO harsh summers or no harsh winters 😇

[@lh3540]

Omg, you aren't allowed in shops barefoot in America. 'No shirt, no shoes, no service' signs are on all our doors. 😂

[@mjade1673]

Trust me people loved to do it in the states too but its been dis-allowed. Where i live people wear tiny little slips of a flip tho. Like think equivalent to a piece of cardboard. And the example they gave of the very casual dress is normal here as well. But okay enough with "the feet are the problem, ew". However, there are places and times to be barefoot. On the street is not one of them because oil spills. And stores no because if you enter the restroom.. um, no. There are times our bodies and feet need to be safe.

[@Ric-Phillips]

This is just silly and even the Australians in this are bullshitting. I’ve lived here for sixty years and away from beaches we wear shoes. It’s just as odd seeing someone in a city in Australia as it is in New York or London.

[@robroy6374]

Exactly! 👍👍

[@5688gamble]

Why should people have to put shoes just on to please you?

[@anaborella1972]

I think this is brilliant!

[@carolsymons7754]

It feels good. Fullstop no further explanation required

[@bikesqump]

1 vote for barefoot hippie dude, yes bro!! 0 vote for etiquette lady, boo!!!

[@ericmueller6319]

Other countries should try that. Maybe people could generally be more relaxed because of barefooting. Maybe the crime rates everywhere would drop.

[@jimboneutron8399]

I wish this was more of a thing in America. I have tried it here and people think it’s nasty. I have to wear shoes and work boots so much that my feet are weak and my arches collapsed. You can do it in parks and stuff but you get weird looks and you have to carry shoes around incase you have to go in somewhere. I wish we could just leave the house without shoes and not worry about it. I have gotten away with wearing socks and one time i went to Walmart barefoot by wearing sweatpants that where too long and it covered my feet and no one knew but it was uncomfortable to step on the sweatpants the whole time.

[@Corey.K85]

You kinda have to just not care what other people think. At first it’s a little weird, but over time you get used to it.

[@mylifeisanadagioindminor6084]

That Etiquette lady must have such miserable existence to worry about such a small thing! I feel that etiquette is just rules to shrink our true personality, I cannot imagine the damage that someone going barefoot can cause in someone else’s life. After, watching a doc called earthing, I have myself embraced even more the barefoot lifestyle!

[@8cifre]

Driving car without shoes must be like Going to hell

[@robroy6374]

agreed

[@FreshAirRules]

Barefoot is so much better. That etiquette expert is living in a world of delusion and sad traditions. Ignore ignorance like that. Anyone that spends much time without shoes can attest to the utter superiority of it. What we need to know is how do we develop calluse fast to protect our sensitive feet? A rubbing motion helps. What we need is some sort of machine that moves while we stand on it while doing something else....like typing KZbin comments. As for cleanliness, bare feet are much easier to wipe clean than the bottom of shoes!

[@spock6692]

I always felt deep inside I'm Australian! :)