Is modification of the human body something to do to be "cool" or a way of life?
At A Glance Author Millie Contact [email protected] IAM MilllieB When N/A I've contemplated the answer to this question a thousand times. I came to the conclusion that it is very different for every individual from the people with implants to the people who do it to be "cool" or to fit it to their social group or status. I can remember once upon a time, before I got really into body modification as a culture or a way of life, wanting my navel (or belly button as I called it back then) to be cool and because all my friends had theirs done but now I see a much bigger picture. I see a world full of beautiful colour and happiness.
In no way by that statement am I saying that the world isn't full of happiness for the person with a lobe piercing, what I meant by it is this, people who see modification of the human body as a way of life are 99% of the time full of hope and passion for everything whilst those who see it as a hobby or something to do to be "cool" are left standing on the edges of something that can be very confusing and complex. Is it a case of people being scared to step into a way of life or sub-culture? Or is it a case that people are to scared to admit their passions and face the judgement? Maybe people don't realise the extent of body modification that is out there to be explored and embraced.
Some people get pierced/tattooed etc. because they enjoy it but others because they don't see any other way of living in a world so ugly and hateful, instead they'd rather live in a beautiful passionate world. I like the idea that it's a way of life because then you don't get the "cool" stigma to it but there again people say people want to be a piercer because it's cool without realising the hours and years of hard work and effort that the good piercers have put in to get to where they are now.
So my opinion on the answer to this question is this, I'm modified because I enjoy it because it gives me happiness, satisfaction and it allows me to escape from a rather evil place that society has become. It allows me to explore myself as an individual and it allows me to accept myself for who I am. So for me it's a way of life but once upon a time I wanted to do it to be cool but that would depend on ones definition of the word cool.
After a lot of careful consideration I truly believe that those who are truly passionate about the industry and all its practices will see it as a way of life but those who want a navel piercing are equally as important as they allow people to socially accept body modification as a way of life, a lifestyle choice.
The permanency of such practices would make people swing to the way of thinking that it is a lifestyle but things can always change and this could alter ones opinion of weather it was actually ever a way of life or weather it was just a hobby or something they did for fun. Will you stand by your reasoning behind your star tattoos in 20 years time? Can remember why you got your implants or your nipple pierced? It makes you think, what you do and say now effects you for the rest of your life and you don't realise the permanency until it's too late. So that fish tattoo on your head are you going to like 50 years down the track? Are you really that passionate and serious about it?
Another trail of thought is this, how can something that people see as a way of life only start 16+, 18+ or sometimes 21+ surely that's to late for it to be a lifestyle? Or can humans develop in a way which allows them to create a new more mature life for themselves surrounding Body Modification. It seems that which ever way you look at it there is a flaw in the theory.
I honestly believe that for me at 16 years old that is in a way of life, I've lived through so much surrounding Body Modification already and it is the most beautiful, mind opening experience. It's allowed me to escape from the evil, bitter twisted world I used to live in and it has also allowed me to embrace my body and create a person that I've grown to accept. The way I see it is this, through the things I've experienced through body modification and the way I've grown into it I would never want to leave it and I believe with a passion that this is who I am, forever.