Are we all crazy?

Now, most of the time I don't feel this way. I'm as heavily modified as the next `modern primitive'. But I don't know why. Sure, for genital piercings and similar things, it's easy to write them off as functional, like using a ball-point pen on paper to write rather than chiselling on a rock. But what about facial piercings? How can I justify these? Perhaps aesthetics. But what does it say about a person when they choose an aesthetic for themselves that is anti-social?

I will freely admit that everyone has a different opinion of what is beautiful, but why are some people born with an almost inhuman sense of aesthetics? In myself, these tastes have manifested themselves since childhood. I've always wanted to look different, to an extreme, transcending humanity. Unfortunately, it's far easier to make a case for sickness than sanity. Added to that, to make a generalisation, I do not find this look attractive on females. Only on males (and I am a male heterosexual).

Sometimes I feel almost like an exotic bird, adopting a more and more ridiculous attire to attract the beautiful yet plain looking mate. Sometimes I think it may be some kind of sociopathic externalisation, saying to the world, "stay away from me," or maybe even "help me." Sometimes I think I've watched too much Star Trek (ridged foreheads somehow seem more attractive than smooth human ones). Sometimes I chock it up to simple self-destructiveness - I was born with many gifts; health, intelligence, wealth, and looks. Perhaps I am saying to the world, "if you won't make life hard for me, I'll force you to." Some kind of need for punishment, or living a life of atonement / flagellation for sins uncommitted.

Is everyone like me? I don't know.

I am sure that your average person getting pierced is doing it for the pretty much the same reason they get a particular haircut, or listen to a particular band - Because the rest of the herd is. Not that there's anything wrong with group- social behaviour, but if your neighbour jumped off a bridge would you jump too? And why still do it if you know it's going to be hurtful to your family, and make life generally harder for you? This doesn't seem to make any sense. Life is hard enough without adding a handicap.

If anyone can explain to me why I'm not crazy, or at least why you're not crazy, I'd appreciate it.

- Anonymous by request