Body Modification

Why do it? Good question.....Body modification (or body alteration) is defined as the permanent or semi-permanent deliberate altering of the human body for non-medical reasons, such as spiritual, various social (markings), BDSM "edgeplay" or aesthetic. It can range from the socially acceptable decoration (e.g., pierced ears in many societies), to the overtly religiously mandated (e.g., circumcision in a number of cultures) to corporal punishment, to provocative statement by the rebellious (e.g., tongue splitting). Some even become physically addicted to the adrenaline/endorphin release associated with a painful procedure in a way analogous to that experienced by those who self harm. Some people experience an abstract but distinct compulsion to modify their body that appears to have no underlying or external reason. Some futurists believe that eventually humans will pursue body modification with more advanced technological means, such as permanently implanted devices to enhance mental and physical capabilities, thereby becoming cyborgs. For the substantial number of people with heart pacemakers and brain implants such as cochlear implants and electrical brain stimulators for Parkinson's disease, this is already a reality. (Imagine a world where we can have ipods/MP3 players hard wired and implanted directly into our brains) i.e. William Gibson

So why did i do it? I'm not sure i have been toying with the idea for years...i guess i'm at a point in my life where i have done everything the way i am supposed to and it hasn't gotten me anywhere...i.e. cut my hair to get a job etc. Did I do it to be cool? my son asked me this question, and well that opens up another question what is cool...Body modification has become a common place event these days....in fact while i was standing around shooting the breeze with one of the artists, three women one a nurse, one a waitress, the other a housewife...all having various piercings done were in line in front of me......so my definition of cool would be to not have it done simply because everyone else IS having it done so no I didn't do it to be cool...besides how cool can a 37 year old bald father truly be ? lol.....so again why did i do it? I suppose it boiled down to freedom...i made the chice to do it any nobody can tell me what i can or can't do with my body. My ears have been pierced for roughly 20 years now and i did it then because i knew it would piss off my father (Ex-Navy). and i simply liked the way it looked. I currently have 6 tattoos each of them inked just after a major life event.....the publishing of my first comic, my divorce, my 30th birthday etc. So I suppose the answer is i did it because i wanted to! why does anyone do anything? Something to think about. I think everyone should get at least one tattoo or at least one piercing.

Just my two cents

Later...