Thursday, February 10, 2011
So I'm Thinking About Piercing My...
Hello All! I know what you all are thinking, what could this title possibly mean? Well, after reading two books that deal with questioning authority in the wayyy past, back when the wheel was created, I decided to try and think of something more modern, and I got to thinking about the modern generation. In our generation, give or take 5/10 years in either direction, people are modifying their body in new and 'improved' ways everyday. So the question I thought of was, what is it that makes us do this? I know a lot of my friends who, once they turned 18 decided to get a tattoo or a piercing that their parents otherwise wouldn't have allowed if they had been underage. Is the reason people our age feel compelled to do this have to do with 'sticking it to the man', whether that be our parents, employers, or just older generations in general, or is it for some other reason? Is is some coming of age thing people today feel they must participate in? I want to see what you all have to say about this and what it means in terms of questioning authority, and of what it means to you. I look forward to reading your replys :).
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12 comments:
I think it just depends on the person as far reasoning goes to pierce or tattoo something on their body. A lot of my friends have gotten tattoos and piercings just to "piss off" their parents and others just got them because they "just wanted it." When I was in high school I begged and pleaded with my mom to let me pierce my belly button, and no matter what I did she would not budge. Now, most of you may be thinking I went ahead and got it done after I turned 18, but surprisingly, (and my friends were surprised too) I didn't. Now, many of my friends that did get it done in high school have removed them. I don't think belly piercings are bad or anything, but I realized that particular piercing just isn't for me. As far as other piercings go, I plan on getting them, just not my belly button, oddly enough.
I like the idea in the original post about getting piercings or tattoos being a coming of age thing. I feel like this is true because now that we are old enough to do what we want, we feel compelled to do something we would not be able to if we were underage.
I think that it all depends on what kind of person you are and how you respond to the ways you were brought up. In my family, body piercings and tattoos are really not acceptable. The females of my family all have their ears pierced, by thats it. Maybe we're just too conservative for all that... My grandad was a sailor back in the day, so he has some tattoos. However, we use him as an example of why not to get a tattoo. They really do not look very nice after so many years. Also, times change. My grandad's tattoo shows a chinese man killing himself instead of having his ponytail cut off, signifying that he would rather lose his life than lose his honor. That might have been acceptable in the 1950s, but today you really cannnot go around showing that off.
However, with our generation in general, there definitely is a common idea of freedom at age 18. We can suddenly do so many things by ourselves, so we might as well try it out. One of my best friends got a tattoo when he turned 18 and I thought it was the stupidest looking thing I've ever seen. It was big and garish and he is pretty much stuck with it for the rest of his life.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it all really depends on your interactions with society. The more mainstream you are, the less likely you will go wild at 18, and the more difficult your childhood was (whether people around you were either really strict or really lenient), the more likely you are to get a tattoo or piercing.
Personally, I would never consider getting a tattoo - primarily because of my massive fear of needles haha, but also because it's something you're stuck with for the rest of your life (unless you spring for a laser removal) and so if you do get a tattoo it should be symbolic of something incredibly important and influential to you are as a person. I've also talked to a lot of my friends who have gotten tattoos, and their reasons didn't really have anything to do with them wanting it because their parents didn't want them to get it or any other form of sticking it to authority, but rather they just wanted the tattoo "just because". In some cases, getting tattoos is pretty comparable to a rite of passage since most people get a tattoo when they turn 18.
In terms of sticking it to employers by getting a tattoo or a piercing, I think you're mostly just messing up your chances of getting hired at a classier place - I know even Dion's has rules about how tattoos can't be visible and you can't have facial piercings - if even a chain restaurant like that is that strict, then just imagine how actual corporations view things like that.
Piercings are kind of a different story for me, I'm not gonna lie, I used to want to get my nose pierced for a pretty long time, but despite the fact that I'm over 18 I've changed my mind mostly because of the job consequences that I talked about in the last paragraph. Even if I did end up getting the piercing, it wouldn't be because I wanted to assert my independence or throw it in anyone's face or anything (although my parents would probably have a heart attack haha) it would just be something that I wanted to do "just because" which when you think about it really isn't that great of a reason.
I do believe that for many individuals it is a type of questioning authority, namely those who may receive such modifications while still under-aged at a party or what-have-you. I know a lot of individuals whom received these piercings or tattoos during high school only to regret them later. However, at the time, they felt that it was a grand motion of self expression. The fact that it is not allowed at that age only makes it seem more rebellious. As far as coming of age, however, that I believe is not necessarily as driven by questioning authority as the premature decisions.
Either way, it is only a for of this for some. For many others it is simply artwork or an expression of self that they may have wanted for years. It depends on the individual.
I feel as if under-aged drinking could also fall into this category. For some, it is an expression of questioning authority, for others it is a fad that they have chosen to partake in, and for a third group it is simply self-want and therefore pure entertainment, etc. Many activities such as these do provide for many a sense of fulfillment purely in knowing that the act is forbidden and therefore allowing the individual to feel like he/she still has the upper hand in the say of how his/her life is lived. I believe this form of questioning authority is necessary to self-expression and character building, perhaps not in the form of a tattoo or under-aged drinking, but simply in the form of questioning societal rules based on age.
I think the reasons people get tattoos and piercings are different from person to person. Certainly, some are trying to be rebellious and question certain social norms, some people may do it as a rite of passage, and others may have personal, spiritual, or cultural reasons for tattoos or piercings. As a means of questioning authority, I don't know if that is the best reason to get a tattoo. Most people I know who have gotten a tattoo against their parents' wishes hid it from their parents, which doesn't seem like a "stick it to the man" move. Also, as Amy said, you cannot do it to question the authority of an employer, because it would just restrict job options.
In general, I think getting a tattoo is more a way of exercising freedom of expression than of questioning authority.
I think that the number of piercings/tattoos in general is growing. It is becoming more and more common to have a piercing/tattoo, even a visible one. The more mainstream piercings/tattoos become, the less taboo they are to the public. The less taboo they are, the less they will be used as a means of "sticking it to the man". Although, I think the resistance teens feel towards their parents is natural and it will take what ever form is appropriate in this generation. Right now, parents resist the idea of tattoos and piercings but you never know what this generation will resist from our kids.
Personally, I have nothing against either tattoos or piercings, but I wouldn't consider it for myself. The permanence of tattoos makes it a scary proposition because we are constantly in a state of change.
I personally believe people just do it because they want to improve ascetics. These days, with it being so acceptable to society, I can hardly see it as a means of releasing oneself from social norms. Its also become a social norm in itself. There is an entire culture to become involved with associated with it. Its not really a coming of age thing either i do not feel. People just get it after they become 18 because thats when it iss easiest. If they could get it before they would. I really do not see any "questioning" connotations associated with this.
Deciding to get a tattoo or piercing and for what reason is completely dependant on the individual. Many people I know secretly got piercing and tattoos without their parents knowing because they wanted them "soooo bad". In the end, the secret was let out and they were usually of bad quality because of the sketch ways they had to go about it.
Also, the reason most teenagers get them when they are 18 is because they have been wanting it for so long and it's finally legal. I do not think it's a coming of age thing. I think it's the fact that we are in our youth and this is when piercing and tattoos are most accepted in society, so to speak.
Personally, I've had my belly button piercing since I was 14 and got my nose piercing in August. I decided to get both of them because I had considered it and thought I was getting them for the right reasons. I love both of them and got them for me. There were no other major factors in my decisions. I cannot see myself getting a tattoo because I cannot think of anything sentimental enough to get put permanently on my body, but I think the idea is cool if done for the right reasons.
A lot of people I went to high school with got tattoos when they turned 18. Some of them did it simply because they could and they felt like they should exercise some of their new rights, others did it because their parents would not allow them to before and now they could do it on their own. For the latter group, I think the tattoos were definitely an act of rebellion. However, I think it is a very weak form of questioning aurthority. It doesn't really prove or change anything, and then a lot of the people who just run out and get a tattoo right away because they can just end up regretting that decision later. I agree with Amanda, a lot of it is just premature decision-making.
I feel that although some people get tatoo's and piercing's upon their coming of age just for their own personal desire, alot act on the impulse of proving that now they can do whatever they want. I agree with you that the reason many people is just to "stick it to the man," nor merely to prove that they now have total control of their lives. In a way it questions the authority of our parents by proving that we have control over our own body's and we are now old enough to make our own decision's but other than that I see it as foolish. In older times, people of different culture's got tatoo's for religious purposes, and this sacred decoration of ones body's has now deteriorated into a sort of symbol of rebellion against a higher power. Even people hiring workers would not be willing to if they saw tatoo's due to the rebellious sort of attitude it would present. I would personally not get a tatoo because I feel like my ability to present a new view on my own life questions authority better than painting myself in a way I will one day regret.
Excellent topic Meagan! Interestingly enough, I've played around with the idea of getting a "forbidden" piercing myself. (Nothing too weird guys, just my nose :D).
I think the reason why more and more young people are getting tattoos and piercings is because it's more socially acceptable now.
Yes, our parents' and grandparents' generations are appalled by it. To many of them, such decorations are meant for the rough and tough subculture and not for their well-bred children. Times are changing though. Now piercings and tattoos are chic or cool to many people our age.
So, I believe that instead of a collective rebellion, most of our generation is doing this to fit in.
Many of you suggested that reasoning behind getting a tattoo differs with each individual and I have to say that I agree with that sentiment. I have many friends who have gotten tattoos and they have all given a variety of reasons why they had them done. I don't think you can put out one reason why people get tattoos and piercings. Some might get it with rebellious intent, some see it as a coming of age thing and some just think they look cool. As tattoos become more popular, our generation will use any one of these excuses when either getting piercings or tattoos.
I personally plan on getting a tattoo eventually and I just want to get something that will remind me of who I was when I was young. So just one example of someone's reasoning behind a tattoo =)
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