Monica Switzer

Comer

EN 111

20 February 2009

A Body Changing Adventure

            In today’s world being unique is highly emphasized. As children grow up, they are constantly told that they are one of a kind. We are told that we can do anything we dream, such as being a famous actor or ballet dancer. Parents strive to make their children feel like they stand out against everyone else. But, we are all made to conform to the way society wants us to be, whether we realize it or not. So, really, how unique does that make us?

            According to John Fiske, we are not unique at all. He claims that everything we do is controlled, by the government or some higher up business (2). When he says everything, this includes the things we buy, movies, and television shows that we watch, and much more. In Fiske’s book, Understanding Popular Culture, he claims that even the jeans we wear are controlled (2). He focuses on a small object like jeans so he can get his point across, which is that big businesses create things the way they want us to look, therefore we lack freedom. Bigger businesses want to control us so that there is conformity; therefore it is easier to get along with others.  Fiske believes that we are in no way free. He believes that in order for people to individualize themselves, they tear their jeans. This is explained more  page 4 when Fiske says, “If ‘whole’ jeans connote shared meanings of contemporary America, then disfiguring them becomes a way of distancing oneself from those values.” Fiske believes that producers are active while consumers are passive and he is trying to make consumers more active (4). As a consumer, I am being more active by changing the way my body looks to express my personality.

            There are certain guidelines that we as consumers are supposed to follow. We all are unique in the way that no one in the world looks the same; however, we all basically have the same layout and design. As consumer, Fiske believes that we are all controlled in one way or another and wants us to become more active so we are in other words “free”. After thinking about this for a while I came to the conclusion that my decision to get two tattoos and three piercings, which differ from the regular piercings, allowed me to be active or free. Fiske believes we are being controlled by the guidelines society gives us.   These ‘guidelines’ include no tattoos, and only certain piercings. Basically, we as consumers are not supposed to change our bodies at all in any way, shape or form. If we do any of these things to our bodies, the rest of society puts us into categories that are of lower status than that of the norm.

            If people were to do certain things to their bodies like getting tattoos, they might be considered trouble-makers. Depending on where the tattoo is located and if the person who has the tattoo is female, society might consider them slutty. Most people who have tattoos are associated with gangs or people who get into massive amounts of trouble.  There are many people, however, who have tattoos and are not trouble makers, myself being an example. Then there are people who get piercings. People with piercings tend to e grouped into an outcast crowd. They are normally misunderstood by the rest of society, so they are just put into a group off to the side.

            I personally have two tattoos and six piercings. However, three of those piercings are on the lower lobe of my ear, two in the left and one on the right. I have two more piercings on my ears. One is on an area called my tragus, which is on my left ear. The other is on the area called my auricle and that is on my right ear. The last piercing is in my belly button. Some people may say that I am weird or something because of all my piercings, but I believe by me getting these piercings, it helps me express my personality.

            On another note, I also said that I have two tattoos. According to society, people with tattoos are associated with being in gangs or as slutty. My first tattoo is the Chinese symbol for love; it is located on the right side of my lower abdomen. My second tattoo is a butterfly on my lower back. The second tattoo is what society has the biggest problem with. The lower back tattoos are usually referred to as a ‘tramp stamp’. I went about getting my tattoos by first choosing a design. Once I had a design, I needed to find a tattoo parlor; found in any phonebook, or online. If you are still unsure of a tattoo design, you can look at pictures that your desired parlor has. Next comes the outline; the tattoo artist creates an outline to put on your body. Once the outline is in place, the artist then draws over the outline with ink and needle. After the outline is drawn, you then need to decide if you want color. My butterfly has pink, blue, purple, and black; my “love’ sign is just black. Now that you colors are picked, the artist will fill your tattoo in. After it is filled in you are good to leave and your new tattoo off.

            However, some of you may be wondering what any of this has to do with me being a more active consumer. John Fiske believes that being an active consumer means taking something that was given to you and changing it to make it you own (4). Or as stated by Professor Comer, “The dialogue between the norm and its opposition is the source of change” (Comer). If the difference between the two is the source of change then I succeeded in becoming more active. I took my body and made it my own by expressing my own ideas and personality. Although I knew that a tattoo on the lower back was considered a tramp stamp before I got it, I still went through with it to stand against society’s norms.

            As I was thinking about a topic, I was looking at the assignment sheet. I noticed a question on there that I had not yet answered, “Discuss how this new identity empowered you.” My new identity was my tattoos and piercings. My answer is simple; I chose to get the tattoo on my lower back because, I was not a tramp. I wanted to prove to society that just because you have a tattoo in a certain spot it does not mean you are a certain way. Just like people paint or sing, play instruments or decorate clothes; it is your own way of expressing your personality. Everyone is unique and John Fiske is trying to prove that.     

Works Cited

Fiske, John. Understanding Popular culture. New York: Routledge, 1994.

Comer, Todd Professor