Pop Culture Research Paper

Today’s culture is much different than what it once was in the past. With modern technology it is easier for individuals to express themselves in radical ways such as tattooing, piercing, etc. What do these new-age ideas reveal about society as it exists today? With the stereotypes that exist, each and every person is looking for some sort of individuality that sets them apart from everyone else. Besides tattooing and piercing, another way to do this is through social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. How do social-networking sites and tattoos reveal the personality of our culture? These new ideas set us apart from any other generation and that’s exactly what our culture today looks for: individuality.
Individuals that like to
display body modifications such as tattoos seem to think the social standards for appearance is generic and boring. As said in Wooard’s Pumped, Pierced, Painted, and Pagan, “I look at the women in Cosmopolitan and they look ridiculous. I look at the women in Savage magazine, women who look like me, and I think they are beautiful” (466).”Women today don’t want to look natural but super natural”. (456). This meaning women want to be more noticeable and achieve the most attractive look possible, even if it’s not natural looking and can easily be classified as fake. Women also seem to be willing to adapt to more extreme standards to fit modern society’s standards of beauty. They are willing to sacrifice their comfort and in some cases even their health just to be noticed.
“And as popular as tattooing is, the demand for body piercing has begun to surpass it.” (468) Tattoos are more expensive, painful, and permanent.
These factors could discourage people that may not be completely convinced they want a tattoo and make a piercing look more appealing. Piercings are much faster and when the owner of the piercing no longer wants it they can simply take it out and wait for it to heal. As for tattoos they can be very pricy and painful , not to mention time consuming. Having them removed is a very expensive and tedious process and isn’t always successful. Age also seems to be a factor when it comes to these choices. Generally younger people would decide on a body piercing rather than a
tattoo.
Social-networking sites have become one of today’s most popular form of communication between people of all ages. By adding each of your friends you are able to see what they do on their day-to-day activities as they post these on their “Wall.” Facebook offers a quality that our culture prizes; the ability to do something quick, and with ease. Although the positives of this new phenomenon called Facebook are apparent, it may not be as easy to spot the negative side effects. Does conversing online instead of face-to-face hamper our social abilities? Some people turn to social-networking sites as their main source of socializing, and this is obviously not a good thing.
Levy states in “Facebook Grows Up”, “Everyone knows that Facebook is the online hangout of just about every college student in the nation as well as the inevitable source of photos of nominees for the Supreme Court in 2038 cavorting in their underwear as youths.” (425) Members in Facebook and other social networking sites share their moods, photos, blogs, and plans.
It’s a way for college and high-school students to connect with each other and for friends to stay in touch or reconnect. This can be a very beneficial service to its members by providing these services. Facebook can also pose problems for its users. The information posted on Facebook is not very secure and could easily be accessed by individuals you don’t want searching through your private
information.
The Modern era has given us options to change our bodies in ways we never thought were possible. Tattoos can be more detailed than ever. Piercings can be done in places never thought before. New more extreme methods such as breast implants are now a regular occurrence. Facebook has given us the option to connect with our friends at the click of a mouse and share all aspects of our lives. This era has truly been a revolution in the way our society’s ability to express its self and be portrayed as individuals and raise their level of self esteem.