Body Modification Essay Example
Body Modification: Self Expression or Self Destruction?
Abstract
Body modification has existed around the world since ancient times, with the first body modification practices done for personal, religious, and social purposes. In more recent times, extreme forms of body modifications such as scarification, implantation, and tongue splitting have emerged. This evolution of new body modification practices has created great controversy and debate. Those who propose believe that it is a way of self-expression, spirituality, and self-empowerment. On the other hand those who oppose believe that extreme body modification is dangerous to our health, promotes destructive behavior, and opposes religion. The controversies surrounding the topic of body modification are proponents who embrace the practice and opponents who challenge the morale of it.
Body Modification: Self Expression or Self Destruction?
In November of 2012, after undergoing years of making himself appear more and more like a cat, the infamous Daniel Avner, or more commonly known as the ‘Stalking Cat,’ was found dead at age 54 in what was ruled as a suicide. Daniel went through a number of surgeries to appear as a feline such as bifurcation, surgical ear pointing, silicone cheek and forehead implants, tooth sharpening and facial tattoos and piercings (Hall, 2012). According to Wohlrab, Stahl, and Kappeler (University of Goettingen), “body modification is defined as the (semi-) permanent, deliberate alteration of the human body and embraces procedures such as tattooing and body piercing” (Wohlrab et. al, 2006). Controversy surrounding the topic of body modification include proponents who fully embrace body modification and opponents that challenge the morale and ethics of such a practice.
History
Body modification began as far as ancient history first began. Ear piercing is one of the mildest forms of body modification in the
Abstract
Body modification has existed around the world since ancient times, with the first body modification practices done for personal, religious, and social purposes. In more recent times, extreme forms of body modifications such as scarification, implantation, and tongue splitting have emerged. This evolution of new body modification practices has created great controversy and debate. Those who propose believe that it is a way of self-expression, spirituality, and self-empowerment. On the other hand those who oppose believe that extreme body modification is dangerous to our health, promotes destructive behavior, and opposes religion. The controversies surrounding the topic of body modification are proponents who embrace the practice and opponents who challenge the morale of it.
Body Modification: Self Expression or Self Destruction?
In November of 2012, after undergoing years of making himself appear more and more like a cat, the infamous Daniel Avner, or more commonly known as the ‘Stalking Cat,’ was found dead at age 54 in what was ruled as a suicide. Daniel went through a number of surgeries to appear as a feline such as bifurcation, surgical ear pointing, silicone cheek and forehead implants, tooth sharpening and facial tattoos and piercings (Hall, 2012). According to Wohlrab, Stahl, and Kappeler (University of Goettingen), “body modification is defined as the (semi-) permanent, deliberate alteration of the human body and embraces procedures such as tattooing and body piercing” (Wohlrab et. al, 2006). Controversy surrounding the topic of body modification include proponents who fully embrace body modification and opponents that challenge the morale and ethics of such a practice.
History
Body modification began as far as ancient history first began. Ear piercing is one of the mildest forms of body modification in the