In our modern world consisting of cell phones, fast cars, busy schedules, and over one hundred television channels, body piercing, tattoos and other variants of body modification are rapidly becoming increasingly popular. Teenagers and adults alike, generally young adults, are heading to body piercing and tattoo shops everywhere. Most people who do not have piercings or tattoos and who do not understand the motives behind the actions would agree that people are altering themselves motivated solely by rebellion. However, more often than not, this isn't true. The most common motivation for actions such as body piercing and tattooing isn't in the intent to rebel, but rather as a way of self-expression. In a sense, the motivation of having something that signifies their own personal identity, and shows part of who they are and what they are about.

Although the believed, model way to rebel does also consist of piercings and/or tattoos, the majority of the people who decorate themselves with this extreme "needle work" do so out of pure creativity, imagination, and individual self-expression. Whatever the reason a person may hold for making the decision to body pierce or tattoo, society shouldn't dismiss the actions as merely rebellion. The superior number of people who involve themselves in body modification are serious about what they are doing to their bodies, and do not consider their permanent alterations reckless or made rashly. People who dismiss the fine art of body modification as an act to rebel do not understand that body art is most definitely a form of fine art. Body modification should be viewed in proper context and valued, as well as treated with dignity and respect. Making such permanent alterations should be taken seriously, and any person who progresses to these changes with intentions to rebel, is in every sense foolish. Although there are people who involve themselves in piercings and tattoos as a sense of rebellion, the majority of people does not, and does so in individual self-expression. In conclusion, body modification should not be viewed as a rebellious action, regardless of the few people who do so with such a moronic motive.

It is thought by a surprisingly high number of people that the world of the pierced and tattooed is a relatively new one. It is also believed that the so called "rebellious" attitude trailing the body modification movement began with the punk rock revolution of the 1970's. However, this notion is in fact untrue. Tattoos, piercings, and many additional forms of body modification have been found throughout history in numerous cultures positioned around the world. The art dates back such great distances that its origin cannot even be traced. It is an incredibly ancient and traditional practice that even just the earliest culture that used body modification cannot be dated. Tattooing and piercing has been implemented throughout countless cultures for a variety of reasons. Some examples of the incentive for cultures to participate in body modification may potentiality include identification of certain cultures or tribes, religious purposes as well as worship, and ceremonies and rituals. Other incentives may be for hunting purposes, cultural hierarchies, and in many forms of expression. Some of the types of expression body modification was used for consists of individual, historical, a display of accomplishments, their background, who they are as well as what they enjoy or love. Therefore, body modification has been practiced prior to there ever even being anything to rebel against. Body modification is such a historically meaningful and beautiful art not to mention an ancient tradition, and deserves to be valued as so.

The art of tattooing, piercing, and such body modification has been researched throughout history in attempt establish the earliest culture to participate in this fine art, as well as which cultures just in general took part in the ancient tradition. Evidence has been found of historical use, however none of which indicates an origin. Even through research the earliest use of body modification is still untraceable. A four thousand year-old clay figurine is displayed at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology from Iran that has multiple pierced ears as well as earplugs, tattoos and piercings were discovered on the bodies of the ancient Mexican civilization, the Mayans. Hernando Cortez, a spanish explorer and his fellow spanish conquistadors having arrived on the coast of Mexico in 1519 where they found the Mayans worshiping gods through idol and statues. This ancient Mexican civilization the Mayans, would tattoo themselves in intention to commemorate their acquisitions in battle. In addition to the various tattoos displayed proudly upon their bodies, they would pierce their tongues temporarily to participate in ceremonies, where their bodies were purified and they would commune with the spirits of their ancestors. There was no reason for the Mayans to pierce or tattoo in any sense of rebellion. Prior to the arrival of Cortez and the other Spaniards came, there was no one besides themselves and their leaders to look up to. They worshiped various gods and tattooed and pierced themselves as way to pay revere and homage to the gods. Until the conquistadors the culture didn’t know of rebellion. Their actions were a way to convey a message about themselves. The Mayans were expressing a part of who they were; since a warrior was a large part of who they were they choose to express themselves as so.

The vast and intricate world of tattooing and piercing throughout history has amplified itself moving to more and more cultures, however who have over the years lost the more ceremonial and complex significations to body modification. Instead, body art around the modern world has grown to an immensely large population of people who share a common bond, the need to express themselves. Even if there are people who participate in body modification with moronic motives, the most common and historic incentive is without a doubt expression. Body modification should be viewed as form of fine art, and understood as a way of expression, despite the foolish few with clouded minds.

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