life in the fast lane

i've been suffering of severe insomnia these past days. it happens when i go back to my unhealthy eating habits. yeah, i gave up my regime for a few days, due to uncontrollable pms hormones. but i swear it's a temporary break.

2 nights ago in particular i didn't sleep at all. i casually happened to watch a tv show on extreme body modifications on discovery channel, and the chronicle gave me the creeps. how naif i was to think that tattoos and piercings are the only forms of body art! they're just the most common, since other types include scarification, branding and scalpelling to name a few. i totally don't get it and when they started to show eye tattoo procedures, i felt i had enough and shut the tv off. 

then today i browsed on the net because i had this post idea in my mind and caught some more disturbing photos, showing that some of these people even go for penectomy or sex nullification. that's when i started to wonder there must be something deeper behind. i can't believe that body manipulation to such an extent is only done to get atention or to feel different fromt he rest of society. there must be some personality disorder if you have a big lump on your forehead and state that you're just changelling traditional perceptions of beauty.

take a look at the pics taken from various websites, like bmezine.com. they go from simple but still impressing piercing and cartilage stretching

to more shocking of extreme transformations that make of these people individuals trasncendent of time, space, ideals and species.

 elaine davidson, world's most pierced woman

 erik sprague, committed to life as a lizardman (via weirdnews)

source

source

erl van aken, this deviant art's pioneer, a genuine compared to others!

disturbing, huh? now try and bring them home to greet your folks!

poor me, i only have classic ear piearcings and it wasn't even my idea. it was mom who forced me when i was about 10, and today tattoos don't even make sense to me at all. we tattoo, dress, tan, color our hair, even change the shape of our musculature to stand up and be recognized or to just look like others.  for religious purposes, or identification of cults, gangs and friendship. 

but one thing is bodysculpting your body committing to daily excercises that are even okay for your health, a totally other is to have permanent implants for a lifelong commitment. stalking cat is totally convinced that his transformation is getting him close to what he wants to be: a tiger.  listen to this guy  and tell me if you get some sense out of his personal committment. i didn't, though i bet his final step is to transform his voice too. he's on the good path, since teeth and lips don't allow him to talk well already now.

it makes you think that the circus is back in town, right? but this guy takes himslf seriously and is willing to make a living like everyone else. i'm sure there were other better ways, you know. anyway, the world is huge and different, it's none of my business. only, i'd like to know what's the motivation out there in the fast lane.

i can understand the disorder. it's called body integrity identity disorder, when individuals have the persistent desire to have their body physically match the idealized image they have of themselves. i can even get the more romantic  and artsy concept that to some, the body is canvas and the only shame is leaving it blank. 

but then why the unnecessary, painful and dangerous suspension? 

 

i read it's done for meditation to gain a higher level of spiritual fulfillment. mmmh!  every man has his inner cave in which you can get lost. maybe some are only braver to willing to explore it?