Customizing the Body (PDF file) - Print My Tattoo

2 Introduction
Attractiveness. then. affects self-concept and social experience.
Attractive people express more feelings of general happiness (Berscheid
et al. 1973), have higher levels of self-esteem, and are less
likely than the relatively unattractive to expect that they will suffer
from mental illness in the future (Napoleon et aI.. 1980).
Deviation from and conformity to the societal norms surrounding
attractiveness are. therefore, at the core of discussions of appearance
and alterations of the physical self. Those who choose to
modify their bodies in ways that violate appearance norms-or
who reject culturally prescribed alterations-risk being defined as
socially or morally inferior. Choosing to be a physical deviant symbolically
demonstrates one's disregard for the prevailing norms.
Public display of symbolic physical deviance. then. effectively communicates
a wealth of information that shapes the social situation
in which interaction takes place (Goffman. 1963b; Lofland.
1973: 79-80).
These issues of voluntary body alteration. deviation from appearance
norms. and the social impact of purposive public stigmatization
provide the central theme orienting this introductory
material and the subsequent chapters on the social and occupational
world of tattooing. In non-western tribal cultures, the dominant
pattern is that certain modes of body alteration typically are
deemed essential if one is to assume effectively the appropriate
social role and enjoy comfortable social interactions. Failure to alter
the physical self in culturally appropriate ways-for example.
by wearing a particular costume. or by not having the body
shaped or marked in a prescribed manner-labels one as deviant
and. in turn. generates negative social reaction.
While the pattern shows considerable historical variability, in
western societies purposive body alteration has been. and continues
to be, primarily a mechanism for demonstrating one's disaffection
from the mainstream. Tattooing, body piercing and. to a
lesser degree. body sculpting are employed to proclaim publicly
one's special attachment to deviant groups, certain activities, selfconcepts.
or primary associates.
This connection to unconventionality is the key to understanding
the organization of and change within the social world surrounding
contemporary tattooing in the United States. Like all
deviant activities. tattooing is the focus of social conflict. The pro-