No offense intended.
I shaved my head a while ago in order to enter a more low-maintenance life
style. It's totally covenient and great in hot, sweaty Boston summers.
People kept asking me whatkins of statement I was trying to make and I
responded "huh. it's just simpler this way."
I don't know, everything exists on multiple levels. Maybe in some sense it
is a message, maybe it isn't. Maybe a cigar is just a cigar.
I think a lot of the body-piercing/tatooing I've seen aroud recently is in
the "making a statement" camp, though. Not that I'm against it. I got two
studs put in my left ear a few years ago. That hurt like hell. When I get
my courage up again maybe I'll go in for something else. At the same time
the whole scene is a reflection of tribalism and ancient cultural practices
and values.
That's only an insult if you think tribalism is inferior to "modern
living". I don't.
Reed Konsler
konsler@ascat.harvard.edu