A New Piercing

This blog is about different ideas and our natural prejudice against them.

This photo implies there's a form of "piercing" that is new to our culture. It either cuts the skin away and attaches a window, or puts a post in the skin and gradually substitutes a bigger post, making the hole larger.

Another picture was posted of an 3 inch by 8 inch window into a woman's stomach so you can see her intestines!

For a number of reasons, I think these are faked- either photoshopped or they're images on a piece of jewelry glued onto the skin. But maybe not...

This blog is about whether it's an acceptable practice. On facebook are lots of weird reactions to it, including plenty of name-calling.

I find it gross. We're all full of innards- why do I find the insides of people gross?

There's nothing false or bad about my reaction. But why do I think the discomfort that I call "feeling gross" is the fault of the piercing?

Doctors don't find it gross, so it's possible for humans not to be grossed out by it... I conclude it's gross because my cultural programming says so. I'm prejudiced. I'm committed to be open-minded. I say that I can get used to this.

In general I find all piercings gross. I've gotten used to pierced ears, but I still think they're dumb. I don't blame girls for doing it- they're under a lot of (self-reinforced) social pressure. Nor do I blame guys for piercings. Some do it because they like the look, others it makes feel special, and for some it's a statement of rebellion, perhaps because their parents or the military or their previous company forbade it. And there are probably lots more reasons I'm unaware of, for both males and females.

Is there something really bad about piercings? What?

1. It wastes time and money
2. It fixates on appearance (whether to look good, conform, or be different)
3. There are possible health risks
4. It grosses out most people.

1. It wastes time and money. So does most shopping for clothes and jewelry, as well as piercing ears. So maybe it's a waste for me, but not for others.
2. It fixates on appearance (whether to look good, conform, or be different). Again, we do this all the time with clothes and jewelry, plus our hair, nail polish, make-up, as well as piercing ears. We're very appearance-oriented- it's worth growing out of the need to be, but it's also a common choice.
3. There are possible health risks. There are also health risks with pierced ears and tattoos. Many perfumes and scents contain known carcinogens. We pump pollutants into the atmosphere and poisons into our soil and onto our foods. And people smoke, drink too much and eat too much sugar. And few depressed people get the best treatment for depression, even though it's free. I doubt this kind of piercing's a serious health risk...
4. It grosses out most people. Many people are grossed out by the thought of gay sex, being a Republican, being a Democrat, or having cancer. That's intolerance and lack of humbleness. Pride is a vice, in this case thinking our strong feelings about something are divinely significant, believing our judgemental opinions reflect God's judgement. So maybe this is simply more opportunity to face one's own narrowmindedness.

My conclusion is that this kind of piercing, if it's real, is really no different than anything else, just new to our culture. Piercings and stretching have been practiced for thousands of years. Though I was shocked to see these, a few moments of thought had me realize these people are just expressing themselves and the piercers are simply being creative with their art.

If you feel this kind of piercing is gross, fine. And, realize you don't have to feel that way. Look at such pictures for ten minutes a day and pretty soon the feeling will subside. So you're actually choosing to feel this way. Enjoy your choice.

If you think this kind of piercing is gross, it's just your brain generating thoughts that match your feelings. It's an automatic process- those thoughts are not significant.

If you judge this kind of piercing to be gross, that is, if you believe your thoughts are right you suffer from arrogance, the vice of pride. You're believing your thoughts, thinking your human thoughts are on par with God's ability to judge.

You are brainwashed by your culture. We all are.

My suggestion is to embrace your limits as limits, not as truths. Embrace your brainwashing as normal, something to be outgrown, not stuff to be defended.

God gave us a world where people have always suffered and often died from accidents, disasters, war, poverty and disease. Let's address those, and not try to abolish fashion and personal preference and expression.

And, I've no plans to get a piercing, and hope my loved-ones don't. And if they do, I'll still love them and learn to love their choice.

We'll be in heaven when we love the world exactly as it is and exactly as it isn't, even while we strive to better it.

My commitments are:

• whether we're in paradise is up to me
• this is paradise
• to strive to improve it, to create peace, health and prosperity for all, even while we preserve opportunities to grow and learn to deal with both random problems as well as consequences.

But just because you stick with your judgements that war, poverty, disease and crime are bad, doesn't mean that your judgements in general are accurate. Learn tolerance, especially when it's difficult.