Images in Alternative Culture

Gauges, septum rings, tattoos, and pretty much anything else related to alternative self expression all have roots in African, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American culture. So why is it always strange when a non-white person modifies themselves? Who knows, but I think it is pretty odd since Western/European culture sheds so much negative light on those things to begin with.

Anyway I just wanted to say that the images most people associate with alternative culture is no more 'punk' than (i hate this word) ethnic influenced looks which most people deem 'afrocentric' or 'primitive'. The fuck? Just cuz someone prefers to look like this:

(credit http://www.pinoytattoos.com/dutdutan-2007-indigenous-tribal-tattoos)

instead of this:

doesn't make them any less punk than you. After all, the aesthetic all derived from the exact same place. Just sayin..

That's all,

good night.

*Throws mic*

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Permalink Reply by Mäkkonen on August 4, 2011 at 6:13pm

People have been conditioned to see us in a certain way. If one goes against the standard they are seen as odd. Sometime it's just best to go out on your own, explain nothing to anyone.

You are your own home. So decorate as you please. Also punk in my understanding never was meant to have an aesthetic. It's in complete opposition of pop culture, wherein there are trends and must buy sorts of things.

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Permalink Reply by Fashionfreak on August 5, 2011 at 1:31am

Youre right there is no one look for punks or whatever I am just speaking of the modification aspect of it that some people embrace some people choose to be it in the inside completely true. However I am not talking about those people im just specifically bringing up the fact that traditional tribal modification is always considered something other than rocknroll yet when someone pale with sailor jerry tats and a septum it is?

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Permalink Reply by Mäkkonen on August 5, 2011 at 3:16am

Sadly that just comes down to our society. In where whites are seen as the norm,so any altering they do is seen as radica--and rock . Leaving ours is seen as degenerative or backtracking. Being that we're meant to aspire to follow white norms. In these sort of predicaments we're meant to follow the leader or even sometimes not so.

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Permalink Reply by Fashionfreak on August 5, 2011 at 9:41am

Totally. I recently walked into a parlor to check out some work and everyone in there w thier devil heads and sugar skulls gave my ankh and my sister's big ass nefertiti the side eye. Oh im sorry should we have gone somewhere with incense burning blasting erykah badu instead? (i love that btw but thats not the point).

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Permalink Reply by LesYpersound on August 5, 2011 at 1:18pm

it's funny how members of some sort of minority group have a rigid us v them unspoken set of rules for membership... folk like to think they're beyond race, but most folks are not--as evidenced by the coldness or side-eyeing given to your African/Black-inspired tattoos.