Greetings, earthlings. Take me to your leader.

October 22, 2006 8:08 AM

BodyModificationFilter: Some people express themselves by getting a little ink. Others express themselves by getting a piercing. And some people express themselves by having a pair of antennas attached to their heads (a couple of the photos are kind of gory.)
posted by jason's_planet (85 comments total)

I'm typically not a huge fan of some of the more unusual (and a few more typical) piercings, but this one is cute!
posted by majick at 8:14 AM on October 22, 2006

When did "express themselves" become a synonym for "beg for attention"?
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:16 AM on October 22, 2006

Very cute. I like it. And it's no more "begging for attention" than any other example of the normal human impulse to adorn the body.
posted by mediareport at 8:21 AM on October 22, 2006

I wonder what radio signals she can pick up?
posted by gomichild at 8:28 AM on October 22, 2006

She's my favorite martian.
posted by crunchland at 8:30 AM on October 22, 2006

all i can do is laugh
posted by Max Power at 8:32 AM on October 22, 2006

That new girl in accounting kind of frightens me. That said, my WiFi signal is now excellent.
posted by hal9k at 8:38 AM on October 22, 2006

all i can do is laugh

I think she'd like that.
posted by mediareport at 8:41 AM on October 22, 2006

I wouldn't like to be her during a lighting storm.
posted by Po0py at 8:42 AM on October 22, 2006

Some people express themselves with the content of their character.
posted by wigu at 8:48 AM on October 22, 2006 [1 favorite]

Some people express themselves with the content of their character.

And you know she doesn't how, exactly? Unless you're arguing that all clothing, costuming, haircutting and decoration are somehow incompatible with also "expressing yourself via the content of your character" - a clearly ridiculous idea - you have no point.
posted by mediareport at 8:53 AM on October 22, 2006

One of her links goes to The Lizardman. Anyone want to call him cute?
posted by leftcoastbob at 8:54 AM on October 22, 2006

Why is it that people assume any visible modification is done for the people who see it and not for the person wearing it?

I can only assume self-importance of the viewer.
posted by Kickstart70 at 9:03 AM on October 22, 2006

Immediately after leaving the studio I returned to my hotel and took a mild pain killer because I had developed quite a headache,

No shit?
posted by loquacious at 9:09 AM on October 22, 2006 [1 favorite]

I gotta say, I woke up this morning thinking I'd do some laundry, watch some football, have a few beers, masturbate and then go back to bed.

But no. I learned something totally new today.

Damn you, Metafilter.
posted by Cyrano at 9:17 AM on October 22, 2006 [1 favorite]

Heh. Cool stuff.
posted by slimepuppy at 9:18 AM on October 22, 2006

She's my favorite martian.

This would be so cool if her's went up slowly, like Uncle Martin's did on the show.
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:21 AM on October 22, 2006

Why is it that people assume any visible modification is done for the people who see it and not for the person wearing it?

Probably has something to do with taking pictures and putting it on the web. Makes one think, "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"
posted by Manhasset at 9:23 AM on October 22, 2006

"I am a twenty five year old girl from Australia named Chel — I refer to myself as a girl because I believe my interests vary a lot from a regular adult woman's."

Uh, yeah....
posted by fixedgear at 9:27 AM on October 22, 2006

I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be the center of attention. If I did, I wouldn't post so much on MetaFilter.

All human beings have a certain amount of narcissism and that's healthy and normal. We want to be recognized. We want people to like us. Taken to extremes, it can be pathological and obnoxious. But how is getting attention through an unusual body modification so different from getting attention through caustic, provocative (and usually hilarious) comments on MetaFilter? Come to think of it, how is it so different from getting attention through posting a picture of your cat's testicle?

Just curious.
posted by jason's_planet at 9:35 AM on October 22, 2006

This BM trend has got to stop, right now. (Extreme NSFW Warning)
posted by growabrain at 9:35 AM on October 22, 2006

Mad as a Hatter
posted by A189Nut at 9:45 AM on October 22, 2006

I certainly recognize the right of all men and women to do as they wish to their own bodies, from getting tattoos to putting antennae on their heads to cutting their dick in half to committing suicide.

But the recognition of that right does not preclude me of making fun of these people, most of whom are totally fucking nuts.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 9:45 AM on October 22, 2006 [3 favorites]

Why has it got to stop? Because it doesn't comply with your sense of decency and normality? I see nothing wrong with that as long as the person having it done wants to have it done and understands the ramifications of their actions.
posted by LunaticFringe at 9:45 AM on October 22, 2006

Some people express themselves with the content of their character.

And they adorn themselves in ways that express that character.
posted by jason's_planet at 9:45 AM on October 22, 2006

But how is getting attention through an unusual body modification so different from getting attention through caustic, provocative (and usually hilarious) comments on MetaFilter?

I can wear a hat.
posted by MegoSteve at 9:46 AM on October 22, 2006 [2 favorites]

Ring toss anyone?
posted by The Deej at 9:46 AM on October 22, 2006

I'm with Optimus on this one. Do whatever you like to your body, but don't expect everyone to think it's amazing.
posted by maxwelton at 9:48 AM on October 22, 2006

Body modification is all about cultural positioning. Extreme body modification is all about getting attention.
posted by davebush at 10:01 AM on October 22, 2006

If you rub her with a balloon, she becomes a tesla coil.
posted by horsewithnoname at 10:03 AM on October 22, 2006

If that's a way in which she feels she can express herself, then good for her. I have tattoos myself, and used to have several ear piercings. That being said I really don't see career-track employment in her future...
posted by clevershark at 10:03 AM on October 22, 2006

I certainly recognize the right of all men and women to do as they wish to their own bodies, from getting tattoos to putting antennae on their heads to cutting their dick in half to committing suicide.

But the recognition of that right does not preclude me of making fun of these people, most of whom are totally fucking nuts.

Yes.
posted by Divine_Wino at 10:06 AM on October 22, 2006

I tend toward the gray and ordinary. Couldn't conceive of antennae implanted in my head. But as far as attention-seekers go, I have been intrigued by the French artist Orlan, a sort of human catalog of BM options.
posted by beelzbubba at 10:06 AM on October 22, 2006

Breast implants: hot
Skull implants: not
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:17 AM on October 22, 2006

Why is it that people assume any visible modification is done for the people who see it and not for the person wearing it?

Having more than 50% of my body tattooed, I can say that it's done more for me than the people that see it. I tend to leave mine covered more than not and if you were to look at me on the street you would never assume that I was tattooed.
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 10:25 AM on October 22, 2006

Guys. She put ANTENNA in her HEAD. She's the coolest person I've ever HEARD of.
Jesus, once I get my prehensile monkey-tail grafted above my ass, I guess I know where not to announce it.
posted by 235w103 at 10:29 AM on October 22, 2006 [4 favorites]

Oh and growabrain, I also have to ask you why you care what people are doing to their genitals? Do you care what they do in the bedroom? Do you feel that it's any of your business? If it offends you, don't continue to read about it, and don't search the internet looking for the most extreme thing you can find to make a "this has to stop"comment on.
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 10:29 AM on October 22, 2006

If you rub her with a balloon, she becomes a tesla coil.

That makes me think: She had better stay well away from lightning.
posted by jiawen at 10:35 AM on October 22, 2006

Body modification fans might be interested in this from our very own glider.
posted by adamvasco at 10:39 AM on October 22, 2006

About a decade ago, Burt Reynolds demonstrated (in court? on TV? I don't recall) that he has had four posts implanted under/through his scalp, for the purpose of "snapping" his toupee to his skull so that it doesn't move regardless of what he does.

All things considered, I prefer the antennae.
posted by Dreama at 10:41 AM on October 22, 2006

Nice tags
posted by melt away at 10:42 AM on October 22, 2006

Fun with your penis. May be NSFW in some contexts.
posted by Meatbomb at 10:43 AM on October 22, 2006

If you do weird things to your body, you should expect that people might make fun of you. If you want do things to your that might permanently impair its function, you should expect that the regulatory state might get involved.
posted by footnote at 10:57 AM on October 22, 2006

I'm glad someone upthread mentioned breast implants.
All cultures have their own particular body modifications that are deemed normal. Subincision (as growabrain linked to) has been around forever. Most people in 2006, in the US or Europe, would not find it acceptable. But what do we have here?
Breast Implants
Botox
Lip Injections
people have their legs lengthened
even butt implants for Christ's sake!

because we all know Christ loves big butts. Or was that Sir Mix-A-Lot?
posted by bobobox at 11:18 AM on October 22, 2006

Oh and growabrain, I also have to ask you why you care what people are doing to their genitals? Do you care what they do in the bedroom? Do you feel that it's any of your business? If it offends you, don't continue to read about it, and don't search the internet looking for the most extreme thing you can find to make a "this has to stop"comment on.

And why do you care to make a comment about what someone does on the internet? Why does anyone care about anything?

If it offends you, don't continue to read it.
posted by dflemingdotorg at 11:25 AM on October 22, 2006

One thing that I think is being overlooked here is that she didn't actually get antennas implanted, just places to attach the antennas. This means that not only can she choose to wear them or not, but she can potentially attach other things to her head.

This really limits the impact on her career etc and opens up some neat and creative possibilities.

Body mod is an interesting test for open mindedness because many of them do squick us to our very cores, but it's clearly a very personal thing that only affects the individual.

I've often seen comments about the mental states of those who get such modifications. If such comments are from personal experience that's one thing, but I wonder if they are formed just as a first impression of the 'kind of person' who would do drastic body modification.

I don't think society should forbid people from doing what they want with their bodies. If you disagree, you should ask yourself if you aren't imposing your preferences onto others.

Body modification is only going to get cheaper, easier, more common, and more powerful.
posted by Rictic at 11:46 AM on October 22, 2006

And why do you care to make a comment about what someone does on the internet? Why does anyone care about anything?

If it offends you, don't continue to read it.

So, I'm guessing your kinda new this whole "internet" thing, aren't you?
posted by doctor_negative at 12:00 PM on October 22, 2006

BM is just so faddish, tomorrow it will be over
posted by growabrain at 12:33 PM on October 22, 2006

And it's no more "begging for attention" than any other example of the normal human impulse to adorn the body.


posted by three blind mice at 12:38 PM on October 22, 2006

And it's no more "begging for attention" than any other example of the normal human impulse to adorn the body.
posted by three blind mice at 12:40 PM on October 22, 2006

So, I'm guessing your kinda new this whole "internet" thing, aren't you?

No, I'm new to the whole defending someone's right to express themselves through squashing someone else's.

That's not really internet related. It comes up every time body mod discussions begin.
posted by dflemingdotorg at 12:45 PM on October 22, 2006

I need an aspirin for the sympathy pains.
posted by itchylick at 12:52 PM on October 22, 2006

"BM is just so faddish, tomorrow it will be over"

Yeah, all those cultures who were modifying their bodies in ancient Africa, Middle East, North and South America, Asia, etc... they were all just so damn trendy.
posted by RoseovSharon at 1:16 PM on October 22, 2006

Do any of you recall this Wired story, about a guy who augmented his body by inserting a magnet into his fingertip, and how it granted him an extra sense? I know I'd go through augmentation (provided the procedure was completely sanitary to get an implant that told me some sort of useful information. Like maybe the temperature, or my blood sugar levels, or something else. How about you?
posted by crunchland at 2:22 PM on October 22, 2006

So how much risk is there in having an open conduit from the outside world to the sub-dermal skin? How does that not increase the risk of infection?

As for the esthetic value of such a thing: Time heals all fads.
posted by Tube at 2:41 PM on October 22, 2006

BM is just so faddish, tomorrow it will be over

Wow, growabrain, I used to think you were pretty smart and interesting. I still do, but at a much lower volume after this thread.

We all have our weak spots, I guess, but I'm not sure why you've put yours on grand display here. Trust me, they're not as interesting as antennae.
posted by mediareport at 3:20 PM on October 22, 2006

She had better stay well away from lightning.

Uh, she's not using metal. She mentions starting with PTFE; it's a vinyl polymer that is, in fact, an excellent insulator.

It really helps to read the post before commenting.
posted by mediareport at 3:26 PM on October 22, 2006

I, too, think that this is totally cute.

I've been trying to find a hair-band thing with antennas for years, unsuccessfully, to achieve a similar look without the surgery.
posted by porpoise at 3:57 PM on October 22, 2006

dfleming, if what I wrote in regards to growabrain's comment offends you, don't continue to read it.
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 4:19 PM on October 22, 2006

I know I'd go through augmentation (provided the procedure was completely sanitary to get an implant that told me some sort of useful information. Like maybe the temperature, or my blood sugar levels, or something else. How about you?

I would too. Not sure exactly which information or extra sense I would want to have. But I would.
posted by jason's_planet at 4:36 PM on October 22, 2006

Body mods... I think it's cute. But it looks unsafe.

Ripe for some kind of horrible ironic fatal accident that will be a chrome-a-key box over a smug local news anchor's shoulder. Or a Darwin Award.

That's the only reason I avoid that kind of stuff. I know Karma would just love to kill me in some ironic and humiliating way just so my enemies can get a good laugh.

Though if they invent the full-on strength augmented armor exoskeleton I am so there. (And naturally I would die by friction igniting my self while masturbating at super-sonic speeds.)
posted by tkchrist at 5:02 PM on October 22, 2006

...my blood sugar levels...

I have a friend who has just such a gizmo. She's diabetic. She has a thin tube coming out of her abdomen, and it hooks up to a small box that displays her insulin levels. The cord is long enough that she can tuck the box (about the size of a credit card, as I recall) into her bra or the front pocket on her pants.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:11 PM on October 22, 2006

I'm pretty sure growabrain was kidding. No one that says things like that could be serious.
posted by exlotuseater at 5:16 PM on October 22, 2006

"Fun with your penis. May be NSFW in some contexts."
posted by Meatbomb

*Otto* Those penises that are like, double penises, y'know?

The antennae are cute, but I'd shoot the lizardman on sight. "AHH!" *bang* "Oh....uh...call 911. Sorry, guy."
posted by Smedleyman at 5:24 PM on October 22, 2006

Am I alone in wanting to put some nylon between them and hang out doll's trousers on them?
posted by Sparx at 6:19 PM on October 22, 2006

Recognizing that everyone has the right to do what they want to their own bodies, and that some means of self-expression are deeply personal and difficult for others to appreciate or understand, I offer my personal hierarchy of body mods:

earrings -- cute
nose rings -- generally cute, although they make bad noses look worse
tatoos -- too varied by size and quality to generalize, but usually interesting
breast implants -- usually kinda weird looking but whatever
eyebrow and lip rings -- edgy looking, make me wince a little
big discs in the ear -- makes me say 'whoa' but hey, it's cool
nipple rings -- for the love of god be careful with those things
tongue rings -- man, don't swallow that
antennae implants -- procedure sounds awful, but final product is novel and sort of adorable
pierced genitals -- ay ay ay don't make me think about that
hooks in your back to hang from -- ERASE MY MEMORY OH PLEASE MAKE ME FORGET
split penis -- AAARGH NO THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL TO EVEN THINK ABOUT
and this -- .
posted by brain_drain at 6:36 PM on October 22, 2006

Yeah, all those cultures who were modifying their bodies in ancient Africa, Middle East, North and South America, Asia, etc... they were all just so damn trendy.

Wow, growabrain, I used to think you were pretty smart and interesting. I still do, but at a much lower volume after this thread.

You guys could always have a sarcasm meter installed. That one was dripping.
posted by dreamsign at 7:00 PM on October 22, 2006

Sorry, dreamsign, I don't see it, especially after growabrain's first "body piercing - gory blech!" comment.
posted by mediareport at 7:05 PM on October 22, 2006

Not for me -- but the folks who are doing this kind of extreme body modification do seem very happy.

How can one argue with happiness?
posted by mooncrow at 7:29 PM on October 22, 2006

Yeah, I was prepared to give her a big YUCK, but she expressed herself pretty happily (verbally), so I have a different opinion now. I do like that when she's 40 she's going to be able to hide her nubs if she chooses.
posted by puddinghead at 7:54 PM on October 22, 2006

If people who got extreme body mods were extremely beautiful (before the mods), would people feel more positively about the mods?
posted by bad grammar at 7:55 PM on October 22, 2006

"hooks in your back to hang from"

My high school art teacher was doing the "hang yourself from fishhooks" decades ago. It takes a certain type to do stuff like that. He was a pretty cool guy, though.
posted by drstein at 8:16 PM on October 22, 2006

I find this exceedingly cute.

I am glad the conductivity issue was adressed. That was one of my first thoughts.
posted by MrBadExample at 9:06 PM on October 22, 2006

especially after growabrain's first "body piercing - gory blech!" comment.

Huh, missed that one.
So his subsequent comment was intended without irony. Wow. Too much credit.

If people who got extreme body mods were extremely beautiful (before the mods), would people feel more positively about the mods?

Isn’t that the case for everything that makes a person stand out? Beautiful people (beautiful looking people, for you defensive lot) can get away with clothes and styles that make others look repellant.
posted by dreamsign at 10:29 PM on October 22, 2006

Remember that picture that was posted in the mefi thread about the guy with the big balls? It was a pic of a guy cutting the head of his penis off, and I can easily say that it was single most disgusting, horrific thing I've ever, EVER seen in my life.
posted by c:\awesome at 11:00 PM on October 22, 2006

It really helps to read the post before commenting.

Seconded.
posted by mlis at 11:19 PM on October 22, 2006

One of her links goes to The Lizardman. Anyone want to call him cute?

Cute and incredibly intelligent. The Lizardman is well worth taking the time to learn about him and/or talk to him.
posted by SuzySmith at 1:23 AM on October 23, 2006

She looks stupid with those fucking things sticking out of her head.

That is all.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:09 AM on October 23, 2006

She looks stupid with those fucking things sticking out of her head.

Seconded. But, whatever. At least she didn't post about how it isn't caps lock day.
posted by Kwine at 7:30 AM on October 23, 2006

I always thought that BM stood for something else. I guess you learn somehting every day.
posted by elkelk at 7:48 AM on October 23, 2006

I've seen that Crunchland - If I was an electrician I'd be first in line for that magnet implant. The people involved could all tell whether a wire was hot or not just by waving their hand over it. One lady described going through the scanner at the doors of the mall as being like, "sticking your hand in an ultrasonic cleaner".

It was in Make-zine an issue or so ago along with a guy who use the piercing through the bridge of his nose to attach his reading glasses. All things considered I thought it was pretty cool. Of course I also want to get the Schroedinger wave equation done as an armband so my taste may be questionable.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:54 AM on October 23, 2006

You know, I can't help but wonder if some posters in this thread are looking forward to the day when all people are numbered drones with no individuality.l

After all, if body modification is a cry for attention, which is portrayed in their comments as such a bad, bad thing, wouldn't the ideal goal be to have people that are completely indistinguishable from anyone else - after all, that's surely free of such cries for attention.
posted by evilangela at 8:55 AM on October 23, 2006

What if she ever needs an MRI?
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:35 AM on October 23, 2006

What would be the problem with an MRI? I don't think the implants are metal.
posted by agregoli at 9:51 AM on October 23, 2006

The Nail that sticks up must be hammered down.
posted by exlotuseater at 3:45 PM on October 23, 2006