Monday, February 13, 2012

Assignment 1-4-6

I think that tattoos and piercings are very popular in today's society. They have been around for many years, and I think that they will be around for a long time. More and more people are getting them done, and adding to them as well. Being inked up or full of piercings is someones fashion statement to others, and they like the attention they get from them. Look at the Guiness Book of World Records, there are people in there with the most tattoos and piercings, just covered from head to toe in them, literally. It is someone's culture to get tattoo/tattoos and piercing/piercings done, some people may not like nor believe in them, but others do. I dont judge anyone for getting them because it is their body, but I would not cover myself in them. I think it looks neat just because i'm not use to seeing someone like that on a daily basis.
The most intersting findings that I have found on tattoos and piercings is all of the different cultures/countries that get them or do not get them and what is behind their reasons.
I will think of the different reasons to why some individuals get them and dont or why they have such a strong opnion on not getting them. They are not judging someone for getting them it is just what they grew up believing.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Assignment 1-3-2 Article!

BB King was and still is a popular blues singer. Way back in the day he use to say that he will never play in an all white club, but one night was forced into doing it. As he walked into the all white club people gave him a standing notation before he even started to play for them. During him singing people were applauding him. King has many types of different people listening to his music, but he was stubborn to where he use to want to play due to him being African American, and with majority of the whites still stuck on race. King stated that he plays in more all white clubs with the population being mainly white more than he use to perform in an all black club.
The author's main points in the article are that race doesn't mean anything. Blacks can play good music just as well as whites can. Blacks use to be so use to having to live their daily activites around whites and wanting to stay out of whites way, but King found out that race is not always going to be as strong as it use to be back in the day.

I liked this article because I do not believe anyone should be racist towards anyone just becasue of their color and that just becasue someone is black does not mean that they can not do the same things as whites and sometimes do it better than whites can.
I do think this article is important so others can read and learn that race is not always going to be like it use to be and as strong.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Analysis 4- Formulas!

My culture topic is Tattoos and Piercings and my opinion you need to have a formula to get a tattoo. You want to have someone ink on you that knows what they are doing so the tatt or piercing does not get infected or is simply just messed up and looks hideous. A lot of people also have their tattoos drawn up by the tatt artist, themselves or someone they know.

Some people just do not care what their art looks like to others. The art could be the ugliest thing made and have absolutly no meaning to them, but the person wearing it may think it looks cool, or has some meaning to them but no one knows.  When I read up on people's opinions on tattoos and piercings, there were many different views on them. I found a lot on cultural views. How they started, when they started and the meaning behind why they started, very interesting! Now tattoos are a very popular trend to get done. On one of my findings I found an article on tattoos in the workplace. A long time ago someone would not of gotten a job at some places due to the art they had visible on them, but now more businesses are about the work ability than appearance. Some businesses are still about appearances as well, which some positions, I  feel, need to be that way.

I gained a lot more knowledge on the past of tattoos and piercings and the meaning behind them just in cultural views.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Heros, Celebrities, Tattoos & Piercings

There are heroes and celebrities all over that have tattoos and piercings. A lot of hero’s have tattoos that have a meaning to them, like you will see firemen have some kind of firefighting symbol that means they are a fireman, police officers have symbols something with law enforcement. Celebrities have tattoos that have meanings as well, but a lot of people will get a tattoo that they see on a celebrity over a hero. Hero’s are people that are not famous for being famous, movies, and singers...ECT.
            I came across someone having a tattoo of Jack Nickleson on their arm, it’s the face he had when he played in The Shinning, and when he broke down the bathroom door and he stuck his head through the hole. Celebrities have their fans wanting to be like them, so some fans will go get tattoos of them or a tattoo they spotted on the celeb, in the same place and same design. Fans will do anything to gain attention from their celebrity. Recently teen singer, Justin Bieber, was spotted with his new tattoo of large portrait of Jesus on his leg, so reports on teen celebrities with tattoos were a big topic headline for some printing companies. Bieber is well liked by young teen girls, and him having tattoos or piercings, which he does in both his ears, girls will be drawn to guys with those arts that they go to school with or simply just meet. Kesha is a well known pop singer that has her nose pierced and her fans range from young girls to younger female adults. The young girls seeing Kesha with the piercing think it’s cute, popular and simply just cool because Kesha has, will want to get their nose pierced.
Some young teens that are into punk, Goth or metal music get tattoos and piercings done because it shows their individuality as wanting to dress or look a different way than society.

I also think that people in the world records with the person who has the most tattoos and or piercings recorded are labeled as a celebrity because they are being noticed in society for something, and have something written on them for their piercings and tattoos.
Indidividuals with tattoos or piercings get judged for what art they have on their body, but that person has them because that’s what they believe in or that is what their style is.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Rituals & Stereotypes on Tattoos and Piercings!

Tattoos and piercings in the workplace are known for a common stereotype on an individual. Years ago if someone would walk into a company for a job and had visible tattoos or a piercing, besides the ears, would be thrown into the “no hire” pile, but in this decade majority of the people in society either have tattoos or a piercing. Most companies now are looking for the best working candidate instead of focusing on someone’s appearance.
A recent study found that 32% of 18-29 year olds have a visible tattoo on them to where everyone can see it. The Food and Drug Administration predicted that more than 45 million Americans do indeed have at least one tattoo. If a company now wants to be stereotypical against someone who has a visible tattoo or piercing that company would be drastically diminishing their practical group of employees.
            In today’s society a lot of the companies hiring decisions are made by someone young and not as devoted to traditions about the workplace’s appearances. While employers are typically more accepting of tattoos and piercings, some businesses continue to be traditional about their employee’s appearances.
            Many years ago people with tattoos and body piercings were considered to be rebels and a disgrace to society; those individuals were shunned in their communities and were also viewed as outcasts. People still have the same beliefs, but seeing how society has changed since they don’t have that strong of beliefs.
            I work at a Juvenile Detention Center and my employer doesn’t mind ears and a nose piercing as long as the earrings are not too dangly for possible altercations with a youth. I did at one point want the side of my bottom lip pierced and asked if that was ok, but they did not want the lip piercing. Also the girl’s place that I took a year ago got fired for dying her hair pink. They stated that she should have asked before dying, but they also had other things on her as well, but the hair being pink was the last straw and a definite rule violation from the employee handbook.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Pop Culture topic on tattoos and piercings

Tattoos and piercings were first started as part of a culture, but now in today's society it is more of a kind of "fashion" statement. Although there are still a lot of people that get them due to cultural beliefs; in the Philippines certain tribes looked at tattoos as having special meanings and helped protect their land. Iraq use to be known that tattoos on females make them appear more beautiful, so therefore the women in Iraq would get tattoos to be more attractive and to fit in with the trend. Recently the women changed to henna tattoos that way they can change the design whenever they liked. Women in Iraq use to get tattoos on their face or hands right before their wedding day. In Thailand parents did not allow for their children to get tattoos or piercings because they believed that those kinds of things are identities of abnormal style that only disturbed people had.
Piercings were frequently used in commencement rites passing on their title to a particular social or age group.
In today’s society more young teens are getting tattoos and piercings as like I said in the first sentence, a “fashion” statement. I work at a juvenile detention center, and see almost the whole population of youth come in with tattoos or piercings, and majority of the time the youth states that the tattoos do not have any kind of meaning, they just simply got it because “they liked it”. When a teenager gets a piercing they think that they look cool and hip, but (this also goes for tattoos) what they don’t realize is how much work goes into keeping the “art” clean, and what could happen if it gets infected.
I do not find anything wrong with tattoos or piercings, as long as they do having meaning to them, and don’t go overboard.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Icon Analysis!

The three Icon's that I chose are Nick Jr., UFC fighters and Rappers. The three main images I chose are UFC fighters B.J. Penn and George St. Pierre, Nick Jr's Dora the Explorer and Diego, and rappers Eminem and Lil Wayne.
Nick Jr. is a great channel to have on for little kids to the toddler stage. The shows on there teach the young children their shapes, colors, letters and numbers. One show also shows kids how to over come their anger, Ni Hao Kai Lan teaches kids to breath, walk away and how to talk about what made them upset. Dora and Diego not only teaches kids how to count but also how to words in Spanish.
UFC fighters are a big Icon in the society today as well. You have tons of male individuals who like to fight people and train to fight, just like UFC does. B.J. Penn is a popular fighter and has won many of his fights, my favorite is George St. Pierre, along with many more females. Females find him very attractive.
Rappers are another popular icon in today's society. There are a lot of younger adults who try to rap, typically teens. I chose Eminem and Lil Wayne because they are two of the well known rappers in the rap music industry. I do love Eminem and his music and I saw Lil Wayne in concert last March, and I had a blast he was awesome in concert!
Nick Jr. has helped my two toddlers remember their colors, shapes, letters, numbers and also has taught them how to count to 10 in Spanish. I know when they watch this channel that its not a waste and that they are learning something. UFC entertains me when there is a fight on. I enjoy watching people fight for a title, and to see the joy on their face and sometimes their families faces. I enjoy listening to rap music because I enjoy the beats, love dancing to the songs with my kids, memories, and some rappers rap about their life which a lot of people can relate to the lyrics. So not only are the rappers helping themselves they also help others deal and cope with their stressful lives. I think that not only rap helps people but so does country, love songs and pop singers, but rappers are popular with a lot of teens and teens are the individuals who listen to music on a daily basis, so therefore makes rap music stand out more.