Body Art, Statements and "Non-Statements"

Every generation seems to have their "thing," occasionally to the distress and discomfort of other generations. Maybe it's how we get to "make our mark" on the world.

I can't say "distress and discomfort" has typically applied much to me... but sometimes I'm simply just not interested. What am I talking about?

Tattoos and Body Art...

In some ways, this post is a bit of an extension of the previous one about "not picking sides." Anyway, I don't remember the exact context, but I do remember this one discussion I had with some friends, a really long time ago.

They were talking about tattoos and body piercings, and someone was going to dye her hair blue or purple or something. I thought that was kind of cool!

Next thing I heard "Why don't YOU ever do anything interesting with your hair?"

Well, aside from the fact that I don't really have much, I've just never been interested. I also have no body ink or piercings.

Even while realizing that it probably made me sound a lot like my parents, I replied "I've just never felt compelled to make a spectacle of myself."

Of course, that was kind of the wrong and rather snippy thing to say in that company... but they took it pretty well and we segued into talking about bodies as art and the idea of making a statement.

I realized then that long before I may have started "sounding like my parents" I pretty much had zero interest in doing anything that would draw attention to myself. Even when I was a teenager. My "skill set," if you will, was always my ability to more or less blend into the woodwork and go unnoticed.

Being a "Gray Man"

I generally just wanted to AVOID "provoking a reaction."

At least in the physical sense...

There's a particular segment of the population — which often includes anarchists and survivalists — who refer to the preference by the term "Gray Man;" someone who doesn't stand out in a crowd and when asked, most people can't describe nor even confirm with certainty as having been there.

I should add that it was never something I "tried to be," it was simply a natural way of being.

Now, I have never shied away from provoking a reaction in the mental/emotional/intellectual space... frequently subscribing to ideas, beliefs and philosophies that make people anything from uncomfortable to angry.

In an interesting dichotomy for the typical proselytizing of outspoken individuals, I'm not actually striving to "convert" anyone to my philosophical or political leanings... I just hope that I can leave a person having been forced to think about something I said, as a potential invitation to examine what they believe is true about reality and their lives.

And if they don't? I have to particular investment in that, either.

I'm very content to make a "non-statement."

Thanks for reading, and have a great remainder of your week!

How about you? Do you usually stand out, or blend in? Do leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!)
Created at 2023.03.21 23:34 PST
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