A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Rules of Life

I can’t quite make out what the rule on the index finger is (Posers? Posterity?), and I can’t say I agree with two of them, but..

Comments

73 responses to “Rules of Life”

  1. brand-new Avatar

    Hey, you think if something happened to any other religious symbol (cross, sickle(sp?) etc.) similar to what happened to the swastika, that they’d be a taboo tatoo? I wonder about that every now and then…
    anyhow, maybe the guy’s just some hapless youth who’s trying to be cool? I mean hovaaaa (i.e. Jay-z) had a song titled something to that effect.
    Meh, just speculation.

  2. Katie Avatar

    What the hell is up with you people and fingernails lately?

  3. Warren Hiller Avatar

    fluffenutter: you DO realize that the swastika was used in VARIOUS different cultures, right? Though Asia and Asia-Minor as well as quite a few other cultures from Europe as well. So by saying we should just limit its usage to those whom it derived from is a loaded statement, since so many religions and cultures hold sway over the swastika.

    Also maybe it IS gang related, but really what does it matter? So ModBlog is unable to display gang related tattoo work, yet we’re capable of showing a vast array of more controversial imagery and topics?

    ModBlog is suppose to be documenting Body Modification in a wide-spread blanket…The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,etc…So there’s no reason why it CAN’T be here.

    Also one must remember that although gang life is out there, there are also people who “play” gang-banger and try to emulate what they read/see in gang related media (tv, books, movies,etc)

    And in reality its all about context…Those are some strong powerful words that can often be used in a daily life for just about anyone….

    Personally I’d rather read/see stuff about a guy who gets his fingers tattooed, then read about scat play and self-degradation…But that’s just my own personal opinion.

    Roo you are, as always, peachy keen awesome supreme…keep up the amazing work! <3

  4. madeline Avatar
    madeline

    i think it woulda been cooler to get “love” put on his ring finger. but then again im a romantic. lol.

  5. amaterasu Avatar
    amaterasu

    Wow..um, ok. :\
    I agree with Valentine though. I’ve been reading Modblog for years, and I think your doing fine Roo. 🙂

  6. Warren Hiller Avatar

    maybe he was scorned by many past lovers so Love is placed on his middle finger in an attempt to display his hatred of love with the big old: “FUCK YOU LOVE” giving it the middle finger salute 😉

    but maybe that’s cuz I’m a bitter jaded getting to be older man lmao

  7. Chaq Avatar
    Chaq

    Well at least the homophobia stopped around post 20 or so.
    Honestly, it’s just totally unacceptable to use “gay” as an insult. Really fucking despespectful to all the gay men and women out there who have to live with oppression and violence, every fucking day.
    You might think it’s cool, or alright, but it’s NOT, ok?
    There is nothing wrong with being gay, but when you use the term pejoratively, you make it seem like being gay is disgusting/bad/uncool/naff, and by doing that you are actually injuring people, so think about it before you open your little bigotted mouth.

  8. spadeaspade Avatar
    spadeaspade

    i’d like to just observe that:

    1. in the few weeks that i have been following this blog, this is the first westernized black person that i remember featured. Admittedly, i’m new, but surely the body modification ‘community’ would consider itself, on the whole, quite unracist. but is one black person a month representative of body modification wearers at large, or is this ‘community’ a bit narrower than it identifies? you decide.

    2. at said first appearance of a black person, the discussion in the comments is tremendously racially infused. i don’t recall any comments on any other race’s presence or race, especially whiteness. even in the pictures of the white man participating in an austrailian aboriginee ritual. am i the only one who finds this suspicious?

    i wonder where fluffernutter gathers the evidence that these are mantras of gang life–experience? imagination? media? wikipedia? when i see these words together, i think of hip hop, black masculinity, institutions, capitalism, forces in life that affect people these days…all as relevant to tattoo on yourself as ‘capture life,’ or ‘mattel.’

    ..or, you know, maybe that’s just me. like i said, i’m new.

  9. Warren Hiller Avatar

    Chaq: Personally I think those words should be used in reference to their actual meanings and not the current urban slang trend that they are labeled with.

    Gay = Happy

    Queer = Strange

    Fag = Bundle Of Sticks/Cigarette(s)

    Dante: “Remember that we worked the QuickStop in England”

    *Flashback montage*

    Customer: “Pack of fags”

    Randell: “You’re a fag!”

    Customer: “A fag’s a cigarette mate”

    Randell: “I’m not your mate fag!”

    *Return back to scene*

  10. nope Avatar
    nope

    roo, you are doing a wonderful job with all the bountiful updates! i can check modblog multiple times a day and there are almost always new posts for my entertainment. keep up the amazing work – and, you know, make sure you have time for a social life, food, sleep… that sort of thing 🙂 thanks for being great!

  11. Bubblez Avatar

    :op Why it’s a slanging match let’s all grab some mud. The ‘respect’ is really faded I thought it said pi something or other maybe it’s just me being unable to read. The nails are freaking me out though.

    Did anyone ever think this could be a scarface fan ‘first you get the money(money), then you get the power(power)and then you get the women(love). With a big theme in the movie being respect.

  12. Demonic Porn Pig Avatar
    Demonic Porn Pig

    @Roo: What I do like is the fact that the site is now frequently updated. What I liked about Shannon is that he had the habit of always posting a short storie about the subject. I can tell you try, but with your restless posting I can imagine it is hard to post more text as well. I for one liked the text. The storie behind the tattoo. Take more time for it. Choose quality over quantity. What I detest most however is the cursing and disrespect in the comments. In all the years with Shannon I have never read a racist comment. From time to time people called someone stupid for wearing certain tattoos. Than Shannon would pop up to teach them to respect and value everyone as they are.

    But Roo, you are Roo and Shannon is Shannon. I guess I will get used to your style. It ain’t too bad though! 😉 (how much did you raise by not shaving btw? Somehow I missed the result..)

  13. lou Avatar

    yo his nails are probably due to guitar playing or some such shit.

  14. cereal_killer Avatar
    cereal_killer

    i like his mustache

  15. Holly Avatar

    Ew nails.

  16. goodnade Avatar

    Oh sweet jesus.
    So I’m to understand that because roo posted a picture of a tattoo in a blog about body modification he some how is a racist, neo-nazi supporting, gang-banging bigot who inspires hateful feeling twords people because of their race and or sexual preference and therefore is doing a poor job running this site?

    Thats a bit of a stretch.
    Besides who gives a shit about other people opinions? Especially ones who come here of all places to voice them? So some readers hate black people and others hate jews and then there’s the ever imagnitive gay-bashers, get over it. You are certainly not change anyone’s outlook by calling them names in caps on the internet.

    On a side note, roo the only thing I haaaattteeee is the two seperate posts on one entry, and you have to click through to see the second (somtimes unrelated) post. I’m afraid I might miss some fun stuff. Wicked annoying but other than that, mad love to you.

  17. SkynCanvas Avatar
    SkynCanvas

    If you’re curious on what tattoos are being used by gangs, call your local Police/Sheriff/local law enforcement agency. Ask for the gang squad and they will help you out with common tattoos. Unfortunately, a lot of tattoos that people can get have double meanings. The rules of life post here for example are also the rules of a lot of gangs. Lightning bolts are cool, but are white supremacist. So are spiderweb joints. 5 point and 6 point crowns. Etcetera, etcetera ad nauseum. Being law enforcement I have made a study of tattoos in the criminal ‘element’ of society. Considering so many people consider tattoos for criminals, I am kinda surprised that there are so few ‘jail house’ tattoos on this site.

  18. Niki Avatar
    Niki

    Bubblez – actually, Scarface was the first thing I thought of when I saw this =)

  19. JustJen Avatar
    JustJen

    O.o
    Sometimes it’s like a daytime soap opera…
    Roo, you’re doing great! Just keep chugging through everyone else’s mud.

  20. glyph Avatar
    glyph

    In regards to #41, unfortunately not everyone has enough money, nor sees the value of paying for good tattoo work. I used to work at a shop in an urban area, where a lot of people got poorly executed work done by folks working out of a basement with little to no training… rather than going to a shop. A lot of people would complain that $40 for a name or something small was waaay too expensive.

    In regards to representations of other ethnicities getting tattoos, quality, etc. People from all walks of life have something in common getting tattoos or piercings. However, based on their culture, lifestyle, and knowledge/understanding of tattooing/body mod culture, however you wish to word it… reflects in the tattoos give/received. It is what it is. Perhaps if people could work towards understanding that what people do is different, based on money, privilege, social status, and access…

    People do like things that are aesthetically pleasing… however, I guess there is a place for everything.

  21. La Negra Avatar
    La Negra

    i love read modblog..cause all the prejudice of us coming out..jajaja in a supposed open mind community.

    …about the concept of modblog, i always find like a place to see differents ways of life through body, can u like it or not … a place to see diversity, just that.

    Roo – keep going! u are uploading alot stuff, thats nice 🙂

  22. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Too bad no one knows who this guy is, we could just ask him and clear up any uncertainties…

    Personally, I’m just happy to see more diversity on Modblog the past few weeks, keep it up!

  23. eatyrspleens/queer as fuck! Avatar
    eatyrspleens/queer as fuck!

    PREACH IT, #57!

    using the term “gay” in modern culture has become the semi-equivalent (i know it’s not the exact same thing!) to racist slang terms that i refuse to even type (but i’m sure you can think of a few.) i say this because i’ve heard several people that do use it negatively back it up with bullshit statements like “i’m not homophobic, i have a gay aunt/cousin/friend/niece/etc.” or “as long as it’s not used in the presence of a homosexual, i don’t see the big deal.” it is still used as an insult, it is still seen as negative, it still effects the person(s) you’re aiming it at.

    what’s kind of funny is, it just empowers (and slightly enrages) me to get more involved in the glbt community. also, to reclaim the fuck out of it!

    all i thought of when i saw this post was that song by lil kim. actually, there are quite a few hip-hop artists today with lyrics featuring these words. with that said, i looked up the latin kings crown and though there are similiarities, there aren’t enough to base assumptions off of.

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