….Love Hurts.
It hurts even more when it is proclaimed with cigarette burns.
On Modblog we feature some of the most amazing artistic scarification in the world. Yet, we often overlook the rarely updated ritual cutting and ritual branding galleries when looking for pictures to feature. In these galleries the scarification is rarely about the finished result and usually about the process.
For a picture of the process of this scar, keep on keeping on.
Comments
270 responses to “Just like Nazareth sang….”
Jw…What kind of fucking euphemism is “ritual cutting”? Self-injury is a ritual. There is no way the person who nearly hacked off their arm on the Ritual Cutting page found it spiritual. Those pictures are really disturbing. That person needs a psychological evaluation. Immediately. I completely agree with Noemi, those pages shouldn’t exist. Like most of the people who commented I used to self-injure and it takes one to know one. I highly doubt this guy was doing it to be spiritual or for the aesthetic value (because it looks like shit). His arms are just a canvas for his mental distress. I used to cut hearts and Xs and all that ridiculous shit into my skin and when I look back now, it was just done to cope. I hate my scars. It just seems so obvious that he’s blatantly self-injuring. I don’t think he wants to modify himself, he just wants to ease the pain. Yeah I know blah blah blah I can’t judge and neither can I be 100% sure about his motives. It’s just as that being a former self-injurer…this seems like a cry for help.
Sorry I felt I needed to say my piece.
Jw…What kind of fucking euphemism is “ritual cutting”? Self-injury is a ritual. There is no way the person who nearly hacked off their arm on the Ritual Cutting page found it spiritual. Those pictures are really disturbing. That person needs a psychological evaluation. Immediately. I completely agree with Noemi, those pages shouldn’t exist. Like most of the people who commented I used to self-injure and it takes one to know one. I highly doubt this guy was doing it to be spiritual or for the aesthetic value (because it looks like shit). His arms are just a canvas for his mental distress. I used to cut hearts and Xs and all that ridiculous shit into my skin and when I look back now, it was just done to cope. I hate my scars. It just seems so obvious that he’s blatantly self-injuring. I don’t think he wants to modify himself, he just wants to ease the pain. Yeah I know blah blah blah I can’t judge and neither can I be 100% sure about his motives. It’s just as that being a former self-injurer…this seems like a cry for help.
Sorry I felt I needed to say my piece.
while this entry certainly looks like an example of self-mutilation, i would like to point out that because we don’t know the exigence of this person’s decision to burn their arms like this, it’s irrational to jump to the conclusion that the subject of this post is “emo” or suffers from some sort of destructive psychosis.
when i was younger, i used a branding tool to burn even circles into the knuckle of each of my fingers. at the time, i was incredibly happy and working on coming to terms with sexual abuse that happened to me in early childhood. because i did it myself, and because it caused me harm, i’m sure you could technically label my knuckle brands as evidence of self-mutilation, but for me it was and has always been about reclaiming my body after traumatic loss of control over it.
just my thoughts, and i’m thinking of submitting healed pictures of my brands to modblog and seeing the reaction. they are, even if i say so myself, much more aesthetically pleasing than the photos in the original post.
while this entry certainly looks like an example of self-mutilation, i would like to point out that because we don’t know the exigence of this person’s decision to burn their arms like this, it’s irrational to jump to the conclusion that the subject of this post is “emo” or suffers from some sort of destructive psychosis.
when i was younger, i used a branding tool to burn even circles into the knuckle of each of my fingers. at the time, i was incredibly happy and working on coming to terms with sexual abuse that happened to me in early childhood. because i did it myself, and because it caused me harm, i’m sure you could technically label my knuckle brands as evidence of self-mutilation, but for me it was and has always been about reclaiming my body after traumatic loss of control over it.
just my thoughts, and i’m thinking of submitting healed pictures of my brands to modblog and seeing the reaction. they are, even if i say so myself, much more aesthetically pleasing than the photos in the original post.
#98 – They’re intense aren’t they? It continually blows my mind that someone could do that to themselves, and I can’t help but wonder at their motivation.
Thanks. 🙂 I used to self-injure and when I became interested in scarification I had to take a good, long, hard look at the difference between the two, not just for me but for others as well. I spend a lot of time researching and supporting others who are self-injuring or quitting it (and I say quitting because it is as much of an addiction as smoking or drugs and really does need to be “quit”). I guess you could say that it is one of my passions in life, helping others in that situation. 🙂
#98 – They’re intense aren’t they? It continually blows my mind that someone could do that to themselves, and I can’t help but wonder at their motivation.
Thanks. 🙂 I used to self-injure and when I became interested in scarification I had to take a good, long, hard look at the difference between the two, not just for me but for others as well. I spend a lot of time researching and supporting others who are self-injuring or quitting it (and I say quitting because it is as much of an addiction as smoking or drugs and really does need to be “quit”). I guess you could say that it is one of my passions in life, helping others in that situation. 🙂
I’m with Haave, Meg and Jasn and pretty much the lot of people who thought positively on this one.
If you want to argue sterility see ritual cutting and branding in every other part of the world that remains true to their cultures and indigenous tribes.
We watch intently and curiously when we see a group of people whipping each other with sticks as a coming of age ritual, and nod approvingly of indigenous tribes who cut their young children to make them a part of their society, we give props to each other when we’re featured for an amazingly beautiful suspension just because it “looks good.”
Modification is something that holds true to the wearer, not the viewer. Ritual is the same way. I give kudos to anyone who is willing to leave their body and look beyond aesthetics, whether guided by a professional or doing it by themselves.
Open up, regardless of the reasons this person made the choice to modify with a cigarette, they were proud enough and brave enough to show an entire online community of people who deal with being “different.”
I’m with Haave, Meg and Jasn and pretty much the lot of people who thought positively on this one.
If you want to argue sterility see ritual cutting and branding in every other part of the world that remains true to their cultures and indigenous tribes.
We watch intently and curiously when we see a group of people whipping each other with sticks as a coming of age ritual, and nod approvingly of indigenous tribes who cut their young children to make them a part of their society, we give props to each other when we’re featured for an amazingly beautiful suspension just because it “looks good.”
Modification is something that holds true to the wearer, not the viewer. Ritual is the same way. I give kudos to anyone who is willing to leave their body and look beyond aesthetics, whether guided by a professional or doing it by themselves.
Open up, regardless of the reasons this person made the choice to modify with a cigarette, they were proud enough and brave enough to show an entire online community of people who deal with being “different.”
#102:
“when i was younger, i used a branding tool to burn even circles into the knuckle of each of my fingers. at the time, i was incredibly happy and working on coming to terms with sexual abuse that happened to me in early childhood. because i did it myself, and because it caused me harm, i’m sure you could technically label my knuckle brands as evidence of self-mutilation, but for me it was and has always been about reclaiming my body after traumatic loss of control over it.”
Coming to terms with a traumatic experience and reclaiming control. That, my dear, is the very essence of self-injury.
#102:
“when i was younger, i used a branding tool to burn even circles into the knuckle of each of my fingers. at the time, i was incredibly happy and working on coming to terms with sexual abuse that happened to me in early childhood. because i did it myself, and because it caused me harm, i’m sure you could technically label my knuckle brands as evidence of self-mutilation, but for me it was and has always been about reclaiming my body after traumatic loss of control over it.”
Coming to terms with a traumatic experience and reclaiming control. That, my dear, is the very essence of self-injury.
“It is not body modification in the sense that a person cuts themselves up like a ham because they like the aesthetic or they derive some deeper and spiritual meaning from it. It is not the same, and will never be the same. A self-injurer is rarely, if ever, wanting to scar their body, they just want to deal with whatever shit they’re going through and often don’t think about the long-term ramification of their chosen coping mechanism (scars). Self-injury is not body modification and it shouldn’t be perceived that way.”
He chose content and layout beyond the act of burning himself. Doesn’t that suggest aesthetic and meaningful considerations?
“Coming to terms with a traumatic experience and reclaiming control. That, my dear, is the very essence of self-injury”
From my experience lurking on this blog, it seems to be the essence of a shit load of body modification as well.
“It is not body modification in the sense that a person cuts themselves up like a ham because they like the aesthetic or they derive some deeper and spiritual meaning from it. It is not the same, and will never be the same. A self-injurer is rarely, if ever, wanting to scar their body, they just want to deal with whatever shit they’re going through and often don’t think about the long-term ramification of their chosen coping mechanism (scars). Self-injury is not body modification and it shouldn’t be perceived that way.”
He chose content and layout beyond the act of burning himself. Doesn’t that suggest aesthetic and meaningful considerations?
“Coming to terms with a traumatic experience and reclaiming control. That, my dear, is the very essence of self-injury”
From my experience lurking on this blog, it seems to be the essence of a shit load of body modification as well.
Im bummed out by all the stupid idiots that post on here everytime there is something controversial in the slightest. I think its also funny how most of them dont even post with a link to their page. cowardly with no accountability.
Mad props to this guy, its his body and he is taking control. isn’t that what bme is about really? We all here are not necessarily part of main stream culture and this guy is simply just in a different stream of our culture is all.
I only skimmed through most of these since I was late, but Meg is right on.
and kudos to sean philips for not holing back
Im bummed out by all the stupid idiots that post on here everytime there is something controversial in the slightest. I think its also funny how most of them dont even post with a link to their page. cowardly with no accountability.
Mad props to this guy, its his body and he is taking control. isn’t that what bme is about really? We all here are not necessarily part of main stream culture and this guy is simply just in a different stream of our culture is all.
I only skimmed through most of these since I was late, but Meg is right on.
and kudos to sean philips for not holing back
edit: holding****
edit: holding****
While I agree with many of the above posts, stating that what one does to one’s own body is their choice, at the same time many people (especially those that are younger, though there are always acceptions to the rule) cause scars like this when working though a young angst issues – and wind up seriously regretting the scars later. I know more than a handful of people that this is true for – causing scars in their teens and regretting them in their 20′s and 30′s.
I’m all for freedom of choice, and do what you will to your own body. But please, make sure you think it through first!
While I agree with many of the above posts, stating that what one does to one’s own body is their choice, at the same time many people (especially those that are younger, though there are always acceptions to the rule) cause scars like this when working though a young angst issues – and wind up seriously regretting the scars later. I know more than a handful of people that this is true for – causing scars in their teens and regretting them in their 20′s and 30′s.
I’m all for freedom of choice, and do what you will to your own body. But please, make sure you think it through first!
what i see as the problem here is the lack of sanitation, im a to each his own person but as a piercer and body mod artist i cant condone the use of a chemical filled cigarette as a tool for branding or any other “ritual” that involes a high risk of infection
what i see as the problem here is the lack of sanitation, im a to each his own person but as a piercer and body mod artist i cant condone the use of a chemical filled cigarette as a tool for branding or any other “ritual” that involes a high risk of infection
i’m sorry for you, but you’re stupid
i’m sorry for you, but you’re stupid
If you’re young and you cause scars to yourself, having to deal with them later can present itself as a major cleansing or closure process. You dug the whole now get yourself out of it. “Makes you stronger when you deal with your fuck-ups” sort of thing as my dad would so boldly announce whenever I’d get a new tattoo. Showed him, I guess. Sucka.
If you’re young and you cause scars to yourself, having to deal with them later can present itself as a major cleansing or closure process. You dug the whole now get yourself out of it. “Makes you stronger when you deal with your fuck-ups” sort of thing as my dad would so boldly announce whenever I’d get a new tattoo. Showed him, I guess. Sucka.
I’m glad the post has created this discussion, there are many valid points made and I will try not to repeat to much of the obvious that has been said already. But I’m afraid I just have to reply to multiple of the responses here, and clarify a bit more about the encounter of selfinjusry and bodymodification. I have studied this topic and do lecture and selfharm and alternative teraphy.
Here’s my random rants based on the various posts made to this discussion:
Selfmutilation/injury does modify the body, so it’s a body modification and it belongs here, as it always has been a cathegory on BME. Maybe the ritual tag is misleading to some and you don’t get what you’d expect? Well, just leave it. You don’t have to say anything, in fact your negativity is not wanted, nor needed!
To be seen, or not to be seen? That is a question? Seen by whom? When even this community is judgemental, who would want to show themselves?
It’s not about rewarding or incouraging anything, as eyelid piercings are not, it is documenting, the very essence of this page.
Yes, maybe they need help? Maybe WE should help? Traditional psychiatry and medication doesn’t always do it. I would have thought that was common knowledge!
If not featured on ModBlog, then where? Where can you share what you have done to yourself, even when you’re at your weakest, or craziest? Again, I must repeat, you don’t have to get involved, please don’t if you can’t help. Just fuck off with the cool kids and be too cool to be cool.
The healthier side of this discussion is what’s interresting! All the people with own experience responding, now that is valuable! Imagine if you could read other peoples experinces in retrospective when you were cutting and burning? Even if we disagree, at least the topics are relevant and the arguments valid.
“I had a friend…yadi, yadi, yah” we all know someone who was a relative, fuck that. You weren’t much of a friend if you didn’t help, and you’re not helping now.
I’m seriously into researching how the bodymodifications in their various forms, and especcially suspensions, can be the answer for many people struggeling to quit selfharming. I can understand the need for physical pain and guide a young person through positive pain experiences (call it what you want) in a safe environment. I have no reason to try to treat whatever psychiatric illness that causes the need to selfinjure, that is not my field of expertise. To handle both sides to find mental balance I co-operate with proffesionals in psychiatry. There’s a long way still to go before this studies are completed, but I do believe strongly our practices has a lot to offer not to all, but to some of those who selfharm. Many seek naturally towards suspensions and modification, that alone is pretty strong indicator.
And lastly;
Define Ritual.
Define Art.
I’m glad the post has created this discussion, there are many valid points made and I will try not to repeat to much of the obvious that has been said already. But I’m afraid I just have to reply to multiple of the responses here, and clarify a bit more about the encounter of selfinjusry and bodymodification. I have studied this topic and do lecture and selfharm and alternative teraphy.
Here’s my random rants based on the various posts made to this discussion:
Selfmutilation/injury does modify the body, so it’s a body modification and it belongs here, as it always has been a cathegory on BME. Maybe the ritual tag is misleading to some and you don’t get what you’d expect? Well, just leave it. You don’t have to say anything, in fact your negativity is not wanted, nor needed!
To be seen, or not to be seen? That is a question? Seen by whom? When even this community is judgemental, who would want to show themselves?
It’s not about rewarding or incouraging anything, as eyelid piercings are not, it is documenting, the very essence of this page.
Yes, maybe they need help? Maybe WE should help? Traditional psychiatry and medication doesn’t always do it. I would have thought that was common knowledge!
If not featured on ModBlog, then where? Where can you share what you have done to yourself, even when you’re at your weakest, or craziest? Again, I must repeat, you don’t have to get involved, please don’t if you can’t help. Just fuck off with the cool kids and be too cool to be cool.
The healthier side of this discussion is what’s interresting! All the people with own experience responding, now that is valuable! Imagine if you could read other peoples experinces in retrospective when you were cutting and burning? Even if we disagree, at least the topics are relevant and the arguments valid.
“I had a friend…yadi, yadi, yah” we all know someone who was a relative, fuck that. You weren’t much of a friend if you didn’t help, and you’re not helping now.
I’m seriously into researching how the bodymodifications in their various forms, and especcially suspensions, can be the answer for many people struggeling to quit selfharming. I can understand the need for physical pain and guide a young person through positive pain experiences (call it what you want) in a safe environment. I have no reason to try to treat whatever psychiatric illness that causes the need to selfinjure, that is not my field of expertise. To handle both sides to find mental balance I co-operate with proffesionals in psychiatry. There’s a long way still to go before this studies are completed, but I do believe strongly our practices has a lot to offer not to all, but to some of those who selfharm. Many seek naturally towards suspensions and modification, that alone is pretty strong indicator.
And lastly;
Define Ritual.
Define Art.
I have done DIY Branding on myself…OUT OF GENUINE CURIOSITY FOR THE MODIFICATION PROCESS.
Just because it says “love hurts” doesn’t mean this person is sufferring inside necessarily. The statement is true for most of us, is it not? They’re just being honest. And shame on the rest of you for jumping to your RIDICULOUS conclusions.
Everyone does this every damn time. Something relatively controversial or questionable comes up, and everyone starts injecting their own rationale which usually includes a lot of assumptions based on very little fact. GREAT. I have tons of scarification on my body, DIY and professional, and nobody even thinks twice to ask if my work is part of some coping mechanism that manifests due to my troublesome past. ALL of my modifications are ritual of some kind. ALL of them have helped me in some way mentally.
If this person is “fucked up”, then I am too.
I have done DIY Branding on myself…OUT OF GENUINE CURIOSITY FOR THE MODIFICATION PROCESS.
Just because it says “love hurts” doesn’t mean this person is sufferring inside necessarily. The statement is true for most of us, is it not? They’re just being honest. And shame on the rest of you for jumping to your RIDICULOUS conclusions.
Everyone does this every damn time. Something relatively controversial or questionable comes up, and everyone starts injecting their own rationale which usually includes a lot of assumptions based on very little fact. GREAT. I have tons of scarification on my body, DIY and professional, and nobody even thinks twice to ask if my work is part of some coping mechanism that manifests due to my troublesome past. ALL of my modifications are ritual of some kind. ALL of them have helped me in some way mentally.
If this person is “fucked up”, then I am too.
The only thing this makes me think of is having your cake and eating it to.
you can’t have life both ways. As seen by the mass comments people are going to bitch and then people are going to appreciate the DIY. But you can’t have it both ways.
The only thing this makes me think of is having your cake and eating it to.
you can’t have life both ways. As seen by the mass comments people are going to bitch and then people are going to appreciate the DIY. But you can’t have it both ways.
Dear photo subject: Nobody gets to really “know” what’s up here, but if you weren’t ok when you did this, I hope you’re ok now. I hope you take away as much of whatever you needed to get out of this process (ritual?) as you can. I also hope that all of the talking the this thread doesn’t prevent you from getting other cool mods you can enjoy in the future.
Dear photo subject: Nobody gets to really “know” what’s up here, but if you weren’t ok when you did this, I hope you’re ok now. I hope you take away as much of whatever you needed to get out of this process (ritual?) as you can. I also hope that all of the talking the this thread doesn’t prevent you from getting other cool mods you can enjoy in the future.
this reminds me of when me and my friends were in our more younger days and would get wasted and do stupid shit. while theyre all burning there selfs with cigarettes and cigars whos the only one smart enough not to do such… me haha the one with all the piercings… go figure.
this reminds me of when me and my friends were in our more younger days and would get wasted and do stupid shit. while theyre all burning there selfs with cigarettes and cigars whos the only one smart enough not to do such… me haha the one with all the piercings… go figure.
ETA: “all of the talking IN this thread” and, everyone be well! 🙂
ETA: “all of the talking IN this thread” and, everyone be well! 🙂
I see body modification as something done to enhance the body.
I see self mutilation as a form of destruction.
It can be interpreted in many ways. Some people see a tattoo and think “self mutilation”. (I had someone say, wow, self mutilation, when he saw my pony sleeve) So, really, self mutilation is in the eye of the beholder.
As for this, I, myself, see it as mutilation a bit, modification a bit..
I see body modification as something done to enhance the body.
I see self mutilation as a form of destruction.
It can be interpreted in many ways. Some people see a tattoo and think “self mutilation”. (I had someone say, wow, self mutilation, when he saw my pony sleeve) So, really, self mutilation is in the eye of the beholder.
As for this, I, myself, see it as mutilation a bit, modification a bit..
Oh sweet!! Its looks like his herpes sores is spelling out ” love hurts’! Aint that nifty?!?! 😀
Oh sweet!! Its looks like his herpes sores is spelling out ” love hurts’! Aint that nifty?!?! 😀
Nobody can say that this is or isn’t self mutilation. To me, the only way to say for sure is the intent of the person whilst they were doing it.
I don’t think that by posting it on modblog it is being glorified or promoted. It is just there, being put up for people to see, like all posts. Obviously some posts are meant to be promotions – like information about upcoming events. Some are meant to be promoting good work, such as interesting and difficult piercings executed well. Some are meant to be informative – such as photos of badly healed scars. Others are works of art, beautiful tattoos or pretty portraits. And then some just ARE.
Each of us judge each image we see with our own preconceptions and values affecting how we see it and what category we place it in.
This person has modified his own body in his own way. He’s not flashing it around in your face on MTV asking you to judge him. He’s not screaming and crying on livejournal asking you to save his broken heart. We can’t assume anything about him because we only have this one tiny piece of information, these few images.
For me personally, my self harm was a form of body modification. I can’t really say it was self mutilation because my intent was not to disfigure, but just to feel pain. But it was still modifying my body. It was entirely about the process, and not about the end result. I have a lot of highly visible scars that people comment on daily, but I don’t regret them. It was a way to deal with things, but not the only way. It may not have been the best way. But that’s irrelevant. I don’t do it anymore, but I do choose to pursue more professional forms of body mod, but they are about the end result and not the process.
And really, how can any person comment on the mental health, well being, thoughts, etc of any other person, other than the person going through it at that time. Everyone deals with things their own way, some ways work and some don’t, but that isn’t important. This is a very personal thing, and how dare anyone else judge this person. On bme of all places.
Nobody can say that this is or isn’t self mutilation. To me, the only way to say for sure is the intent of the person whilst they were doing it.
I don’t think that by posting it on modblog it is being glorified or promoted. It is just there, being put up for people to see, like all posts. Obviously some posts are meant to be promotions – like information about upcoming events. Some are meant to be promoting good work, such as interesting and difficult piercings executed well. Some are meant to be informative – such as photos of badly healed scars. Others are works of art, beautiful tattoos or pretty portraits. And then some just ARE.
Each of us judge each image we see with our own preconceptions and values affecting how we see it and what category we place it in.
This person has modified his own body in his own way. He’s not flashing it around in your face on MTV asking you to judge him. He’s not screaming and crying on livejournal asking you to save his broken heart. We can’t assume anything about him because we only have this one tiny piece of information, these few images.
For me personally, my self harm was a form of body modification. I can’t really say it was self mutilation because my intent was not to disfigure, but just to feel pain. But it was still modifying my body. It was entirely about the process, and not about the end result. I have a lot of highly visible scars that people comment on daily, but I don’t regret them. It was a way to deal with things, but not the only way. It may not have been the best way. But that’s irrelevant. I don’t do it anymore, but I do choose to pursue more professional forms of body mod, but they are about the end result and not the process.
And really, how can any person comment on the mental health, well being, thoughts, etc of any other person, other than the person going through it at that time. Everyone deals with things their own way, some ways work and some don’t, but that isn’t important. This is a very personal thing, and how dare anyone else judge this person. On bme of all places.
i stopped reading after the 50th comment, so forgive me if this has already been theorized…
what if its some sort of BDSM ritual…? maybe his lover did it…? granted, the second picture appears that hes about to start buring himself, but…maybe…? and if so, is THAT acceptable? ive seen and heard of a lot worse thru BDSM…
i stopped reading after the 50th comment, so forgive me if this has already been theorized…
what if its some sort of BDSM ritual…? maybe his lover did it…? granted, the second picture appears that hes about to start buring himself, but…maybe…? and if so, is THAT acceptable? ive seen and heard of a lot worse thru BDSM…
Ugly.
Period.
Ugly.
Period.
Fantasien, I could agree with you more.
I find it very disturbing lately to read so many negative and judgemental comments not only on ModBlog but on IAM’s Forums.
It makes me worry about BME.
Fantasien, I could agree with you more.
I find it very disturbing lately to read so many negative and judgemental comments not only on ModBlog but on IAM’s Forums.
It makes me worry about BME.
Ah that looks really bad, and unhygienic, but to each their own, I guess
Ah that looks really bad, and unhygienic, but to each their own, I guess