The post below this is one about today being Self-Injury Awareness Day. That is why I am posting this now rather than tomorrow, even though today’s modblog plate has already been filled up. The words self-injury in this context brings up one of the oldest arguments in the body modification world which is modification vs. mutilation. Obviously, a lot of the deciding factor is in the eye of the beholder. Seriously, ask around enough and you will find plenty of people who think that a standard navel piercing is a mutilation. However, I think most modblog readers, even those that are not fans of navel piercings, would never consider one to be a mutilation. However, there are some other modification we cover on BME are not so black and white.
No one modification is responsible for more modification vs. mutilation arguments then the voluntary amputation of healthy and viable body parts. That is why I couldn’t overlook the coincidence of a photo submission of a finger amputation (amputation submissions in general are extremely rare) on Self-Injury Awareness day.
In my many years of involvement in this community, I have met and talked to a lot of amputees. Some of whom had the most sane justifications for their choice to amputate a part of themselves. So justified, in fact, that there was no question it was a modification and a sane decision for them. Others I met were a little bit more questionable in their level of mental stability, but still managed to make me feel like this modification was the right choice for them.
Then there is a small minority, people who I might dare call insane, who hate themselves and are slowly cutting away bits of them selves in a hateful fashion. Those people obviously fall into the mutilation category.
So to me, amputation and pretty much any body mod for that matter is neither modification nor mutilation 100% of the time. It is the owner of these mods and their decision making process that, to me, determine whether something is a modification or a mutilation, or to keep with the theme of the day, a modification or a self-injury.
So I ask you, the modblog readers, where do you draw the line between modification and mutilation? To answer that question, see unwrapped photos of this amputation and learn what other non-major (but far sweeter) holiday today is, keep on keeping on.
These photos were submitted by Devo238, for whom I could not find any contact info on. If Devo238 sees this and wants to provide me some information on it, please shoot me an email.
So what do you guys think, modification or mutilation? Share your thoughts in the comments section, I like hearing where everyone stands.
PS: Besides being Self-Injury Awareness Day today is also (in the states at least) National Pancake Day, so when your done reading modblog why not head over to IHOP and get some free pancakes?
Comments
124 responses to “Another one for Self-Injury Awareness Day, or is it?”
I see this as a modification. In a society where it is more acceptable to put large implants into the chest of a woman *or certain men* most people judge too harsh on those with different goals in mind. If the hand was diseased and he cut off the pinky out of anger then I believe it was an act of mutilation. So a planned act is a mod, an unplanned mod is mutilation.
I see this as a modification. In a society where it is more acceptable to put large implants into the chest of a woman *or certain men* most people judge too harsh on those with different goals in mind. If the hand was diseased and he cut off the pinky out of anger then I believe it was an act of mutilation. So a planned act is a mod, an unplanned mod is mutilation.
what if they just don’t want it?
what if they just don’t want it?
what if they just don’t want it?
what if they just don’t want it?
I think I’m with you that it depends on the mindset of the person. Compare, for example, cutting scars. I’m sure that the majority of people (within the bodymod community at least) would look at a scarification piece as a modification, while there’s very little argument that the typical “self harm” scars on a troubled individual are certainly a mutilation. I think Nixiie (post 5 i think) summed it up pretty well, in saying that modification is about positive emotions while mutilation is about negative emotions. The one issue with that definition is that for many self-harmers they see the harm they do to themselves as a way of making themselves happier, so in that way many people could say that there’s no real difference between a depressed person cutting themselves and someone electing to have a body part amputated. I think the way I’d define it has less to do with why the act is carried out in the first place, but the effect that it has on the person afterwards. Someone cutting themselves as an act of self harm, although they may feel that the cutting is a solution to their emotions, will most likely to continue to harm themselves again and again, still seeking that release from their emotions, and never really finding it. Conversely, someone who (for whatever reasons) wants to electively amputate a part of their body may well find that the amputation does effectively eliminate whatever negative reasons they may have had for the amputated body part. Going by that definition, I feel that I can differentiate between an amputation that is a modification, where the person amputated for whatever reasons, and as a result is a happier, healthier and more rounded person, and one that is a mutilation, where the person amputated, yet still has all those negative emotions and, as Sean originally said, is likely to continue cutting away parts of their body in a continuous cycle.
I think I’m with you that it depends on the mindset of the person. Compare, for example, cutting scars. I’m sure that the majority of people (within the bodymod community at least) would look at a scarification piece as a modification, while there’s very little argument that the typical “self harm” scars on a troubled individual are certainly a mutilation. I think Nixiie (post 5 i think) summed it up pretty well, in saying that modification is about positive emotions while mutilation is about negative emotions. The one issue with that definition is that for many self-harmers they see the harm they do to themselves as a way of making themselves happier, so in that way many people could say that there’s no real difference between a depressed person cutting themselves and someone electing to have a body part amputated. I think the way I’d define it has less to do with why the act is carried out in the first place, but the effect that it has on the person afterwards. Someone cutting themselves as an act of self harm, although they may feel that the cutting is a solution to their emotions, will most likely to continue to harm themselves again and again, still seeking that release from their emotions, and never really finding it. Conversely, someone who (for whatever reasons) wants to electively amputate a part of their body may well find that the amputation does effectively eliminate whatever negative reasons they may have had for the amputated body part. Going by that definition, I feel that I can differentiate between an amputation that is a modification, where the person amputated for whatever reasons, and as a result is a happier, healthier and more rounded person, and one that is a mutilation, where the person amputated, yet still has all those negative emotions and, as Sean originally said, is likely to continue cutting away parts of their body in a continuous cycle.
I think I’m with you that it depends on the mindset of the person. Compare, for example, cutting scars. I’m sure that the majority of people (within the bodymod community at least) would look at a scarification piece as a modification, while there’s very little argument that the typical “self harm” scars on a troubled individual are certainly a mutilation. I think Nixiie (post 5 i think) summed it up pretty well, in saying that modification is about positive emotions while mutilation is about negative emotions. The one issue with that definition is that for many self-harmers they see the harm they do to themselves as a way of making themselves happier, so in that way many people could say that there’s no real difference between a depressed person cutting themselves and someone electing to have a body part amputated. I think the way I’d define it has less to do with why the act is carried out in the first place, but the effect that it has on the person afterwards. Someone cutting themselves as an act of self harm, although they may feel that the cutting is a solution to their emotions, will most likely to continue to harm themselves again and again, still seeking that release from their emotions, and never really finding it. Conversely, someone who (for whatever reasons) wants to electively amputate a part of their body may well find that the amputation does effectively eliminate whatever negative reasons they may have had for the amputated body part. Going by that definition, I feel that I can differentiate between an amputation that is a modification, where the person amputated for whatever reasons, and as a result is a happier, healthier and more rounded person, and one that is a mutilation, where the person amputated, yet still has all those negative emotions and, as Sean originally said, is likely to continue cutting away parts of their body in a continuous cycle.
I think I’m with you that it depends on the mindset of the person. Compare, for example, cutting scars. I’m sure that the majority of people (within the bodymod community at least) would look at a scarification piece as a modification, while there’s very little argument that the typical “self harm” scars on a troubled individual are certainly a mutilation. I think Nixiie (post 5 i think) summed it up pretty well, in saying that modification is about positive emotions while mutilation is about negative emotions. The one issue with that definition is that for many self-harmers they see the harm they do to themselves as a way of making themselves happier, so in that way many people could say that there’s no real difference between a depressed person cutting themselves and someone electing to have a body part amputated. I think the way I’d define it has less to do with why the act is carried out in the first place, but the effect that it has on the person afterwards. Someone cutting themselves as an act of self harm, although they may feel that the cutting is a solution to their emotions, will most likely to continue to harm themselves again and again, still seeking that release from their emotions, and never really finding it. Conversely, someone who (for whatever reasons) wants to electively amputate a part of their body may well find that the amputation does effectively eliminate whatever negative reasons they may have had for the amputated body part. Going by that definition, I feel that I can differentiate between an amputation that is a modification, where the person amputated for whatever reasons, and as a result is a happier, healthier and more rounded person, and one that is a mutilation, where the person amputated, yet still has all those negative emotions and, as Sean originally said, is likely to continue cutting away parts of their body in a continuous cycle.
io non capisco l’autolesionismo……
perchè una persona arriva al punto di amputarsi un dito????
vorrei capire da chi si amputa il perchè delle sue azioni….
io non capisco l’autolesionismo……
perchè una persona arriva al punto di amputarsi un dito????
vorrei capire da chi si amputa il perchè delle sue azioni….
io non capisco l’autolesionismo……
perchè una persona arriva al punto di amputarsi un dito????
vorrei capire da chi si amputa il perchè delle sue azioni….
io non capisco l’autolesionismo……
perchè una persona arriva al punto di amputarsi un dito????
vorrei capire da chi si amputa il perchè delle sue azioni….
I have peeling skin like that (due to allergies) on one of my hands and my feet. People often refuse to touch my hand because they think it’s infectious. At the moment it’s not too unatractive but sometimes it blisters, peels and cracks so much that my hand hurts. Sometimes I think of wearing one glove a la Michael Jackson to hide it.
Less occasionally I wonder if an amputation would be perceived more positively by others than the skin I have – amputations clearly aren’t infectious and amputees tend to be viewed with pity or curiosity rather than the fear and disgust my skin seems to provoke.
For me amputation will remain an idle fantasy/question, if I can’t even be bothered to confront people or wear a glove, it clearly doesn’t bother me quite enough. Ignoring it is the path of least resistance for me. Others may find that ‘mutilation’ is theirs and that’s okay too, some things just aren’t worth the continual hassle.
I have peeling skin like that (due to allergies) on one of my hands and my feet. People often refuse to touch my hand because they think it’s infectious. At the moment it’s not too unatractive but sometimes it blisters, peels and cracks so much that my hand hurts. Sometimes I think of wearing one glove a la Michael Jackson to hide it.
Less occasionally I wonder if an amputation would be perceived more positively by others than the skin I have – amputations clearly aren’t infectious and amputees tend to be viewed with pity or curiosity rather than the fear and disgust my skin seems to provoke.
For me amputation will remain an idle fantasy/question, if I can’t even be bothered to confront people or wear a glove, it clearly doesn’t bother me quite enough. Ignoring it is the path of least resistance for me. Others may find that ‘mutilation’ is theirs and that’s okay too, some things just aren’t worth the continual hassle.
I have peeling skin like that (due to allergies) on one of my hands and my feet. People often refuse to touch my hand because they think it’s infectious. At the moment it’s not too unatractive but sometimes it blisters, peels and cracks so much that my hand hurts. Sometimes I think of wearing one glove a la Michael Jackson to hide it.
Less occasionally I wonder if an amputation would be perceived more positively by others than the skin I have – amputations clearly aren’t infectious and amputees tend to be viewed with pity or curiosity rather than the fear and disgust my skin seems to provoke.
For me amputation will remain an idle fantasy/question, if I can’t even be bothered to confront people or wear a glove, it clearly doesn’t bother me quite enough. Ignoring it is the path of least resistance for me. Others may find that ‘mutilation’ is theirs and that’s okay too, some things just aren’t worth the continual hassle.
I have peeling skin like that (due to allergies) on one of my hands and my feet. People often refuse to touch my hand because they think it’s infectious. At the moment it’s not too unatractive but sometimes it blisters, peels and cracks so much that my hand hurts. Sometimes I think of wearing one glove a la Michael Jackson to hide it.
Less occasionally I wonder if an amputation would be perceived more positively by others than the skin I have – amputations clearly aren’t infectious and amputees tend to be viewed with pity or curiosity rather than the fear and disgust my skin seems to provoke.
For me amputation will remain an idle fantasy/question, if I can’t even be bothered to confront people or wear a glove, it clearly doesn’t bother me quite enough. Ignoring it is the path of least resistance for me. Others may find that ‘mutilation’ is theirs and that’s okay too, some things just aren’t worth the continual hassle.
whats wrong with his ring finger?
whats wrong with his ring finger?
whats wrong with his ring finger?
whats wrong with his ring finger?
one could go so far as to say that suicide is a form of body modification. could go even further to say that suicide could be a sane decision as well. personally, i think suicide is our way of telling god, “you can’t fire me, i quit!”
one could go so far as to say that suicide is a form of body modification. could go even further to say that suicide could be a sane decision as well. personally, i think suicide is our way of telling god, “you can’t fire me, i quit!”
one could go so far as to say that suicide is a form of body modification. could go even further to say that suicide could be a sane decision as well. personally, i think suicide is our way of telling god, “you can’t fire me, i quit!”
one could go so far as to say that suicide is a form of body modification. could go even further to say that suicide could be a sane decision as well. personally, i think suicide is our way of telling god, “you can’t fire me, i quit!”
Hi all.
It was intresting for me to read your opinions. Thank you. And let me explain shortly:
This amputation is a body modification for me, nothing else. From my childhood amputated fingers cause some sexual filings. I don’t know why. At last I decided to amputate my own. It was 6 month ago and I happy that I got enough courage to did it.
I have no problem with my skin, it is just cast remnant. This pictures was made a few hours after surgery and I had no way to wash my hand 🙂
I ready to answer your questions if you have any. But unfortunately my English is not so good…
Hi all.
It was intresting for me to read your opinions. Thank you. And let me explain shortly:
This amputation is a body modification for me, nothing else. From my childhood amputated fingers cause some sexual filings. I don’t know why. At last I decided to amputate my own. It was 6 month ago and I happy that I got enough courage to did it.
I have no problem with my skin, it is just cast remnant. This pictures was made a few hours after surgery and I had no way to wash my hand 🙂
I ready to answer your questions if you have any. But unfortunately my English is not so good…
Hi all.
It was intresting for me to read your opinions. Thank you. And let me explain shortly:
This amputation is a body modification for me, nothing else. From my childhood amputated fingers cause some sexual filings. I don’t know why. At last I decided to amputate my own. It was 6 month ago and I happy that I got enough courage to did it.
I have no problem with my skin, it is just cast remnant. This pictures was made a few hours after surgery and I had no way to wash my hand 🙂
I ready to answer your questions if you have any. But unfortunately my English is not so good…
Hi all.
It was intresting for me to read your opinions. Thank you. And let me explain shortly:
This amputation is a body modification for me, nothing else. From my childhood amputated fingers cause some sexual filings. I don’t know why. At last I decided to amputate my own. It was 6 month ago and I happy that I got enough courage to did it.
I have no problem with my skin, it is just cast remnant. This pictures was made a few hours after surgery and I had no way to wash my hand 🙂
I ready to answer your questions if you have any. But unfortunately my English is not so good…
as long as it is done safely and consentualy and doest impair the individual from his hability to be usefull and functional in society it is not mutilation to me! so this guy amputation is not a problem to me!
as long as it is done safely and consentualy and doest impair the individual from his hability to be usefull and functional in society it is not mutilation to me! so this guy amputation is not a problem to me!
as long as it is done safely and consentualy and doest impair the individual from his hability to be usefull and functional in society it is not mutilation to me! so this guy amputation is not a problem to me!
as long as it is done safely and consentualy and doest impair the individual from his hability to be usefull and functional in society it is not mutilation to me! so this guy amputation is not a problem to me!
There is a wonderful book called ‘Geek Love’ that touches on voluntary amputation, which I found to be incredibly fascinating. The ‘devotees’ slowly have their fingers, toes, feet, hands, etc. removed in order to become more enlightened, as they believer their ‘leader’ Arturo to be. Arturo happens to have been born with no arms or legs, and flippers as hands and feet. It’s quite an interesting book in general, considering that the children are created to be freaks in order for their parents to tour them around and make money off exhibiting them. That’s a whole other discussion tho. My point is that people have their own motivation and reasoning for modifying their bodies, and sometimes this can actually cause the physical [or even mental and emotional] Self harm. However, as individuals, we should have the choice to do so, whether or not other people like it, accept it or even get it. While I may not understand the motives for someone to willingly amputate what would seem like a perfectly healthy body part, or even cut so deep that there are things exposed only doctors should see, it is not for me or anyone else to pass judgment.
There is a wonderful book called ‘Geek Love’ that touches on voluntary amputation, which I found to be incredibly fascinating. The ‘devotees’ slowly have their fingers, toes, feet, hands, etc. removed in order to become more enlightened, as they believer their ‘leader’ Arturo to be. Arturo happens to have been born with no arms or legs, and flippers as hands and feet. It’s quite an interesting book in general, considering that the children are created to be freaks in order for their parents to tour them around and make money off exhibiting them. That’s a whole other discussion tho. My point is that people have their own motivation and reasoning for modifying their bodies, and sometimes this can actually cause the physical [or even mental and emotional] Self harm. However, as individuals, we should have the choice to do so, whether or not other people like it, accept it or even get it. While I may not understand the motives for someone to willingly amputate what would seem like a perfectly healthy body part, or even cut so deep that there are things exposed only doctors should see, it is not for me or anyone else to pass judgment.
There is a wonderful book called ‘Geek Love’ that touches on voluntary amputation, which I found to be incredibly fascinating. The ‘devotees’ slowly have their fingers, toes, feet, hands, etc. removed in order to become more enlightened, as they believer their ‘leader’ Arturo to be. Arturo happens to have been born with no arms or legs, and flippers as hands and feet. It’s quite an interesting book in general, considering that the children are created to be freaks in order for their parents to tour them around and make money off exhibiting them. That’s a whole other discussion tho. My point is that people have their own motivation and reasoning for modifying their bodies, and sometimes this can actually cause the physical [or even mental and emotional] Self harm. However, as individuals, we should have the choice to do so, whether or not other people like it, accept it or even get it. While I may not understand the motives for someone to willingly amputate what would seem like a perfectly healthy body part, or even cut so deep that there are things exposed only doctors should see, it is not for me or anyone else to pass judgment.
There is a wonderful book called ‘Geek Love’ that touches on voluntary amputation, which I found to be incredibly fascinating. The ‘devotees’ slowly have their fingers, toes, feet, hands, etc. removed in order to become more enlightened, as they believer their ‘leader’ Arturo to be. Arturo happens to have been born with no arms or legs, and flippers as hands and feet. It’s quite an interesting book in general, considering that the children are created to be freaks in order for their parents to tour them around and make money off exhibiting them. That’s a whole other discussion tho. My point is that people have their own motivation and reasoning for modifying their bodies, and sometimes this can actually cause the physical [or even mental and emotional] Self harm. However, as individuals, we should have the choice to do so, whether or not other people like it, accept it or even get it. While I may not understand the motives for someone to willingly amputate what would seem like a perfectly healthy body part, or even cut so deep that there are things exposed only doctors should see, it is not for me or anyone else to pass judgment.
I have not only read Geek Love, but I liked it so much I tattooed it on my knuckles. Great reference!
I have not only read Geek Love, but I liked it so much I tattooed it on my knuckles. Great reference!
I have not only read Geek Love, but I liked it so much I tattooed it on my knuckles. Great reference!
I have not only read Geek Love, but I liked it so much I tattooed it on my knuckles. Great reference!
I think amputation can be a modification and have a medical need as well. I have very bad psoriasis and i’ve thought about permanently removing my fingernails/toenails and then replacing them with some sort of neat looking implants because of the intense pain my psoriasis sometimes causes in that area. I would never remove them simply because sometimes they hurt too much, but pain would certainly factor in my decision.
I think amputation can be a modification and have a medical need as well. I have very bad psoriasis and i’ve thought about permanently removing my fingernails/toenails and then replacing them with some sort of neat looking implants because of the intense pain my psoriasis sometimes causes in that area. I would never remove them simply because sometimes they hurt too much, but pain would certainly factor in my decision.
I think amputation can be a modification and have a medical need as well. I have very bad psoriasis and i’ve thought about permanently removing my fingernails/toenails and then replacing them with some sort of neat looking implants because of the intense pain my psoriasis sometimes causes in that area. I would never remove them simply because sometimes they hurt too much, but pain would certainly factor in my decision.
I think amputation can be a modification and have a medical need as well. I have very bad psoriasis and i’ve thought about permanently removing my fingernails/toenails and then replacing them with some sort of neat looking implants because of the intense pain my psoriasis sometimes causes in that area. I would never remove them simply because sometimes they hurt too much, but pain would certainly factor in my decision.
I think what Tobias was saying was eventually leading to what I was originally thinking.
I think all mods have a bit of a mutilation factor involved in them. I only have had tattoos and piercings but even in getting those done there is a kind of masochistic characteristic to those actions. Even if it means conquering the pain for a positive result.
Any type of physical alterations to your own body is a mutilation of sorts, even in medical surgery one is submitting to a more dramatic alteration of their body to achieve a healthier life and future – once again, the submission to immediate pain and/or mutilation (the pain factor is now removed with modern anesthetic, but the action of mutilation is still there) to achieve a what is perceived as a healthier life. And modern medical surgery is still a man-made alteration of a body.
Also, take for instance a normal ear piercing. For women to get their ears pierced there is a submission to cultural pressure, norms, and mores to achieve a goal, but it is injuring of the body – a mutilation – that is needed to achieve this goal.
So my answer to the question is that it is both a modification and mutilation.
I think what Tobias was saying was eventually leading to what I was originally thinking.
I think all mods have a bit of a mutilation factor involved in them. I only have had tattoos and piercings but even in getting those done there is a kind of masochistic characteristic to those actions. Even if it means conquering the pain for a positive result.
Any type of physical alterations to your own body is a mutilation of sorts, even in medical surgery one is submitting to a more dramatic alteration of their body to achieve a healthier life and future – once again, the submission to immediate pain and/or mutilation (the pain factor is now removed with modern anesthetic, but the action of mutilation is still there) to achieve a what is perceived as a healthier life. And modern medical surgery is still a man-made alteration of a body.
Also, take for instance a normal ear piercing. For women to get their ears pierced there is a submission to cultural pressure, norms, and mores to achieve a goal, but it is injuring of the body – a mutilation – that is needed to achieve this goal.
So my answer to the question is that it is both a modification and mutilation.
I think what Tobias was saying was eventually leading to what I was originally thinking.
I think all mods have a bit of a mutilation factor involved in them. I only have had tattoos and piercings but even in getting those done there is a kind of masochistic characteristic to those actions. Even if it means conquering the pain for a positive result.
Any type of physical alterations to your own body is a mutilation of sorts, even in medical surgery one is submitting to a more dramatic alteration of their body to achieve a healthier life and future – once again, the submission to immediate pain and/or mutilation (the pain factor is now removed with modern anesthetic, but the action of mutilation is still there) to achieve a what is perceived as a healthier life. And modern medical surgery is still a man-made alteration of a body.
Also, take for instance a normal ear piercing. For women to get their ears pierced there is a submission to cultural pressure, norms, and mores to achieve a goal, but it is injuring of the body – a mutilation – that is needed to achieve this goal.
So my answer to the question is that it is both a modification and mutilation.
I think what Tobias was saying was eventually leading to what I was originally thinking.
I think all mods have a bit of a mutilation factor involved in them. I only have had tattoos and piercings but even in getting those done there is a kind of masochistic characteristic to those actions. Even if it means conquering the pain for a positive result.
Any type of physical alterations to your own body is a mutilation of sorts, even in medical surgery one is submitting to a more dramatic alteration of their body to achieve a healthier life and future – once again, the submission to immediate pain and/or mutilation (the pain factor is now removed with modern anesthetic, but the action of mutilation is still there) to achieve a what is perceived as a healthier life. And modern medical surgery is still a man-made alteration of a body.
Also, take for instance a normal ear piercing. For women to get their ears pierced there is a submission to cultural pressure, norms, and mores to achieve a goal, but it is injuring of the body – a mutilation – that is needed to achieve this goal.
So my answer to the question is that it is both a modification and mutilation.