Artifact 1: People Watching
Artifact 1: People Watching
OBJECTIVES:
- Evaluate personal values and paradigms around body decoration and physical beauty.
- Investigate how physical appearance affects definitions of identity and belonging.
- Analyze values and belief systems of physical appearance across cultures, sub-cultures and generations.
ORIGINAL POST:
I spent a few hours studying and drinking tea at Starbucks and literally observed hundreds of people of every size, shape, and color. I could see patterns in fashion choices, tattoos, and hairstyles but I also observed some individuals who were quite unique. All in all it was a fascinating few hours to actually just sit and take it all in.
I observed a young woman with an olive complexion whom I assumed to be a student at the university as she was carrying several books and a backpack. She wore fairly standard dark blue skinny jeans and black patent leather flats. I could see a pink sweater peaking out from her raincoat. The most distinguishing element of her appearance was her colorful headscarf leading me to assume she is Muslim. If my assumption about her is correct, she is demonstrating a value of modesty. Although this woman wore clothes that did not distinguish her in one way or another, her headscarf caused me to assume other things about her that might otherwise be invisible. For example, while I know Muslims represent many races and ethnicities, I found myself making the assumption that she is from an Arab nation given her complexion. Had she not been wearing the headscarf, I might have observed her as Latina or Israeli. Since I am Jewish, I am familiar with the laws of modesty as Orthodox Jewish women also cover their heads in a show of piety to God. However, while I very much identify as Jewish, I don’t feel the need to dress in a particular way. I believe the woman I observed has made a different choice for herself.
The second person I observed was a muscular white guy with close-cropped brown hair. He wore black jeans and a snug short sleeved tee shirt. Both arms were covered in tattoos – from wrists to biceps. I did not see any other tattoos but, to be honest, made the assumption he had many more on his legs and other parts of his body covered by clothes. In my opinion, I believe this guy places a high value on self-expression and he uses his body as a canvas. I tried to get a better look at the specific tattoos on his arms, as I believe they can be revealing as to a person’s beliefs or interests but I couldn’t do so without staring or being too obvious about it. It also occurred to me that this guy could be a tattoo artist himself and I think it’s cool that he expresses himself so fully. In addition, given that he is in great shape physically, I can make the assumption that he places a high value on looking good and feeling good. As for these assumptions and how they relate to my own values, I can admire the guy’s tattoos but not feel the need to make such an extreme choice for myself. I have a few tattoos and they have very personal stories behind them but I don’t feel the need to cover parts of my body in them.
The third person I chose to observe was a white woman, fashionably dressed in what looked to be expensive clothes and shoes. Her blond hair looked professionally cut and colored and her nails were beautifully manicured. She wore gold earrings, gold bracelets, an expensive watch and she carried a designer handbag. She was alone but talked on her iPhone 6 the entire time she was in Starbucks only taking a break to order a drink. She may or may not be a student as she didn’t appear to have any books or other school related materials. In my opinion, this is a woman who greatly values her physical appearance and spends time and money on achieving a certain look. The main assumption I made about this woman is that she comes from a wealthy family or has access to financial resources. When I think about this assumption in relation to my own values, I found myself wondering if I would spend money on clothes, etc. in the same way if I had more resources. I love to go shopping for and wear nice clothes, shoes, and jewelry. And a manicure is something I always enjoy. But, I don’t have the ability to spend lots of money on these items since food, rent, and school expenses have to come first. As I thought more deeply about this I concluded that while I might be inclined to expand my clothing allowance if resources were more plentiful, I’m just as likely to add other items to my budget such as travel or going out for nice meals.
REFLECTION:
This artifact caused me to really think about how I observe other people and make assumptions or judgments about their choice of clothing or adornments such as tattoos or piercings. Specifically, I found myself comparing my reaction to the guy with the full arm tattoos to the woman who appeared to have money. I was intrigued by the guy and thought his tattoos and choice of self-expression were cool. It’s not a choice I would make but I could see having an interesting conversation with him about his tattoos and their origins. I made the assumption he would be open and into that kind of conversation. On the other hand, I made the assumption that the woman wouldn’t be into talking with me. I don’t dress like someone in her crowd and I assumed she might be stuck up or look down on me. C.R. Sanders notes in the reading, “Introduction: Body Alteration, Artistic Production, and the Social World of Tattooing,” “At the simplest level, clothing and fashions are adopted in order to display symbolically gender, social status, role, lifestyle, personal interests, and other identity features…”(4) If this is true, than these two people use their clothing and adornments to send a message about themselves. The question I have is: Are the messages I received the ones they intended to send? For all I know, the attributes I assigned to each of them could be the reverse or something completely different.
FUTURE:
This is a photo of my good friend Mackenzie who lives in Portland.
We grew up together until her family moved to Colorado several years ago. Being close to Mackenzie is a good reminder for me that people can express themselves in ways that cause others to make incorrect assumptions. Mackenzie has at least eleven tattoos and many piercings. She is not what one might consider in the “norm” around body adornment and fashion. According to Sanders, “Those who choose to modify their bodies in ways that violate appearance norms – or who reject culturally prescribed alterations – risk being defined as socially or morally inferior.” (2) The idea that Mackenzie is viewed as inferior is just maddening. She is a fantastic artist and musician, is close to her family, works hard, and is a good and kind person. While she chooses to express herself through her tattoos and piercings, judging her based solely on appearance is unkind. I understand that it is human nature to react to what one sees and to make judgments based on culturally acceptable practices. But, if Lewis is correct in A Question of Values: Six Ways We Make Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives, we have the ability to make choices about our behavior and to prioritize what is good and just. (7) For me personally, this is something I plan to think more about and to remind of when I slip into making assumptions or judgments.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: