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.

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Reflection:

It was very interesting to see what others had to say about people based just on their actions and body modification. It was also interesting to see how my personal values influenced my view of others.  I mention in my discussion that I associated a young man wearing gauges with the term “rebel.”  Now this may not be true, but from my personal value system, I would never consider doing something so drastic to change my body.  Also, I mention that I have learned to associate that kind of appearance with the description of a rebel.  This could be in connection with what my family has taught me.

I go into more detail about my personal body modification in my essay.  When I evaluate myself, I can clearly see how my family and surroundings influenced the way I dress, and what I decide to do with my body.  “People construct their appearance in a wide variety of ways to control their social identities, self-definitions, and interactional prospects” (Sanders, 3-4).  I mention a brief statement along these lines in my essay about my own body modification.  In exploring how our appearance affects our identity, I believe that people choose what they do to their bodies not only because of their personal values, but also in response to the certain identity they want to portray and the type of people they want to interact with.  Now, I don’t think this is a conscious thought, but I noticed throughout this assignment, that a lot of people dress, and customize, their body based on what their close peers are also doing.

Cross necklace that was described in my Adornment Reflection Essay. This shows my devotion to my religion.

Future:

I always think about my appearance before I get up in the morning, and I don’t see that ever changing.  I have, however, been considering a tattoo for a couple years now.  Hopefully hearing, and reading, some of the other classmates opinions, will help me decide whether or not it is a good idea.  I hope to continue to look at others in a positive manner and not judge them based on what they are wearing.  Instead, one could look at others in a learning state of mind and hope to gain some insight about their life, or character.

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