Skin Art A History of Tattoos Essay Example

Skin Art: A History of Tattoos Paper Tattoos are a permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of ingraining and pricking an indelible pigment into the punctures or by raising scars. This body art comes in many shapes, sizes, colors, designs, and styles. Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or bought out of a whim, the tattoo has left its mark on generation after generation (Krakow). The purpose of tattooing varies from culture to culture, person to person, and its place on the time line. The essay will examine the following eras: BC and tribal, 20th century, and modern. It is noted that tattooing (a Tahitian word meaning â€Å"to mark something†) has existed since 12,000 years BC. As noted in â€Å"A Brief History of Tattoos,† women in Borneo tattooed their symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material was increased. In tribes, tattoos around the wrist and fingers were believed to ward away illness and bad spirits. In recorded history, the earliest tattoos can be found in Egypt during the time of the erection of the great pyramids. As the Egyptians expanded their empire, the art of tattooing spread along with it. The civilizations of Crete, Greece, Persia, and Arabia Fetzer 2 picked up and expanded the art form (â€Å"A Brief History of Tattoos). The Greeks used tattooing for communication among spies by identifying them and showing their rank. Romans marked criminals and slaves, a practice still carried on today. Around 2000 BC tattooing spread to China. Historic Asian culture believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. For example, the ferocity of a tiger would belong to the tattooed person. We will write a custom essay sample on Skin Art: A History of Tattoos specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Skin Art: A History of Tattoos specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Skin Art: A History of Tattoos specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Ainu are noted for introducing tattoos to Japan where it developed into a religious and ceremonial rite. Dayak warriors who had taken a head had tattoos on their hands (â€Å"A Brief History of Tattoos†). The tattoos garnered respect and solidified the owner’s status for life. Polynesians developed tattoos to mark tribal communities, families, and rank. They brought their art to New Zealand and developed a facial style of tattooing called Moko which is still being used today (â€Å"A Brief History of Tattoos†). There is evidence that the Mayan, Incas, and Aztecs used tattooing in rituals as well as the isolated tribes of Alaska. In the West, early Danes, Norse, and Saxons tattooed family crests (a tradition still practiced today). In 787 AD, Pope Hadrian banned tattooing, yet it still thrived in Britain until the Norman Invasion of 1066 when the Normans disdained tattooing. As a result tattooing disappeared from Western culture from the 12th to the 16th centuries. While tattooing diminished in the West, it thrived in Japan. Originally, it was used as a means of identifying criminals. First offenses were marked with a line across the forehead, a second crime was marked by adding an arch, and a third offense was marked by another line. Together these marks formed the Japanese character for dog. Anthropologists argue that this was the original three strikes you’re out law. In time, Fetzer 3 the Japanese escalated the tattoo to an aesthetic art form. The â€Å"body suit† originated around 1700 as a social reaction against strict laws concerning conspicuous consumption. Only royalty were allowed to wear ornate attire. As a result of this, the middle class adorned themselves with elaborate full body tattoos. A fully tattooed person wearing nothing more than a loin cloth was considered â€Å"well dressed. In 1691, William Dampher re-introduced tattooing to the West when he brought to London a heavily tattooed Polynesian known as the Painted Prince. He was put on a money-making exhibition and became the rage of London. It had been 600 years since tattoos had been seen in Europe. Soon, the upper-class were getting small tattoos in discreet places. For a short time, tattooing became a sensational fad. In alm ost every early culture, tattooing symbolized status. In the BC and tribal eras of history, tattoos played an important role in ritual and tradition. Just like the times, tattooing in the 20 th century took an enormous turn. Evolutionary scientist, Charles Darwin, wrote many papers, one which included an analysis of tattoos. For tattooing to be mentioned in such distinguished company made many people re-look at the art, finding that they were standing at the dawn of a new era in indelible history. Initially, the tattoo craze began to diminish. What kept tattooing from becoming more widespread was its slow and painstaking procedure. Each puncture of the flesh was done by the hand the ink was applied. Paul Sace arguably states that the most significant factor to the re-emergence of the ancient art of tattooing would have to be the electric tattoo machine. In 1891, Samuel OReilly patented the first electric tattooing machine which was based on Edisons electric pen that punctured paper with a Fetzer 4 needle point. The basic design with moving coils, a tube and a needle bar, are the components of todays tattoo gun. The electric tattoo gun allowed anyone to obtain a reasonably priced and readily available tattoo. As the average person could easily get a tattoo, the upper classes turned away from it. By the turn of the century, tattooing had lost a great deal of credibility. Tattoo artists worked in the sleazier sections of the city. Heavily tattooed people traveled with circuses and were labeled as â€Å"freaks. † The societal view of tattoos was so poor for most of the century that tattooing went underground. There were no schools to study the craft, there were no magazines, and there were no associations or advertising. In order to find out where to go and who to see for quality tattoos, one had to be familiar with the scuttlebutt. The birthplace of the American style tattoo was Chatham Square in New York City, a seaport and entertainment center attracting working-class people with money. While tattooing was declining elsewhere in the country, here it flourished. Husbands tattooed their significant others with examples of their best work. They played the role of walking advertisements. At this time, cosmetic tattooing became popular (i. e. blush for cheeks, colored lips, and eyeliner). With World War I, the flash art images changed to those of bravery and wartime icons. In the 1920s, with Prohibition and then the Depression, Chatham Square lost its appeal. The center for tattoo art moved to Coney Island. Tattooing experienced a revival during the Roaring 20s and the Suffragist movement; it became en vogue among the upper classes to have a tattoo. Not all women enjoyed such freedom, and society did not necessarily endorse this trend. For example, Fetzer 5 in the late 1920s, the conviction of a rapist was overturned because a small butterfly tattoo was found on the victim (Hawkes, Senn, Thorn). Both the judge and jury agreed that the tattoo had sexual implications and as a result, it was held that the woman was in part responsible for misleading the man who raped her. Across the country, tattooists opened shops in areas that would support them, namely cities with military bases close by, particularly naval bases. In the 2 nd World War era, tattoos were known as travel markers, almost like the stamps one sees in a passport booklet. â€Å"A Brief History of Tattoos† notes that after World War II, tattoos became further denigrated by their associations with Marlon Brando-type bikers and Juvenile delinquents. Tattooing had little respect in American culture because those who were tattooed were seen as social outcasts and troublemakers. Tattooing was sent reeling on its heels when in 1961 there was an outbreak of hepatitis. Though most tattoo shops had sterilization machines, few used them. Newspapers reported stories of blood poisoning, hepatitis, and other diseases. The general population held tattoo parlors in disrepute. A health code violation went into effect and the tattoo shops at Times Square and Coney Island were shut down making it incredibly difficult to get a tattoo in New York. It was illegal and tattoos had a terrible reputation. Because of fear and the negative social view associated with them, few people wanted a tattoo. In the late 1960s, the attitude towards tattooing changed. During the Sexual Revolution, tattooing enjoyed a resurrection among radical women who were rethinking their gender role (including rock stars such as Janis Joplin) as noted by Hawkes, Senn, Thorn. Amy Krakow states that thanks to Lyle Tuttle, the tattoo Fetzer 6 became an amiable art form among the 1970s counterculture. Tattoos see-sawed in their acceptance in the 20 th century but nevertheless were popular icons. Today, tattooing is making a zealous comeback. It is more popular and accepted than it has ever been. Current tattoo artist, Tomas Garcia, says that â€Å"all classes of people are coming in to get tattoos, from Senators to new mothers to doctors to grandparents to kids who just turned 18. † This rise in popularity has placed tattooists in the category of fine artist garnering a respect not seen for over 100 years. Current artists combine the tradition of tattooing with their personal style creating unique and phenomenal body art. Through the lens of figurational sociology, today tattooing is interpreted as a pro-social and affectively regulated act of communication, rather than a pathological instance of self-injury (Atkinson). The 21 st century is experiencing what some call a second Tattoo Renaissance. † As part of this revolution in the popular cultural significance of tattooed flesh, tattooing is escalating to unprecedented levels of popularity among a vast array of social groups. Once a long-standing symbol of the underclass, this body project is now a floating signifier of a full panorama of social statuses, roles, and identities. More so than in any previous era, Michael Atkinson notes that tattoos are pregnant with cultural significance. Women especially have played an enormous role in the culture of tattoos. It can be argued that women today become tattooed for two reasons: the refusal to obey appearance norms and for the gender nonconformity that it displays. Throughout history tattoos have signified membership in a clan or secret society. Even today groups like the Hells Angels tattoo their particular group symbol. Contemporary music scenes exemplify the tattoo phenomenon. â€Å"Straight-edge† youth use their bodies as a canvas for their Fetzer 7 moralistic beliefs. According to Demello, the tattoos reflect the power of their symbolic associations as they preach against premarital sex, drugs, smoking, and alcohol. Tattoos have blossomed into a form of self expression and individuality. Tattoos have appeared throughout history as a ritual art, pagan decoration, art to mark a rite of passage, art to inform, forbidden art, blue-collar art, popular art, and erotic art (Krakow 2). Two reactions seem to be possible in persons who see a tattoo on someone. One is complete fascination, a feeling that here is the ultimate stud, the great macho, the sexual satyr, the Marlboro man, the far-traveling sailor, the incomparable sadistic master, the criminal just released from prison. The other is a complete revulsion: the tattoo represents the epitome of sleaze, of low-class background, of cheap vulgarity and bad taste, everything that intelligence and sophistication have conditioned society to despise (Steward 10). From body painting to scarification, piercing to the less permanent wearing of jewelry, hair styles to make-up, to the emergence of cosmetic surgery, people have always striven to change their appearance. For millions of people throughout time, tattooing has been one of the most popular forms of permanent body art. Tattooing as an art form has over the years been claimed by many countries, tribes, and ethnic groups. In many cases it is the same scenario of what came first the chicken or the egg. It will probably never be known exactly who were the first people to mark their skins, but what is definite is that tattooing has tattooed itself in history as a significant identifier. ?

Free Essays on Fear By H.E.Bates - Critical Evaluation

Critical Evaluation of H.E. Bates' "Fear" We all have our fears. Sometimes it is fear of the dark. Sometimes we are scared to be alone and many of us are afraid of death. Just like our ancestors, we have this small, primitive "sense" very deep in us which is scared of the unknown. If we do not have explanation for something we tend panic. H. E. Bates short story "Fear" explores all those fears universally felt by human beings. The author writes, it would seem, a very trivial story about a small boy and his grandpa as they hide in a small hut before a storm. However, we can see a totally different tale about superstition and fear. The boy's first impression of the storm is that it is a frightening and unfriendly event. The personification "thunderstorms talked darkly to each other" shows that the boy is giving human feelings and characteristics to the storm. Clearly this is a young child who thinks of the world in animistic terms. Such a world where cars sleep at night in garages can be comforting. But such a world can also unleash terrors where natural forces are given attributes, which properly belong to the world of scheming, deliberate human behavior. The author uses animism to build up tension, emphasize the fear and give the story another dimension. Certainly at the beginning of the story his fears are distant suggested by the observation that his eyes are "faint yellow". This is however a clear indication that he is afraid of things which he does not understand and he sees things only in his imagination. His fear becomes more intense as the storm develops. The use of the phrase â€Å" The th ree thunder - storms grew angrier and angrier† indicates that the little boy is gradually losing control and succumbing to fear. The personification of the surrounding forest: â€Å"The trees began to open their arms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  creates an image that this is only the start of something terrible that is going to happen. With his silly... Free Essays on Fear By H.E.Bates - Critical Evaluation Free Essays on Fear By H.E.Bates - Critical Evaluation Critical Evaluation of H.E. Bates' "Fear" We all have our fears. Sometimes it is fear of the dark. Sometimes we are scared to be alone and many of us are afraid of death. Just like our ancestors, we have this small, primitive "sense" very deep in us which is scared of the unknown. If we do not have explanation for something we tend panic. H. E. Bates short story "Fear" explores all those fears universally felt by human beings. The author writes, it would seem, a very trivial story about a small boy and his grandpa as they hide in a small hut before a storm. However, we can see a totally different tale about superstition and fear. The boy's first impression of the storm is that it is a frightening and unfriendly event. The personification "thunderstorms talked darkly to each other" shows that the boy is giving human feelings and characteristics to the storm. Clearly this is a young child who thinks of the world in animistic terms. Such a world where cars sleep at night in garages can be comforting. But such a world can also unleash terrors where natural forces are given attributes, which properly belong to the world of scheming, deliberate human behavior. The author uses animism to build up tension, emphasize the fear and give the story another dimension. Certainly at the beginning of the story his fears are distant suggested by the observation that his eyes are "faint yellow". This is however a clear indication that he is afraid of things which he does not understand and he sees things only in his imagination. His fear becomes more intense as the storm develops. The use of the phrase â€Å" The th ree thunder - storms grew angrier and angrier† indicates that the little boy is gradually losing control and succumbing to fear. The personification of the surrounding forest: â€Å"The trees began to open their arms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  creates an image that this is only the start of something terrible that is going to happen. With his silly...

Violence In The Workplace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Violence In The Workplace - Research Paper Example is there in the workplace on the basis of a number of reasons such as inappropriate attitudes from management and co-workers, injustice, sexual harassment, inequality, presumptuousness, workload and social pressure. The management and the employer must take preventive measures to control any act of violence and aggression. Violence and aggression are such concepts that come to the forefront many times because of the inappropriate attitudes of the employers and co-workers. There are many kinds of violence that can take place in the workplaces. The workplace stress and aggression is a reality that is faced by a number of people who work at different work places (Gill, 2002). At some occasions, where the management is very responsive, there are fewer chances of these attitudes. Violence cannot be considered as a negligible aspect because it affects the employees, the workplace and customers to a great extent. Violence is considered to be an outcome of personal problems, physical and emotional dysfunctional behavior, social pressure, workplace pressure, employers’ demands, workload, inequality, harassment and much more (Glomb, 2000). When an employee acts violently or aggressively, it cannot be considered as wholly as the activity, which is only employee-based. There are reasons behind the violent act of an employee. The purpose of this study is to find why violence in the workplace place is caused and what are the effects of the violence in the workplace? This study considers a detailed literature review in which, various articles, books and journals are analyzed in terms of their notification about violence and its reasons in a workplace. This research paper takes into account the workplace stress and aggressiveness experienced by different workers of different workplaces to form an opinion regarding the type of stresses and aggressive attitudes felt and experienced by the employees. This research proves that the workers and employees show stress, violence and

Organizational Behavior on Henry Ford Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Behavior on Henry Ford - Essay Example This plays on what Gilbreth, a famous industrial/organizational psychologist, called time-and-motion theory. This is a way in which Ford was able to produce automobiles at an accelerated rate by giving everyone a designed task and forming the assembly line. Originally, Ford designed a static assembly line, but as his time-and-motion theory developed, he employed the use of a conveyor system to make a moving assembly line, which increases production. This also brought into the field of engineering psychology to see how to design this work environment so it was safe for workers but maximized efficiency. This idea of production worked so well that it became fundamental during the world wars in order for the United States and other countries to produce military vehicles. In today’s society, we now operate on the concept of the automated assembly line in which we program machines to create the products allowing for work to continue on the assembly line almost 24/7. Many companies h ave taken the original idea of the assembly line and applied it to their business (Batechelor, 1994). Another way in which Ford was able to maximize production which was through the concept of interchangeable parts that helped make the assembly line run efficiently. Prior to interchangeable parts, if something on the Model T was broken, an entirely new part would have to be created. The idea of creating multiple parts ensures that if a part breaks, there is an immediate identical part that can be used to replace it. This minimizes the skill level necessary to complete the repair decreases the amount of time required to accomplish this. This has made an impact now not only in the professional world but also as a general consumer behavior (Freeman & Soete, 2004). Ford was a believer in the American Dream. In this respect, he was always trying to make sure that he kept job satisfaction high in order to keep turnovers low.

Compare and contrast essay Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast essay Essay Brown Brothers; How Negative Stereotypes Affect Polynesian And Maori In New Zealand My demographic is: high school cleaning ladies, fast food burger-making, factory boxpacking, rubbish truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, sober drivers and living off the pension joy riders — I am a dropout. These are all ideas raised and challenged by Joshua Iosefos 2011 viral speech, Brown Brother. Brown Brother is one of three texts that will be examined, compared and contrasted in this essay. The second text, Manurewa, is a short film based on the South Auckland murder of Navtej Singh, a liquor shop owner. The third text is Fish Heads, a short story written by Aparina Taylor, that focuses on a group of Maori boys who live in the city. The media is a huge culprit for the negative stereotyping that has been brought upon pacifica people. Brown people are more than what they are portrayed to be through media. Films such as Manurewa reinforce many of the negative stereotypes that have been brought upon Pacific people. The stereotype of brown people is a negative one, one of unemployment, one of crime, one of violence. In Manurewa each one of these stereotypes were portrayed. The men in the short film were all unemployed, all committed crime and all showed violence. â€Å"Bro Town, Sione’s Wedding, and do I have to mention the GC? Now I dont mean to condescend I mean these shows are great, dont get me wrong but can anyone explain: will there ever be a time when our representation goes deeper than putting our own people to shame?† Joshua Iosefo, in his Brown Brother speech, spoke about this issue – how the media represents brown people in a negative light. He highlights how these types of shows create and enforce the stereotypes that brown people now have to live by. While these shows are meant to entertain, this negative reinforcement only show the bad side of Polynesian and Maori people. One of the major themes of the film Manurewa is about people being trapped by low expectations and invisible boundaries. People can become trapped from attaining success, trapped from fulfilling their potential, and trapped from being heard. The message in the film Manurewa is that not all brown  people are bad, but the expectations that their stereotypes have created for them along with the people that they are surrounded with often leads to them making horrific mistakes. In this true story, a good person has been surrounded with unemployed, violent people and ultimately ends up committing a murder. In the beginning of the film the boy shows that he does have love and passion in his heart through feeding and nurturing the horse. After the murder the three older men are happy and excited but the boy was completely distressed about what he had done. These two scenes clearly show that the boy is a good person who simply made a bad mistakes because of the people that he was surrounded by. When Joshua Iosefo performed Brown Brother at the Tedx conference, he explained how brown people are trapped because of expectations, and surroundings. Meaning that the expectations that have been set from the stereotypes as well as the people that they are surrounded by impact greatly and almost trap brown people from success. He used a box as an example, where he explained that each side of the box needs to be kicked down in order for Maori and Polynesian people to succeed. People need to make the change themselves through their own actions. Brown people need to stop being what the stereotypes expects them to be and need to start proving that they are better than the stereotype. In the short story, Fish Heads the Maori boys are short of money but they do not let this stop them. All four boys are employed, they all work for the little money that they have and they show that there is no reason to live the way that the stereotype expects them to live. They are not violent, they do not commit crimes and they do not drink alcohol excessively. They respect people and they are happy living a simple wholesome life. Similarly, Joshua Iosefo talks about beating the stereotype, about standing up and showing that you are better than the stereotype. â€Å"You can do all things through Christ, Philippians 4:13. You are more than capable. And I don’t say that just to make you feel better, I say that because I know. Cause your creator told me to tell you so. Yo u will go places, you will tell stories, so do not feel afraid or alone for your God and your family and your home will forever be inside the marrow of your bones. So do not fret, do not regret. For where you go, you take us with you. Brown brother, do not be afraid to be the first, the first to graduate, the first to climb, the first prime minister,  or the first good wife — brown brother, do not be afraid to be the change. Not in skin tone or colour, but a change in mindset. From one brown brother, to another†. These are the powerful words that Joshua pointed at people living under the expectations that the stereotype has set for them. This powerful message is aimed st those who have been beaten by the expectations that have been set by the stereotype. The three texts, Manurewa, Brown Brother and Fish Heads clearly illustrate that there are negative stereotypes and low expectations for Polynesians and Maori in New Zealand. These stereotypes can lead people to feel that they are stuck and defined by their stereotype. Joshua Iosefos speech, talked of the stereotype that was his demographic but also said that Polynesians needed to be responsible for overcoming or changing this stereotype. In the film Manurewa, the inability for Isaac to escape from this cycle of negativity lead the once caring teenager to associate with bad people and ultimately lead to him murdering an innocent man. Whereas in contrast, the text Fish Heads showed that if people are r emoved from negative environments and influences, they are able to live in a non-stereotypical way.

Sophia Western vs. Lady Bellaston On the 4th episode of the novel Tom J

Sophia Western vs. Lady Bellaston On the 4th episode of the novel Tom Jones Sophia Western vs. Lady Bellaston On the 4th episode of the novel Tom Jones, the author has once again given its audience another surprise. Sophia Western and Lady Bellaston are both secretly fighting for the love of the same man. They both like Mr. Jones. However, they refuse to let each other know about their own feelings towards this man. Although they are both wealthy women, they differ in their appearance, attitudes, and most important on their feelings towards Mr. Jones. They look very different from each other. Ms. Western is very young, probably in her early 20s. She has long blonde hair and does not need any makeup to appear beautiful; she is a natural. Lady Bellaston, on the other hand, is much older, probably in her 50s. She is a slim redhead, perhaps with more need to dress up to impress the younger man of her delight. Sophia dresses elegant but rather simple. She could even be considered an old fashioned woman in London. Conversely, Lady Bellaston is very modern and sensual...

Application of C. Wright Mill’s sensibilities

C. Wright Mill’s works were mostly dedicated to the questions of social stratification, researched elites, rationalization, mass society and power.   But nevertheless, he was very much involved in the investigation of social problems as well.   For instance, C. Wright Mill’s four sensibilities might assist in explaining the poor health status of indigenous people in comparison to wider population. In my understanding, poor health status of indigenous people is provoked by the problem of alienation which results in the â€Å"shift from rural and agriculturally based world to an urban society†.[#2, p.3]   This explains health status changes of the population in the way of bigger inflow of people to the urban society and as a result of suchlike movements happens rapid development and improvement of technologies. Of course, Mill’s sensibilities have from one hand positive and negative impact on the indigenous people.   As to me, one of those is increasing economy from the positive side, but from the opposite – economic growth implies many negative effects as well (such as pollution).   As a result – the above mentioned aspects are provoking weakening immunity and inability to resist diseases by indigenous part of population. Other explanation of poor health status of indigenous people is inability to be medically inspected and treated with the appropriate means as wider population. This might be the reasoning of usage of less effective medicine and inability to adapt to the constantly changing methods of treatment.   Therefore different categories of population, according to the Wright Mill, are conducting â€Å"inhuman actions† between different parts of population.   But then he continues that â€Å"our sensibilities and actions are inhuman not because of the scale of their cruelty, but because they are impersonal and performed without any real emotion†. [#1, p.3]. References 1.Aronowitz, Stanley â€Å"A Mills Revival?†. Logos Journal. 11 Oct.2004 < http://www.logosjournal.com/aronowitz.htm> 2.Mills, Wright. The Sociological Imagination. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.