| | For me it has always been psychology. Remember Rand's article on hippies? She wrote that they saw themselves being called upon to conform... and feared they wouldn't measure up. They rejected conformity - not as a disvalue, but a height they feared they wouldn't achieve. And the heart of the fear was that if they failed, they would be rejected. They achieved a sense of relief by setting a lower standard, one that they and their peers could agree to conform to.
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I don't think anyone will get anywhere talking about a single diamond stud, or whether it is in the ear or the nose. And, it isn't about a little butterfly tattoo. It has to be a fashion statement of tattoos and piercings and clothing that set the person apart. However far the culture has moved (and it is a fashion trend) look at the person that is closer to the leading edge. They are saying, "I'm not one of you." With that perspective, you have some psychology - you can ask why.
If someone rubs your face in their difference from you, pay attention to what is the most consistent opposite of their style. It tells you what they run from - what they fear they should have but don't, or should be but aren't. Remember that anger, contempt and disdain are often protective conversions of fear... or shame.
Of course, these are just generalizations and don't carry across to every person... and young people are still forming, but when I see someone covered in tattoos and piercings and some extreme of dress, I'm fairly certain they are declaring, "I'm not a member of your tribe, so your judgment of me doesn't count. You are just damning me for my look, so I don't have to take your judgment seriously."
It's a self-esteem thing.
But when it seems to be sweeping through a culture, then it may be saying still more. I wouldn't be surprised if a portion of a population whose culture was in decline chose to adopt anti-culture stigmata. A fart joke can be funny... but if a person, or a culture emphasizes fart jokes, then like the artist painting a wart, a statement is being made. There is a style, an energy, an emotional recharging aspect to our culture. It is the set of gas stations where we refuel emotionally. Its art, its aspirations, its icons and models give this to us. If we are losing culture, there should be a slight background of uneasiness. Like a sense that money has been going out of your bank account faster than it is going in... until you face that by looking at a bank statement you'll have that background of uneasiness. If our art gives rationalizations for accepting anti-heros, says crude and trashy are just an honest stripping away of snobbery, and if the icons and models of the day are covered in tattoos, pierced and speak in 4-letter sprinkled sentences, I think they are declaring their sour grapes regarding our culture's demise - "Fuck, man, like who needs all that hero shit, anyway."
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