Hooked on Ewwww

"You can't let the little pricks generation-gap you," Molly said.
             ---William Gibson, Neuromancer

Then again, sometimes it's perhaps best to just leave them to it. CNN is reporting on a new fad getting some attention:

Meat hook dangling craze mystifies police

Law enforcement officials in the Florida Keys are mystified by a bizarre new pastime -- young people dangling themselves from meat hooks on a popular sandbar.
[...]

They found that five young people had erected a bamboo tripod and hung meat hooks from it. A young woman, her feet brushing the surface of the shallow water, dangled from the frame, hooks embedded firmly in her shoulders.

According to a Coast Guard video, she did not seem to mind the hooks.

Lt. Tom Brazil of the Coast Guard told the Key West Citizen newspaper that a young man, who also had hooks embedded in his heavily pierced and tattooed skin, assured him the group was "just enjoying the afternoon."

I found this diary entry from one of the adventurous youths participating in this "craze" (if you will):

I followed Sean into a room in his house he had set up to be a sterile environment. A guy named Dave was helping him. I removed my shirt and Dave marked my back with a black marker. He commented on how much easier it was because the tattoo on my back was centered. After I was finished being marked I was told to lie down on the table face down. They did a brief deep tissue massage on the area the hooks would be going into. They then sterilized the area and got the hooks ready. Sean lined the hook up and told me to take a deep breath. I did and he inserted the hook part of the way. Then he told me to exhale and he pushed the hook the rest of the way through. Dave then told Sean that I was suspending, not pulling and he had put the hook in upside down. Sean then removed the hook and reinserted it through the same whole the correct way.

He also included a link to a photo (not for the squeamish): www.bme.freeq.com/ritual/A30506/high/mombbq102.jpg

Comments

[Chuchundra]

While it sounds a little freaky, suspension by pierced flesh has some fairly old precedents in various world cultures; including Native American, Sufi and Tamil Nadu.

Although I've heard that large numbers of Americans particpate in ritual mock canibalism, so you need to be on the lookout at all times.

[Edward]

Although I've heard that large numbers of Americans particpate in ritual mock canibalism, so you need to be on the lookout at all times.

Ouch!

Don't come crying to me if you get blasted for that one. ;)

[NeoTroll]

If you are a believer, it is "real" and far from "mocking" I mean "mock" cannibalism? Only unbelieveing wimps would even suggest such heresy.

[Navy Davy]

I reckon if wuz bored, aimless, idle, uninterestin' without dreams, aspirations, or goals, Hell, I'd be meat-hookin' for kicks and giggles, too!:)

[sidereal]

Check your generation.

I think all these guys are pretty old.

I will say though that there's psychologically a huge difference between radical body modification (and radical simulated cannibalism) in service of the divine or a mystical tradition rather than in service of boredom and attention seeking.

Both actually exist in the modern urban body modification movement, but few seem to make the distinction.

[Edward]

I'm beginning to think there's something genetic about the urge to do this...

[Gerard Van der Leun]

Nope. Just an addiction. Like any other.

[Edward]

For anyone who hasn't seen it, Gerard Van der Leun links to a nice essay on American Digest.

While I agree with most of what you note, Gerard, I can't endorse this statement:

Just don't come around at age 40 expecting something necessary-- a job. Instead, get back to that sandbar and enjoy the fading afternoon of your earning years.

Although I never tattooed myself or pierced anything but one ear lobe (which, to my disappointment, did not freak out my parents), I did hang in the local "punk" clubs as a teen and know many of those folks to now hold very good jobs in all kinds of industries. There's a difference between body modifications you can cover with normal business clothes and those you can't of course, but there's also all kinds of cosmetic surgery to undo the deeds.

My point, however, is that youthful decisions like this need only condemn their makers if older Americans insist they do. I believe in redemption. I don't think that's a bad sentiment to encourage either. The idea that such a kid forever closes one set of doors to themselves reflects much more poorly on society at large than it does on that kid.

[NeoTroll]

Sidereal say;

"I will say though that there's psychologically a huge difference between radical body modification (and radical simulated cannibalism) in service of the divine or a mystical tradition rather than in service of boredom and attention seeking."

I stand corrected.

[dmbeaster]

Still sounds like a training camp for future winners of the Darwin Awards.