Social Experiments

I often get asked questions as to why I do some of the crazy things I do, such as dye my hair pink and purple, or get a tattoo in a very noticeable spot, or why I like to dress in gothic styles or hippy styles. Part of that answer is that I walk along to the beat of my own drum, but it actually goes a lot deeper than that. A while ago I talked about how the Bible says our body is a temple and that we are to glorify God with it. For me, being the creative person he made me to be is part of that it’s part of my act of worship. But I’m not going to pretend that it’s all for sacred reasons, because it’s not, although I think Rob Bell is right when he says that if a person is a Christian, everything they do is sacred.

I used to tease my old boss and tell her that I actually did what I do because I’m conducting social experiments; I told her that I might be able to turn it into a book one day. She told me to dress more normal and stop conducting those kinds of experiments when I was in her store. Ha. I major in writing and sociology, and I think that I was always destined to study both those subjects because I always was able to articulate well with writing and I felt like it was what I was born to do, and sociology fits because I’ve always asked questions about why things are the way they are and why we feel the need for them to be that way. I guess I have always been a sociologist in the making. People tell me I think too deeply, but I think that’s part of being a writer and studying sociology.

I like to get people to think outside the box. I like to dress in gothic styles first of all because I like them, and second of all because it is interesting to see people’s reactions, and thirdly because I want to challenge people’s assumptions and prejudices and I can do that by doing what I do and I don’t even have to present a verbal argument. I like to challenge people to let go of preconceived ideas about what is socially acceptable in regards to appearance. Even if I think that somebody looks weird, or looks like a freak, I try to remember that Jesus loves them and that he died for them so he thinks that they are pretty awesome.

Sometimes we need to think about why certain aspects of appearance are “socially acceptable” and others aren’t. Why is it such a big deal for someone to have blue hair? Who cares if someone is covered in tattoos or piercings if that is their style? They are a unique individual created in the image of God, and as much as I hate cliché Christian sayings, there is a saying that says “God don’t make junk”. The truth is that he doesn’t make junk, and he thinks the person that I just judged as a freak to be valuable and precious in his sight.

So I do the crazy things I do partly as an act of worship, partly because I like it, and partly because I want to challenge people to think. You’re welcome. :p