Self Expression Essay

1258 Words6 Pages
Alison Murray Ramsey English 1A 5 February 2012 Self-Expression Did you know that if you have tattoos you may be considered a deviant? Deviant behavior does not observe widely-accepted social or cultural norms. Cultural norms are behaviors that are accepted by the social group. These behaviors are learned from parents, teachers, peers, and many others that we model. Some norms are healthy and some are not necessary. Some contribute to the betterment of individuals, families, and communities; others can breed prejudice and prejudgment. Cultural norms often are so strongly rooted in an individual's daily life that they may not be aware of certain behaviors. Our identity and self-expression is molded by the social norms, so what happens when people want to express themselves against the norms? So I’m compelled to ask, tattoos, are they socially accepted? Our lives are shaped with ideals, passions, thoughts, opinions and views. What good are these qualities of the human spirit if we do not express and share them with others? Many choose a career path that symbolizes their beliefs. Others may choose to join interest groups as a means of expressing and exercising their views. Some may even get a tattoo to show the world what they stand for. The way you choose to express yourself is a personal choice, but in every society there are social norms and cultural standards that say how, when, and where to express ourselves. One of the most appealing things about America is our constitutional right to freedom of expression. The right of expression has been a source of debate, when deciding what forms of expression are suitable and acceptable in our society. Anyone stepping out of this norm can expect that they would be looked upon as an outsider by their social group. For example, when working for a professional company there is a standard dress code, speech
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