NEWS: The Sunday Hangover with Warren Ellis

Gee Whiz. I was going to go to the mall and pick up some temporary hair dye (Anarchy Red!!) but this eyeball tattoo thing sounds pretty radical. I'm sold!

I always thought of being stabbed in the eye as a form of torture.

What he said

Reading this two days after getting my lip pierced certainly puts things into perspective. I have to agree with the sentiment that Ellis is probably the only person who could credibly justify the insanity on display here.

It's always interesting what the mind comes up with to push the edges of possibilities. It could be medical, biological, engineering to create or cause the creation of something that has never been before. All fascinating. Those are external motivations. Then there are those that wish to internalize and see what they themselves are capable of. How strong, thin, smart, agile, fast, pierced, tattooed, etal. Why? Because 'normal' life gives them no challenge. It's the unknown that interests these folk and the possibility of failure to even the point of death is immaterial. It's just the way they're 'wired'. The greater population will never understand, the lesser population will envy their courage and foresight and the very few will be inspired to do likewise. Not because what the person did was smart or brilliant or 'awesome' but simply because they're 'wired' the same way. Those few are then reduced further because of having to make a living. It's usually people that are wealthy or in the 'industry' that can alter their look to a point that otherwise would keep them from earning their keep. Say you go to a Dentist and he's got those blue eyes mentioned and implants in his head, down his arms and on the back of his hands and perhaps surgically grafted horns and crowns on his teeth to vampire points and the tattoos, oh my. You and I might say, "Cool look Dude!" but it's better off figuring that he won't be in business long. That goes for a burger flipper too. The 'industry' of altered or open minded folk is not self sustaining. It relies on 'normal' folks money filtering in from the fringes to sustain them. So to those that lead the 'revolution' in what can be done, bless you all and, "That's damn cool, dude/dudette." To those outraged by their 'deviant' behavior, it's their lives, try to find one on your own. And to those that want to emulate what those very few do, be aware that what you're changing about yourselves is changing those around you at the same time. A few for the better and most for the worse. Oh and thank you for the article. It was enjoyed.

Intense

well said

Godspeed to those brave enough, I just don't have balls that big or brass.

Interesting. Cyberpunk potential. But... I can't say I'm for it. Lenses grafted to your skin that seal off your eyes forever, a la Molly from William Gibson's Neuromancer, I can live with. Actually doing things to eyeballs is another level. I don't want to mess with my soul windows.

"I really have to emphasize again that the procedure was extensively researched and done by people who were aware of the risks and possible complications and that it should not be casually attempted. Now that this experiment has been started, please wait for us to either heal or go blind before trying it!"


Extensively researched how, exactly?

"fear, fear is the mind killer..."

I am so not about the eyeball trauma! But, yeah, you're right... These guys and girls, even (and sometimes especially) the ones that make bad mistakes... they're bodynauts, and they're much braver than I.

I guess I'm confused here. What other type of body mod could cause blindness? Oh, there aren't any? That's what I thought. I know some people do get some serious mods, things that even other people that are into that lifestyle find intense. And yes, many of them are permanent. But baring an tragic accident (bad infection, transmitted disease), or the possibility that you had some work done that turned out differently than what you were expecting, what's the risk? I just can't think of anything else like this, and I think it's too much. Like, who the hell is licensed to stick needles and dies in someones eyes just to see if it works?

Good stuff. Maybe the guy should change his name legally too. He can now be known as Shi'halud or maybe Usel

My favorite word in that entire article... "eyemeat". lol I now love that word.

I thought , "How far is too far?"..This is the dumbest idea I have ever heard .

I'm calling it now, remember this day, folks. I predict that the next big wave of body mods will be done in utero. Imagine the thrill of having your child be born with horns or one big fucking cyclops eye slap in the middle of its forehead. Maybe you could give the kid a unicorn horn or a beaver tail? Remember, I called it first.

fucksake that's fucking awesome!
way to go, meatbag explorers!!!

And then of course there's adding and subtracting which I also found through you, sir.

Would it be presumptuous to say that you've got a keen interest in the physical modification of one's body?

The doctors said that the risk of blindness is minimal in these procedures.

I don't think it's a matter of stupid or intelligent -- obviously, to the general public, any risk of blindness is generally avoided, but we're talking about Shannon and Pauly--people whose bodies *are* performance and their goals are to discover more about how they can be customized and beautified, they way they see it.

I'm glad this was raised in the article. Of course, it takes a little madness to voluntarily have your eyeballs poked, but knowing Shannon personally, I can say that his decisions are well informed and not clinical self-harm.

Also glad that you mentioned Orlan as well. I'm a fan.

Eh, they did research before they did it.

You are funny!!

Give me some more Transhumanist mods like the mag-sensors, you may keep your blue eyeballs, and, of course, the 'PainBacon' of fame and lore. Please keep the Ass Eels away, too.

Hey mom, look at me! Mom! Mom! Are you looking? Hey mom! Mom!

You know, I'm more a fan of people who are educated and trained pushing the boundaries of the human body instead of random people with bits of wires and sticks.