Fashions and trends are fascinating to study. Today, tattoos and body piercing are popular. They were once only for sailors then became an essential for punk rockers as a symbol of rebellion. Now all the young people are getting tattoos and body piercings to show their individuality. Every popular music idol and up and coming movie star is now sporting some form of piercing or artwork.

How many people have to express their individuality before it becomes conformity, I wonder?

Teenagers are expressing their individuality by getting tattoos, body piercings, and by wearing unconventional clothing, cutting and colouring their hair in different styles. They feel unique, while feeling a part of the teenage rebellion by wearing fashions their parents disapprove of, although they tend to dress in similar styles to those of their companions. They are not comfortable with being truly unique and cannot accept others of their age who are actually unique.

While individuality is the name used to describe rebellion to the previous generation's ideas of conformity it is really just this generation's conformity.

There was a sitcom based on the concept of rebellion where the hippie parents had ultraconservative children. It will be interesting to see if the children of the body piercing generation rebel against their parents by being ultraconservative about their bodies.

It would be good to see a time where every individual is valued not for the way they dress but for the unique human being they really are. Teenagers especially need to know that they are part of humanity as well as truly special individuals.

Individuality can be a positive thing if it is used to nurture creativity. This would be the perfect way to encourage teenagers to reach their full potential.