Monday, March 16, 2009

Scarification

SCARIFICATION, n. A form of penance practised by the mediaeval pious. The rite was performed, sometimes with a knife, sometimes with a hot iron, but always, says Arsenius Asceticus, acceptably if the penitent spared himself no pain nor harmless disfigurement. Scarification, with other crude penances, has now been superseded by benefaction. The founding of a library or endowment of a university is said to yield to the penitent a sharper and more lasting pain than is conferred by the knife or iron, and is therefore a surer means of grace. There are, however, two grave objections to it as a penitential method: the good that it does and the taint of justice.

2009 Update: A sacred ritual wherein experience is applied cosmetically, the wisdom to question sacred rites being skin deep. The profane ritual of applied scar tissue goes under the less reverent "LIFE."

13 comments:

Ariel the Thief said...

Scarification, the removing of those things cannot be wiped off.

Minka said...

scarification, n. a rite of passage, a silly notion or a result of physical laws not contemplated!

Anonymous said...

So that's why the grownups wanted us dead!

Nessa said...

The opposite of botox and plastic surgery.

Anonymous said...

SCARIFICATION, n. Your mother's name for tattooing.

TLP said...

SCARIFICATION: After life of acne.

Anonymous said...

One could only wish they'd scaryfied themselves before going under the needle, AB.

Anonymous said...

the school of hard knocks-

whether it be hollow halls
or the simple survival
upon the streets
a life not scarred
is a life
not lived
Peace

Tom & Icy said...

Al Capone getting revenge

Doug The Una said...

Ariel, you mean like a fox' grin?

Right, Minka. The key being not yet contemplated. What have you forgotten?

Quilly, I'm betting one reason of many.

Nessa, sort of the same too.

Right, Amorba, although I imagine my mother's expression might have been more "I'm having you murdered. Good day."

Yeah, what's that about, Actonbell? They aren't cool so they have to make nerdy what once was cool?

TLP, lechery too.

Amoeba, that's always better. Too little fear, I says.

Amen, Brer Bear. There is no kahlua without coffee.

Icy, revenge is such an ugly word for it.

Ariel the Thief said...

"a life not scarred
is a life
not lived"

Wow, Bear, it was beautiful.

Cooper said...

There are some parts of the world where you just are not cool without it, and I don't mean New York or L.A. but I think it's coming.

Do mental scars count? Mine are accumulating at record pace.

Hobbes said...

Emo hobby.