What you see is what you get is a phrase that rings in a person’s head when they encounter someone who appears unusual or distinct from them. In such cases, society typically determines a book by its cover. We notice tattoos and piercings on others and immediately conclude they are bad influences or evil persons.
However, we do not know what that person has been through in their life, or the story behind those tattoos and piercings. We don’t know what kind of a person they are, and we shouldn’t judge them before getting to know them.
I have personal experience with this issue. When I was younger, I used to have a lot of piercings and people would automatically assume that I was a “bad girl”. They would think that I was into drugs or alcohol, or that I was just a rebellious teenager. However, that wasn’t the case. I just liked the way piercings looked and I thought they were pretty. People would give me dirty looks and make comments about my piercings, but I didn’t care. I knew that they didn’t know me and they were just judging me based on my appearance.
Now, as an adult, I don’t have any piercings or tattoos. But, if I did, I wouldn’t let other people’s judgmental comments bother me. I would know that they don’t know me and they are just making assumptions about me based on my appearance. So, next time you see someone with tattoos or piercings, don’t judge them. You don’t know their story and you don’t know what kind of a person they are. Give them a chance and get to know them before you make any judgments.”
Because we have been conditioned by society to accept this preconception, which I believe is incorrect and very unjust to the person who embraces it, we regard people with tattoos and piercings unfavorably.
I have many friends who are heavily tattooed and pierced, and they are some of the kindest, most compassionate and intelligent people I know. They are also some of the most hard-working and successful individuals I know. Just because someone has tattoos or piercings does not mean they are automatically a bad person, or that they are not capable of leading a successful life.
I believe that we need to start breaking down these stereotypes and preconceived notions about people who choose to express themselves through body art. We should be more accepting of others, no matter how they choose to look or what their personal style may be. Everyone deserves to be respected and treated fairly, regardless of how they choose to decorate their bodies.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is more in line with society’s motto when it comes to pierced and tattooed folks. Rather than accepting that a pierced and/or tattooed person may be any of these things, we instantly assume he or she is either a criminal, thug, gangster, or merely terrible because society has conditioned us to associate piercings and tattoos with “undesirable” activities like crime and violence.
First, let me give some background on myself. I have been pierced and/or tattooed since I was 16 years old. I am now 23. And in those 7 years, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been judged because of my piercings and tattoos. To be honest, it’s gotten to the point where I don’t even bother trying to explain to people that just because I have piercings and tattoos doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.
I remember one time in particular when I was at the grocery store with my mom. We were in the check-out line and the cashier started chatting with us about our day. Then she asked me if my lip piercing hurt (I have my lip pierced). I told her it didn’t and she said, “Well, you’re braver than I am. I could never do that!”
It doesn’t matter what someone looks like on the outside; it’s what’s inside that counts. I just don’t believe a person’s character should be judged based on how they look or how many tattoos or piercings they have. It doesn’t always mean that someone is automatically mean and frightening just because they appear to be so.
I think it’s important to not judge a book by its cover and to get to know someone for who they really are before making any assumptions about them.
I remember when I was younger and would see people with tattoos and piercings, I would always think they were so different than me and that I could never be like them. It wasn’t until I got older and started meeting people with tattoos and piercings that I realized that we’re all just human beings at the end of the day. We all have our own unique stories and experiences that make us who we are. Just because somebody may look different than us on the outside, doesn’t mean they’re any different than us on the inside.
So next time you see somebody with tattoos and piercings, don’t judge them based on the way they look. Take the time to get to know them for who they really are. You might just be surprised at how much you have in common.
The nastiest-looking guy with tattoos might in fact be the most secure and gentle on Earth. But we’d never know that just by looking at him. If people avoided him and refused to be his friend because of how he looked, he would have a very lonely existence since they judged him based on how he appeared on the outside.
The same can be said for books. Just because a book has a plain or uninteresting cover, doesn’t mean it isn’t an amazing story on the inside. People judge books by their covers all the time, and as a result, they miss out on some really great reads.
I remember when I was younger, my mom used to take me to the library every week. I would always go straight for the shelves with the colorful and pretty covers. But one day, my mom suggested I try something different. She told me to pick a book based solely on its summary on the back cover. I was hesitant at first, but I decided to trust her and give it a try. The book I ended up picking was called “The Giver.” It had a very plain cover, with just a few colors. But the summary on the back sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a chance.
I’m so glad I did. “The Giver” ended up being one of my all-time favorite books. If I had judged it by its cover, I never would have given it a chance.
So next time you’re in a bookstore or library, don’t judge a book by its cover. Take some time to read the summary and see if it sounds interesting to you. You might be surprised at what you find.
