Bullwhip essay.

Why do I like using my bullwhips so much? What real purpose do these whips serve? Are they a utilitarian artefact? What place do they hold in our society? Are my whips awesome or tacky? Furthermore, what do whips do for me? Do they make me feel better? More powerful? Respectful? Confident? How do my whips relate to who I really am? Ultimately, what role do my whips play in the way I am perceived and in the way I behave?

Some whips are better built and better looking than others, but for all general purposes, they are mostly meant to make a bold statement. The design of the whips is simple and straightforward, much like my personality. These whips can serve for everyday use, but its main function for me is for them to be used when I want to look tough, show off, and get attention. If there ever was a misconception about whips in general, it is that they are strong, resistant to anything and everything, and life lasting. It's true that just by looking at any bullwhip a person automatically identifies it with strength, power and durability, but this identification is only in the mind of the spectator. It is the perception that most people have of whips that make them awesome, and I must say, this really suits me.

I have never used the whips unless I wanted to impress somebody, or unless I wanted to look my very best. I guess that this revelation is a telling aspect of my personality. Many of us, throughout the years, have associated whips with a particular group in society. For example, if you were to ask someone to say the first thing that came to his or her mind when you say "bullwhip", they would most likely say something like "cowboy". So if I may, I would like to go a bit further and ask: How are cowboys perceived? Well, they are considered tough, rough, independent. Could it be that we use whips in order to look "tough"? I cannot speak for society as a whole, but based on my experience that argument certainly seems plausible. This does not mean that everybody who uses whips has an unconscious desire to be a cowboy. What it does mean however, is that for most people it signifies a certain sense of power, of strength, of toughness.

It is difficult to say what sort of behaviour is associated with the use of whips or with whips themselves because some people tend to use whips to project an image exactly opposite to that of their true personality. This is done sometimes so that people can hide behind their whip and pretend to be something or somebody they are not. For some it is too hard to just "be yourself". So when we speak of behaviours associated with whips, what we're really talking about is a projected behaviour based on a projected image. I believe that many people have a difficult time in coming to grips with who they really are, so they use artefacts to help them either find an image, or hide an existing one. My whips have become my security. When I use them, I feel confident and safe. Many times I have actually caught myself saying: "Man, people are going to look at my whips and compliment them. They're going to say that it suits me because I'm exactly like them: confident and tough". As I reveal these things to you, I feel less and less satisfied with myself as a person. Aren't I beyond wanting to impress friends and strangers? Haven't I moved past my insecurities and self doubts? Wouldn't people still be able to tell that I am a confident, smart, and independent person without the need for whips to do it for me? Shouldn't I rely solely on my personality and my words in helping people understand who I really am? Obviously I cannot. It is as simple as that. And I don't care. Meanwhile, I really get to enjoy those Bullwhips.

Whip-dude.