[PhoenixAzul]

As someone who enjoys body modification in all its forms (scarification, branding, piercing, tattooing), I'd say as long as you do it clean, and If it is voluntary (i.e. we're not going to hold you down and MAKE you do it) and with consenting adults, then do it. The branding aesthetic doesn't appeal to me personally, but I have several friends who DO have brands (not greek related) and they are quite beautiful. Body modification is extremely personal, people do it for a miryad of reasons, but my own personal reason was that I LIKED the aesthetic, I LIKE having my lobes stretched, I LIKED chosing my body adornment...if in some small way it was about "making my body my own."

I know that the "ritual" (yes, I know, not part of national ritual, but the ritual as in ritualized) is about the organization and personal desire for allegiance and there's something to be said about being branded by a brother, but I wish that more people would get branded by professionals and not with "coat hangers" that contain nickle and other things that are harmful. Professional body artists are far more qualified and will yield a clearer result with less complications in a cleaner enviornment.