This article describes the modern definition of "freak". For the older meaning, see freak show. Freak can also mean someone who is utterly obsessed with something. For other uses, see Freak (disambiguation) For other uses of this word, see Freakshow (disambiguation). ... Look up freak in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In current usage, the word freak denotes a person with an unusual personality. The older usage, referring to the physically deformed, such as that would be seen in a sideshow, has generally fallen into disuse. For other uses, see Sideshow (disambiguation). ...

The word is still used when describing mutations in plants and animals, but more often is applied to humans. However, many people will casually refer to themselves as freaks, indicating a usage of the term that the so-called freak scene developed in the 1960s and 1970s. For linguistic mutation, see Apophony. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... The freak scene was a term used by a slightly post-hippie and pre-punk style of bohemian subculture. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

May 25th is the International Freak Pride's Day which is also, coincidentally, Towel Day, a tribute by fans of the late Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Nerd Pride Day or Geek Pride Day is an initiative which tries to reivindicate the right of every person to be a nerd in Spain. ... Towel Day 2005, Innsbruck, Austria, where, by his own accounts, Adams got the inspiration to write the Guide. ... Douglas Noël Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author, comic radio dramatist, and musician. ... The cover of the first novel in the Hitchhikers series, from a late 1990s printing. ...

A freak is often considered a pejorative term for an organism with an abnormality of some kind. Freaks can be classified into two groups, i.e., natural freaks and made freaks. A natural freak would refer to a genetic mutant, while a made freak is a once normal person who experienced or initiated an alteration at some point in life (such as receiving surgical implants). This article is about biological mutants. ...

The word "freak", when used in a slang context, also has positive connotations. The term can be used to describe one who is unusually skilled or talented in a particular area. It can also denote a strong obsession with a particular activity, e.g., "He's such a neat-freak" or "You're a singing freak". The term "freaky" can also apply to a person who is sexually adventurous. For other uses, see Slang (disambiguation). ... In common usage positive is sometimes used in affirmation, as a synonym for yes or to express certainty. Look up Positive on Wiktionary, the free dictionary In mathematics, a number is called positive if it is bigger than zero. ...

A freak can be formally defined as someone not falling within typical standard deviations. For example, people of small stature would not be classified as freaks unless they are within the third standard deviation for the general population, while the same principle would apply to exceptionally tall people^{[citation needed]}. In probability and statistics, the standard deviation is the most commonly used measure of statistical dispersion. ... In probability and statistics, the standard deviation of a probability distribution, random variable, or population or multiset of values is a measure of the spread of its values. ...

History

In early science, there were many theories concerning the existence of natural abnormalities. Many of the theories led to pseudo-sciences that are still supported by some. One persistent pre-19th century superstition is that, if a pregnant woman is scared by someone or something, the child would be born with the quality of the source. (The widely accepted scientific theory regarding inherent qualities is that of mutation). A pseudoscience is any body of knowledge purported to be scientific or supported by science but which fails to comply with the scientific method. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Superstition (disambiguation). ... For linguistic mutation, see Apophony. ...

In some religions since ancient times, the birth of abnormal offspring has been associated with astrological events. Rues cited the recent solar eclipses as reason for the increased number of mutated infants born at that time. Karma is also believed in some eastern religions to be a cause of abnormalities. In other faiths, the cause is attributed to direct intervention by the will of God. Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... For other uses, see Karma (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Frank Zappa and the Freak Subculture

In the United States of the 1960s, especially during the heyday of the hippie counterculture on the west coast, many teens and young adults disillusioned with the austere confines of the postwar, suburbanite American way of life and the resultant countercultural and New Left movements--many of which were equally narrow in mindset^{[citation needed]}--defined themselves as "freaks". Legendary American musician and composer Frank Zappa and his band The Mothers of Invention were central to the freak scene in the mid to late 1960s, both in the Los Angeles/San Francisco Bay Area music scene and in New York, where the band had a now infamous residency at the Garrick Theatre. Singer of a modern Hippie movement in Russia The hippie subculture was a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread around the world. ... In sociology, counterculture is a term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... The Mothers of Invention were a rock and roll band active from the 1960s to the 1990s. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Bay Area redirects here. ... This article is about the state. ...

The freaks, by Zappa's reckoning, resisted the binaries of right versus left, dominant culture versus counterculture, or squares versus hippies, preferring instead to align themselves with an aesthetic not narrowly defined by fashion or political leanings. (There is a certain irony here in that a freak was someone who resisted labeling, while the idiosyncratic individuality of people who deemed themselves freaks resulted in a shared identity among members of the subculture). It also allowed them to celebrate the freak identity, which until then was used to describe perversions of nature or carnivalesque sideshows. The term square, in referring to a person, originally meant someone who was honest, traditional, and loyal. ... Singer of a modern Hippie movement in Russia The hippie subculture was a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread around the world. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ...

At the first Mothers of Invention concerts, audience members were invited to "freak out!" (also the title of the band's first album), which meant to express themselves freely, be it through dancing, screaming, or letting a band member spray them with whipped cream. In terms of concert culture, the freak mentality influenced similar bands of subsequent musical generations.. Freak Out!, released June 27, 1966 on MGM/Verve Records, is the debut album of The Mothers of Invention, led by Frank Zappa. ...

"Made freaks"

The word "freak" is also used these days by people who intentionally choose to alter their physical appearance by artificial means. The motivation for the change may be bravado, a lifestyle choice (an example of this is rockstar Marilyn Manson or the band Murderdolls), a reaction to a disfiguring accident, an attempt to stay young, or a symptom of body dysmorphic disorder This article is about the person. ... Murderdolls are a sirebirock band formed in 2002. ... Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder that involves a distorted body image. ...

There are various types of "made freaks". Body modification (or body alteration) is the permanent or semi-permanent deliberate altering of the human body for non-medical reasons, such as spiritual, various social (markings), BDSM edgeplay or aesthetic. ...

Tattooing

Taken from the Tahitian word tatu or tatau, and incorporating Japanese traditional irezumi ("insertion of ink") methods, tattooing became very popular among sailors, and then caught on with bikers and others who like to have permanent artwork on their skin. It is becoming more common for ordinary seeming people to become "inked" as well, though prominent locations, such as on the face, are still reserved for the daring. Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of the French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. ... The Japanese word irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 文身, 剳青, 黥 or 刺青) refers to the insertion of ink under the skin to leave a permanent, usually decorative mark, in other words, tattooing. ... For other uses, see Tattoo (disambiguation). ... This article is about maritime crew. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Outlaw motorcycle club. ...

An example of a punk hairstyle, note the large amount of loose hair. This look was popularized by people such as Max Cavalera and Rob Zombie in the late 1990's

Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Massimiliano Antonio Max Cavalera is a Brazilian-American singer/guitarist/songwriter of Italian heritage from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. ... Robert Cummings (born January 12, 1965 in Haverhill, Massachusetts), better known as Rob Zombie, is an American musician, film director, and writer. ...

Punk Hair

Unusual hair coloring and styles such as spikes, mohawks, dreadlocks, and other uncommon styles designed to look as far from 'normal' hairstyles as possible, are still associated with punk, although those styles were not popular at the time of punk rock's emergence in the 1970s. It is possible to look at the 1961 movie The Rebel starring Tony Hancock and see representations of Paris artists with blue, green or crimson dyed hair and black clothing, parodying the antics of the surrealists or, looking back through old magazines and news items from the 1950s, to see news of British rock and roller Wee Willie Harris with his pink hair or Peter Sellers' early 60s comedy reference to a rock singer dying his "hair a luminous green" in the song "I'm So Ashamed". Hair coloring products generally fall into four categories: temporary, semipermanent, deposit only/demi, and permanent. ... The famous Mohawk leader Joseph Brant wearing a scalp lock. ... Rastaman with long locks Dreadlocks, sometimes called simply locks or dreads, are matted ropes of hair which will form by themselves if the hair is allowed to grow naturally without the use of brushes, combs, razors or scissors for a long period of time. ... Punk fashion is the styles of clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The film The Rebel (1961) is a satirical comedy starring the British comedian Tony Hancock, and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. ... Biography published in 1978 (1983 paperback reprint shown) Anthony John Hancock (12 May 1924 – 24 June 1968) was a major figure in British television and radio comedy in the 1950s and 1960s, known as Tony Hancock. ... Max Ernst. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Peter Sellers, CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was a British comedian and actor best known for his three roles in Dr. Strangelove and as Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther films. ...

Piercing

Body piercing has been around since ancient times, and has been attributed mystical significance. These days, it is often regarded by those who use it as an enhancement of one's natural appearance, as with most forms of body modification. Piercing of the face (especially ears and lips) has been integrated into teenage fashion, along with the subsequent stretching of these piercings by inserting increasingly larger jewelry into the healed fistula. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Body modification (or body alteration) is the permanent or semi-permanent deliberate altering of the human body for non-medical reasons, such as spiritual, various social (markings), BDSM edgeplay or aesthetic. ...

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery can refer to the simple removal of a scar, or it can be totally transformative. Plastic surgery is a general term for operative manual and instrumental treatment which is performed for functional or aesthetic reasons. ...

Medical Implants

Medical implants are becoming more common. Speculative fiction and futurology conjecture that this trend may continue to the point where the line between human and machine becomes very blurred. According to the philosophy of transhumanism, technologies such as cybernetics will enable humans to transcend their current physical limitations. The philosophy prescribes a new kind of evolutionary mutation which transcends biology. An implant is an artificial device made to replace and act as a missing biological structure. ... Speculative fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Futurology is the detailed critical inspection and reasoning of the state in which things will develop in the future on the basis of existing circumstances in history. ... Posthuman Future, an illustration by Michael Gibbs for The Chronicle of Higher Educations look at how biotechnology will change the human experience, has become one of the secular icons representing transhumanism. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... For other uses, see Cybernetics (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Freak accident
• Freak show
• Freak wave
• Freakonomics

A railing accidentally collapses at a college football game, spilling fans onto the sidelines Train wreck at Montparnasse in 1895 An accident is an event that occurs unexpectedly and unintentionally. ... For other uses of this word, see Freakshow (disambiguation). ... The Draupner wave, a single giant wave measured on New Years Day 1995, finally confirmed the existence of freak waves, which had previously been considered near-mythical Freak waves, also known as rogue waves or monster waves, are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves which can sink even... The cover of this version of Freakonomics has a picture of what looks like an apple on the outside but is really an orange. ...

External links

• The Human Marvels: A Historical Reference Site run by J. Tithonus Pednaud, Teratological Historian
• Freak to Freak: A web forum that serves to the online Freak Community.
• Freak World: A web Community for Freaks in German and English.
• Freak Safari: A web Community for Freaks.
• Bodybuilding vs. Freakbuilding