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I think that to have a tattoo, the person has to select something that has a deeper or significant meaning for them in order to write it on their body. It's just too personal and permanent to go with a fad and have a tattoo because it's fashionable. The cliche tattoos like Foreign Language Alphabet Characters, cartoon characters, Tribal/barbed wire, stars/hearts etc., just look stupid to me. If you're gonna do it at least make it something original and artistic.
I don't have any tattoos but if I did it wouldn't be some average cliche junk I got cause I was drunk, got cause my favorite athlete singer actor has, or was dared to ink myself with.
Well, down here in Austin TX ... if you refused to hire anyone with a tattoo, you'd be doing all the work yourself, or forced to break child labor laws.
But, the prejudice of some regarding tattoos is just a demonstration of false assumptions ... associating tattoos with unsavory characters ... prison tattoos, and such. But in reality, tattoos have a very long history ... dating at least 5000 years ... and were often status symbols.
At one point, tattoos were common among British Royalty ... but denied to commoners. War heroes, Kings, famous people from all corners have had tattoos.
Lots of kind, caring, thoughtful, honest, and talented people have tattoos, and lots of people of questionable character are tattoo-less.
As my momma taught me -- never judge a book by the cover.
My DH had the idiotic type tattoos young guys go for. Over 10 years ago and into his 40's, he found a high end artist who did beautiful cover up work. As things progressed, he wound up getting new ink as well. It's Oriental artwork, nothing grotesque.
He's in his 50's runs a successful business working with high end clientelle. At first he will wear long sleeves around the clients, but when things get going and the sleeves are rolled up, they already know him so the tattoos aren't off-putting. Most people are accepting of it and 2 (both doctors -- go figure!) wound up asking for referrals to his artist.
I can think of worse vices a man can have -- drinking, drugging, whoring.
To find an answer to the "why" of tattoo's one needs to look at human history to find the reasons for tattooing as a tribal rite.
These tribal rites also motive many who get them today such as gang's and criminals with the rest being youthful foolishness or rebellion of one sort or the other. Say what you will rebellion is often the cause be the person older or young.
For myself I think tattoo's are an abomination against ones body. Those with tattoo's take huge risk of infection ,both now and later, since any breach of the skin opens a portal to germs of all sorts.
In my mind only idiots, fools and morons have tattoo's of any sort.
It must be a very scary place in there ..... your mind ... that is.
I recall my experiences in the corporate world years ago in Washington DC. As an young executive with a very responsible position of authority for a very large fortune 100 company ... I wore suits and ties, everyday, for 15 years. So the 5 tattoos I have (2 on one arm, and 3 on the other) were rarely seen. My position required a lot of interaction with virtually every department of the company, so there were few within this large corporate environment that I hadn't come into personal contact with at one time or another.
But man, was it funny how SOME eyes became the size of flying saucers at the company picnic ..... and the number of people who would approach me and ask ... "were you in the military" was astounding. Of course, I also enjoyed the looks on their faces when I said "no, not the military ... I was a member of a motorcycle gang". that really dumbfounded them ... as they stared like a deer in headlights ... then .... it was ... "you're pulling my leg right?"
Many years later I moved to Austin TX, where I think there is a city ordinance requiring everyone to have at least one tattoo .... that's how you can tell the difference between residents and tourists here!
Such is the case with superficial and shallow minds who are preoccupied with
image rather than substance.
It must be a very scary place in there ..... your mind ... that is.
I recall my experiences in the corporate world years ago in Washington DC. As an young executive with a very responsible position of authority for a very large fortune 100 company ... I wore suits and ties, everyday, for 15 years. So the 5 tattoos I have (2 on one arm, and 3 on the other) were rarely seen. My position required a lot of interaction with virtually every department of the company, so there were few within this large corporate environment that I hadn't come into personal contact with at one time or another.
But man, was it funny how SOME eyes became the size of flying saucers at the company picnic ..... and the number of people who would approach me and ask ... "were you in the military" was astounding. Of course, I also enjoyed the looks on their faces when I said "no, not the military ... I was a member of a motorcycle gang". that really dumbfounded them ... as they stared like a deer in headlights ... then .... it was ... "you're pulling my leg right?"
Many years later I moved to Austin TX, where I think there is a city ordinance requiring everyone to have at least one tattoo .... that's how you can tell the difference between residents and tourists here!
Such is the case with superficial and shallow minds who are preoccupied with
image rather than substance.
Ain't darn thing wrong with my mind , pal. If you want to enjoy your oddities then do so. I still say that many people will regret their tattoo's at some point in their lives.
Oh yes, more people that you might think view people with tattoo's with disdain in that they they often think tattoo's are the mark of a low life.
It must be a very scary place in there ..... your mind ... that is.
I recall my experiences in the corporate world years ago in Washington DC. As an young executive with a very responsible position of authority for a very large fortune 100 company ...
But man, was it funny how SOME eyes became the size of flying saucers at the company picnic ..... and the number of people who would approach me and ask ... "were you in the military" was astounding. Of course, I also enjoyed the looks on their faces when I said "no, not the military ... I was a member of a motorcycle gang". that really dumbfounded them ... as they stared like a deer in headlights ... then .... it was ... "you're pulling my leg right?"
Such is the case with superficial and shallow minds who are preoccupied with
image rather than substance.
Funny, I was thinking that same thing about your mind. .. .
And YES such is the case with superficial and shallow minds.
I wouldn't bat an eye at an executive with many tattos and it woudn't change my perception one bit. And I doubt, regardless of what your mind was assuming, that it shocked many of your co-workers lol.
But it seems like you got some kind of charge out of what you that perceived as shocking them. Please, tattoos have been around a long time and if your co-workers were as cosmopolitan as you make them out to be I hardly think they were shocked, or ever cared! People are really not that concerned with other people's fashion sense, style, etc but are concentrating more on themselves!
It goes both ways, if you perceive everyone who doesn't chose to get a tattoo as superficial and shallow then what does that say about you with your assumptions and judgements.
Ain't darn thing wrong with my mind , pal. If you want to enjoy your oddities then do so. I still say that many people will regret their tattoo's at some point in their lives.
Oh yes, more people that you might think view people with tattoo's with disdain in that they they often think tattoo's are the mark of a low life.
Oh, much to the contrary, I would not be surprised by the actual number at all ... not even remotely confused about that ..... in my 52 years of life I've come to realize just how many $% holes inhabit the planet earth. They are EVERYWHERE, and you can't throw a rock or post a comment without hitting one or two or three
It's herd behavior. They see everyone else getting them so they join the crowd. YET at the same time by getting tattooed they fancy themselves as being some type of non-conformist rebel. Funny when you think about it. Too bad they look so ugly.
It's herd behavior. They see everyone else getting them so they join the crowd. YET at the same time by getting tattooed they fancy themselves as being some type of non-conformist rebel. Funny when you think about it. Too bad they look so ugly.
I agree, it is really the exact opposite effect. People get them because they think they are "cool" and non-conformist rebels but since everyone is doing it then all they are doing is following the herd.
I am more impressed by people who chose not to partake!
I'm not saying anything is bad per se about the herd mentality, as many people in this category navigate society and life quite well. I'm just saying it certainly doesn't demonstrate, IMO non-conformity or creativity.
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