Tattoos

[ThisIsSnake]

Personally I won't have one, if I find a word, symbol or piece of art I like I'll get it on a shirt or poster. That way if a few years down the line my interests change, as they are wont to do, I just stop wearing it or take it down. I don't mind other people having them, that's their choice (although if it's trashy/cliched like stars, butterflies and Asian writing it will lower my opinion of them).

 

[SuccessAndBiscuts]

I don't really understand them myself (each to their own I guess) but I have considered getting one done, once I'm confident I can take a break from giving blood regularly.

The vague plan is something not dissimilar to what some military people get done, blood type and some kind of emblem (simplified clan crest?) on my arm, I ride motorbikes so I figure anything that makes a medic's job scraping me off the tarmac a bit easier (if it comes to that) is worth doing and if I'm getting something done might as well include a bit of my heritage right?

However there is no real drive to ever get round to it so it might never happen.

 

[JWRosser]

I have one on my back. I got it done at "Eclipse" in Camden (London), which is one of the top places in the UK. I thought, as it was my first, I'd get it done in a very good place - but for my next one I think I'll just get it done in my home town.

They're not for everyone, but I really like mine. There are many, many people whom you see and you just think wow....really? I mean, I think I've seen more awful tattoos than I have good ones. But each to their own. I would never get anything done above the collar, and I'd never get anything massive done. Also, at the moment, I'm not a fan of colour - just black. It's something you have to live with for the rest of your life, so when you get one, just remember that. If you still want to go through with it, then do it.


Not sure what it's like in other countries, but over here, a decent tattooist will not work on you if you've ingested alcohol in the last 3 hours or something; 1) to make sure you're sober, and 2) as it thins your blood, meaning it won't scab over as easily.

 

[Squeaky]

to the point i think its a good way to express your thoughts and a way to remind your self of part of your life that shaped you into the person you are today, yes its not for everyone but i like them i can also understand why people may not be so keen i.e later on you may regret it but live for the now i say.


I cant find my camera so iam just gonna post the paiting i made for my tattoo, its in the centre of my chest and runs from one side to the other. Iam cant do calligraphy so i left it out in my ruff idea but the words in the scroll are "the road to hell is paved ith good intentions"

 

[Lilani]

They're not for me. I tattoos are permanent images of temporary feelings. I don't need to inject my values, beliefs, or memories into my skin. I know who I am and what I like. If I want other people to know about those parts of me, I'll tell them myself. Or better yet, I'll just embody those things. No explanation needed--I'll show them who I am.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I have two. Both of which had a two year deliberation period. I have a third that I'm having made by a friend of mine, and I'll ask her to tweak it before I let someone ink it. But they are all things I've held true or loved my whole life, so I have not a single ounce of regret for them. Because they are awesome.

Yes, but that's a year of deliberation. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. Most people that get them, don't seem to. They seem to go to the route of, "TATTOO! I NEED ONE NOW!" after having given it little to no thought beforehand.

Impulse is the heart of the industry. If most people sat about for a year, it would be a niche thing, instead of how popular it is today. The idea of walking into a place, inking up, and walking out is how the industry thrives.

 

[Beliyal]

People tell me how it's a form of expression. So's pyromania and wrist slitting, that argument is vague and holds little to no weight.

Aren't pyromania and wrist slitting something caused by psychological trauma and/or depression? I mean, I yet have to see someone praising a pyromaniac for his "form of expression" and not handing him over to the police and then eventually to a psychiatrist. Same for wrist slitting; it's a disturbing act of self mutilation that screams "I need professional help". Well, I guess you can say that tattooing yourself is also a form of "mutilation", but I would disagree and I would not compare tattoos with psychological illnesses.

I believe what people generally dislike about tattoos are not tattoos themselves, but people who get them on impulse. I have four tattoos right now, I didn't take any less than at least a year on deciding about them. And for some, I've wanted them since I was 12 (I remember drawing two runes into my legs/arms with markers when I was 12; 9 years later, I have those same two runes tattooed on my hands). I know people who just got into the parlour and got a tattoo, meaningless and pointless. But who am I to speak for them? One girl told me how she just walked by a parlour, decided to get a tattoo, got in, told them to tattoo a few stars on her shoulder and that was it. She said it means nothing more than a decoration. I am against that because those kind of tattoos (decorative stars, random animals, tribals (-.-), barbed wires and other cliché tattoos) you get bored with eventually (though, it's not really a set rule, there certainly are people who have such tattoos and don't regret them). To me, a tattoo is a symbol of something, it has a story and makes sense in context, it makes me happy and I love to see them on me. It means something, usually more than just one thing, and I am very fond of symbolic thinking so those symbols on me are a genuine part of me and I can't imagine myself without them now. I will most certainly get at least one or two more. I love discrete tattoos, black ink only that do not stick out too much.

In the end, I don't think it's that big of a deal. There are much more important "permanent" things we do in life and we don't even notice. A tattoo is just ink on your skin, usually meaningful and important to the person who got it. If you believe it's not for you or that you might end up being bored with it, don't do it. It's not required of anyone. I know how annoying it can be to see someone with a really stupid tribal tattoo, but then again, who are we to judge?

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Sometimes they can be rather sexy, but it really depends.

 

[SilentCom]

Snip

It's sort of like getting a piercing. People do so to have jewelry or whatever on/ in their bodies. Even ear-piercing, which is something widely accepted especially amonst females, leaves behind a permanent hole in their ear-lobes.

My point is, I don't find tattoos to be a bad idea unless someone does something like this:


Otherwise it's a form of art on the body and could convey who a person is or act as a reminder to that person of what they've been through.

 

[Lavi]

I've been after a tattoo for probably 5 years. Problem is finding a design that I like. Seem to have finally found one that is appropriate for a first tattoo and meaningful. Another is, however, way too big though I will eventually get it in the future. I see tattoos as, when done with considerable thought and artfully, a window into your soul.

I like images rendered in tribal just as an aesthetic preference, but tribal designs that are just that, designs, are lame as hell.

 

[Waaghpowa]

I have no issue with people expressing themselves with tattoos, my issue with them is more about practicality. Sometimes tattoos cost upwards of a thousand dollars, and they generally don't look good when you age.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

People tell me how it's a form of expression. So's pyromania and wrist slitting, that argument is vague and holds little to no weight.

Aren't pyromania and wrist slitting something caused by psychological trauma and/or depression? I mean, I yet have to see someone praising a pyromaniac for his "form of expression" and not handing him over to the police and then eventually to a psychiatrist. Same for wrist slitting; it's a disturbing act of self mutilation that screams "I need professional help". Well, I guess you can say that tattooing yourself is also a form of "mutilation", but I would disagree and I would not compare tattoos with psychological illnesses.

I believe what people generally dislike about tattoos are not tattoos themselves, but people who get them on impulse. I have four tattoos right now, I didn't take any less than at least a year on deciding about them. And for some, I've wanted them since I was 12 (I remember drawing two runes into my legs/arms with markers when I was 12; 9 years later, I have those same two runes tattooed on my hands). I know people who just got into the parlour and got a tattoo, meaningless and pointless. But who am I to speak for them? One girl told me how she just walked by a parlour, decided to get a tattoo, got in, told them to tattoo a few stars on her shoulder and that was it. She said it means nothing more than a decoration. I am against that because those kind of tattoos (decorative stars, random animals, tribals (-.-), barbed wires and other cliché tattoos) you get bored with eventually (though, it's not really a set rule, there certainly are people who have such tattoos and don't regret them). To me, a tattoo is a symbol of something, it has a story and makes sense in context, it makes me happy and I love to see them on me. It means something, usually more than just one thing, and I am very fond of symbolic thinking so those symbols on me are a genuine part of me and I can't imagine myself without them now. I will most certainly get at least one or two more. I love discrete tattoos, black ink only that do not stick out too much.

In the end, I don't think it's that big of a deal. There are much more important "permanent" things we do in life and we don't even notice. A tattoo is just ink on your skin, usually meaningful and important to the person who got it. If you believe it's not for you or that you might end up being bored with it, don't do it. It's not required of anyone. I know how annoying it can be to see someone with a really stupid tribal tattoo, but then again, who are we to judge?

I honestly thought I edited the wrist slitting thing out, as that was sort of knee jerk on my part and even I disagree with comparing the 2.

But Pyromania still fits. Though it is a psychological condition, I find it hard to look at some peoples idea of tattoos as expression and not read psychological trauma from it. I could argue that emotions strong enough to encourage you to deface your own flesh with names, glyphs and symbolic images, might count towards a form of trauma, but that's splitting hairs. As I said, I was rejecting the argument that it's a form of expression. It's not that people can't express themselves through it, but that argument alone does not convince me that it's a good idea. Not that it's something only crazy people do (though I'm sure a stereotype would fit nicely here).

Also, for me it's not just people who get tattoos on impulse. A person could think about it for months before deciding it and I would judge him equally to the guy who get's a tattoo of his ass on his face during a seriously crazy night out. AS much a I am for giving people equal rights, most people are not imaginative, tasteful, thoughtful or creative enough to make a tattoo that doesn't look like a bad idea.

But it's all personal taste when you get to the nitty gritty. I won't object to anyone getting a tattoo, but don't frown or fight for your corner when I look on with subtle disgust at your newly stained flesh.

The day I see a tattoo that makes me think "Holy shit, that is awesome" I will personally get a tattoo across my ass saying "I saw an awesome tattoo".

 

[Vault Citizen]

I've got three tattoos now, one is just a picture that looks nice where as the others have varying degrees of actual meaning. Its been a year since I got the latest one done and I don't regret any one of them.

I've heard people tell me they won't look good when I'm old but what about me will look good when I'm old? I doubt someone is going to look at me and think "that old men would be really sexy were it not for those damned tattoos"

 

[Dchao]

I have one on my wrist that somedays I love and somedays I hate. But my girlfriend has one in the same place that has meaning to both of us. But unlike idiots who get eachothers names on their body, when we break up it won't be obvious to anyone but us what they stand for.

 

[Vault101]

I'm not a fan of them. I wouldn't stop someone from getting one if it's what that person really wanted, but I certainly wouldn't support it either. I have no intention of ever getting one.

As a side note to anyone considering one... I work in the medical field, and I see a lot of tattoos. While they may look good on you in your youth, they very often look awful beyond description when you age. What you might love in your youth may end up as an embarassment later. Something to keep in mind.

at what point though? I mean it would get to a point where your old anyway, point being by the time your 90...well youre 90 who cares?

I got into this discussion a bit ago with a friend and wanted to see the opinion of INTERNET PEOPLE on the topic.

I for one, think tattoos are utterly ridiculous. I have yet to see a single one where it made me think, "Wow. What an utterly, irrefutable good idea! They had literally no other means of expressing this thought/idea/view point other than having it permanently (barring an expensive procedure down the line) inked into their flesh!"

I just don't see the logic behind it I guess. Never have I see one where ten years down the road, that same person will be glad to have that. It's the same as having a goofy hairstyle or fashion sense, those things are easily changed over time. You can look back at those in pictures and be like, "Man, what a goofy person I was back then!" With a tattoo, it's still there. Hangin' around, even though you yourself have changed.

Another problem is the utter lack of thought that occasionally goes into getting them. A friend decided to get one just driving by a tattoo parlor. I spend more time deliberating what video game I'm going to get on any given day and that has far less impact on my life.

Anyways, thoughts? Anything that might convince me otherwise? Just curious.

I guess the bottom line is people get tatoos for themselves, not for everyone

I wouldnt minding getting one (probably wont though) I mean its not so bad if you put alot of thourght into it

 

[Sariteiya]

Personally, I don't like the idea, mainly for the permanence. I don't like wearing a certain piece of jewelery or clothing all the time, so same goes for any picture. Besides, I think the human body is pretty neat without things scrawled on it.

That being said, I think it's fine for others, as long as their aware of the drawbacks, (permanent, can impact your job opportunities, etc). I think if you really really want a tattoo though, you should think of something you liked 10 years ago, and still like today. If you can think of something, great, if not, your tastes probably change too much for you to make a good decision right now.

 

[Artina89]

I am not a fan of tattoo's personally, mainly because my granddad got some tattoo's in his army days and he regrets ever getting them done. If the tattoo's have a special meaning to you and you really want one, then by all means get one, I am just not a fan.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

at what point though? I mean it would get to a point where your old anyway, point being by the time your 90...well youre 90 who cares?

That's unfortunately not something I can give you a specific answer on. It depends on the tattoo, it depends on where the tattoo is located, and it depends on you - as in - your body and how it ages.

I've seen people in their 80's that could easily pass for someone 20 years younger, I've seen people in their 80's that look like the character Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade after choosing poorly.

It's a bit of a gamble.

But I honestly have seen people whose tattoos start to look pretty sad as early as their 40's, and it really isn't all that uncommon for a patient to sheepishly try to make a joke about how they regret getting the tattoos that happen to be visible during treatment.

I'm not saying any of this to scare people out of getting tattoos.

I'm saying it to get people to put a little more thought into it before committing to something that they may regret later.

 

[FamoFunk]

I love tattoo's. I have 6 and want many more.

Each to their own, but I'm sick of folk in real life asking "Why you would do that to youself" Fuck off.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I've been thinking for a long time about my tattoo. The plan to get a Zapdos tattoo is not impulsive. I want something that shows where my childhood was. Also Zapdos looks badass to me and I'm not going to get a massive one.

It can be impulsive and stupid but it can also be a very personal statement.