What's with all the tattoos?

I don't have one. Neither does my wife. So you're not alone.

 

My wife has her ears pierced, but just once. I have no piercings. Wow, we sound boring.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Oct 6 2006, 12:15 PM) [snapback]328962[/snapback]</div>

I suppose it depends on the peson to whom the tattoo is attached.

I have seen some women whose tattoo(s) look absolutely spectacular. But I have also seen some who were just absolutely hideous. Others are just plain cute. I guess it's one of those "in the eye of the beholder" kinds of things.

Me personally? I think it's very attractive on the right person.

 

I saw a cartoon once of two old men sitting in a retirement home looking at each other. Each was covered in tattoos and piercings. One says to the other, "I see you were an idiot in the 90s, too."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Oct 6 2006, 11:51 AM) [snapback]328942[/snapback]</div>

theyre not for everyone. i dont have any body piercings but i have a full back piece and full sleeves. all of my tattoos each have personal meaning for me and the quality is top notch and alot of realistic portrait pieces. but thats for me and might not be for someone else. its definately not for my parents and some of my friends or most people where i work for that matter.
personally i dont like things that i dont think have any meaning like pictures of naked women or zombies or tribal pieces and things like that but its different for everyone.
if you dont like em then just dont get one. if you do like them--then make sure its something you're going to love for the rest of your life

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ferrets @ Oct 6 2006, 12:46 PM) [snapback]328984[/snapback]</div>

In truth, I'd love to get the UPC code from a box of frosted cherry Pop Tarts tattooed on my butt.

Just think it would amuse me to know it was there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan-Wolfe @ Oct 6 2006, 09:22 AM) [snapback]328969[/snapback]</div>

I wonder how cute it will all look when 20 year-old Brandi turns into 60 year old Granny Brandi and the kids start talking behind her back. To me, it is (pardon my snobbery here) a sort of "class" marker. Classy people don't get them. (Lots of unclassy people don't too!)

Also, unless they are pretty well hidden, I'd think employment opportunities would be limited, especially for men. Most "conservative" companies aren't going to hire anybody with a prominent mermaid on his arm.

But I forget. The 20 year-olds of today will never grow older. Almost all the folks on TV, no matter what their position or presumed experience, are beautiful young sorts full of wisdom beyond their years. I wish I was so advanced when I was young. (I wouldn't even mind it now....)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Oct 6 2006, 09:54 AM) [snapback]328988[/snapback]</div>

"I was so much wiser then, I'm older than that now" ...or some such lyrics

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dan-Wolfe @ Oct 6 2006, 11:49 AM) [snapback]328985[/snapback]</div>

:lol: :lol: :lol:

As far as body piercings, I've allways been very carefull to avoid them, taught me that in shop class in high school, stuck with me ever since.

As far as tattoos, a friend of mine tells about a former co-worker of his. She claimed she had a tattoo that increased in value with age. Seems she had a rose tattooed on one of her breasts when she was much younger, now it has become a long-stemed rose. :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Oct 6 2006, 12:54 PM) [snapback]328988[/snapback]</div>

i am a physicians assistant as well as registered in eeg and intra operative monitoring for neuro surg cases in albany ny. i came from a middle class family and went to drew university on full scholarship. when in a professional setting i wear long sleeve button downs and my tattoos arent visable to anyone. aside from all that proper care of tattoos and better application and inks keep them looking nice and fresh--years later.
i hardly see how that denotes a class marker. yes it is true that many young people are getting tattoos and i'll be the first to say that most of them will regret it when they get older, but to making gross generalizations about societal class based on appearance just seems ignorant to me

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Oct 6 2006, 12:54 PM) [snapback]328988[/snapback]</div>

Well, if you're going for a job in a conservative company, you're probably wearing a suit to the interview. So, unless you have ink from the neck up or wrists down, it wouldn't be noticed.

Plus I think this sort of conventional wisdom has more-or-less dropped away. I considered getting my ear pierced in college (I graduated in '91). My dad talked me out of telling me that employers wouldn't take me as seriously. I got hired at AT&T and watched it morph from a conservative, business-dress (men must wear ties) company to "business casual", which had a fairly loose interpretation.

As a footnote, I got my ear pierced in '96. But I ended up "outgrowing" it a couple years later.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Oct 6 2006, 01:54 PM) [snapback]328988[/snapback]</div>

Like ferrets said, I don't think it has to do much with class. I've never been drunk, never smoked, never had any drug, am pretty close to getting a Ph.D, and spend most of my time doing diagnostic and neuropsych assesments. Guess a tattoo makes me less classy though.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Oct 6 2006, 01:54 PM) [snapback]328988[/snapback]</div>

I have seen a number of studies that have supported some bias against those with visible tattos or body piercings and people have rated those with piercings as less competent in the studies. Even though I do have a tattoo, I think that tattoos and piercings generally look unprofessional. That's one of the reasons I made sure to get it in a place that I could easily cover it up. I recommended to my sister before she got her's to make sure it is a place she can easily cover up, because you never know.

I think the large increase in tattoos has become part of the "rebellion from society/I'm such a bad mutha" phase. Tattoos and piercings seem to be how smoking was seen as so rebellious years ago.

But like ferrets said, I think there are still a lot of people who get them because they have meaning for the person. For me, it is something that holds a lot of meaning and I really don't like to show it off to people on the street. In general, the only people that get to see it are my close friends and family.

Having said all that I am not sure if I would get it again, but it is not because of regret.

 

i think if it's not some cliche tattoo and it really means something, why not?

it's not about sexy for me. it's not about rebelling, or trying to follow the crowd in being 'different' (yes, irony.) i wouldn't put a tattoo anywhere visible, so you'd never know the difference. you still won't be able to see it when i'm 80.

for many it's about looking cute or badass or whatever. but me, i've got a reason and rhyme behind my future body art.

 

I don't have any tattoos. My husband doesn't have any. My brother doesn't have any. Most of my friends don't have any. Just not my cup of tea.

I do have my ears pierced, however. Two holes in each ear. In college I had 2 in one and 3 in the other.
The third hole has since closed up.