… I just don’t get them! A blog follower who signed up to my blog last year has them. Almost all of the staff at the nail salon I go to have them, except the owner of the salon who is like me, and is most definitely not into them! We talked about it at length last Christmas as I had my toenails painted Christmas red. Some of the other clients there are tattoo fans too, and virtually everyone else there that day knew the names of the various tattoo artists in Adelaide, as well as some interstate and international tattoo artists. I felt seriously alone in my lack of desire to have one, yet happy with my own decision not to inflict pain or permanent ink markings on myself. I do not understand the addiction to the process of tattooing, causing pain, which they so lovingly and longingly talked about, which some people that day told me they almost yearned for. What am I missing? Is it just another form of art? Is it another form of beauty, like a new hair colour? I’m open to hearing your views, as I would quite like to get a glimpse of the WIIFM principle from the people who have tattoos. I thought it was just a teenage thing – wanting to break away from our parent’s thng – but it seems it is much more than that. Wikipedia says this; “A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. The first written reference to the word, “tattoo” (or Samoan “Tatau”) appears in the journal of Joseph Banks, the naturalist aboard Captain Cook’s ship the HMS Endeavour: “I shall now mention the way they mark themselves indelibly, each of them is so marked by their humor or disposition“.” Of course I am aware they have been used for identification, for example prisoners in the Concentration Camps or soldiers in the Roman Empire times, Gladiators and slaves, and they are also used to identify the position for radiotherapy for treatment of some cancers. Wikipedia and other websites offer a lot of information about tattoos, but my brain simply cannot come to terms with someone wanting to inflict pain, and a permanent piece of art on their body. For me personally, there is enough pain on one’s path anyway, physical or emotional, and the use or love of art can be gained in so many other ways. Maybe a tattoo that indicates one has a disease like dementia or diabetes could one day be an alternative to a medic alert bracelet? Something to think about, as I have occasionally ben heard to say a chip or tattoo like my cats have would be preferable to wearing a Safe Return Bracelet!?
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seen as art my friend, I have many a client who is having them taken off, I have a laser tattoo removal machine which I have done a course in. Each to their own happily I can help if they need to be removed 🙂
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I, personally, don’t have any tattoos, but I have many friends who do. Their reasons run the gamut.
Some just like the way that they look (falling into the “new form of beauty” category, I suppose). A lot of people do not like the pain, but see it as a very short-term hurt compared to the long-term “benefit.”
Some feel their tattoos allow them to assert control over their bodies; so much of how we look is out of our control, they like being able to change it.
The people I most relate to, though, are the ones who get tattoos to commemorate significant events in their lives. They tend to get these tattoos in places that are usually covered by clothing; the marks are private, just for them and those with whom they’re intimate. And I understand the process they describe: something major and life-changing occurs (ex: a loved one dies) and they feel fundamentally altered by the event. Life becomes divided into “before the event” and “after it.”
Something so significant, it almost feels like your body should reflect it. It’s always on the edge of your mind anyway.
I understand that feeling, that impulse to mark the body. So I haven’t done it, but that is a reason for tattooing that makes sense to me.
Best,
Jennie Lynn
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I suggest people should relax and enjoy their short stay here on earth !
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Tattoos aren t for everyone, some people just don’t get it and are frustrated by the fact they are fast becoming a minority in there social networks .
I personlly find it amusing .
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Reblogged this on Creating life with words – Inspiration, love and truth and commented:
I have no idea why, but this blog, posted TODAY, appears as if it was posted on 1 January 2012. Perhaps it too has dementia?
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I don’t get it either. and they are SOOOOOO expensive. Sometimes i see a really nice tattoo, and i can appreciate it. i’ve often thought of getting one, but never settled on an idea that i could stick with for life. And the price, anything decent is going to cost mega bucks. And then there is aging, doesn’t matter how good the tattoo is, when gravity gets the better of you (and it does), it’s going to look shocking. Either shocking, or just inappropriate, embarrassing or wrong.
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i agree with you Kate, they are not my thing, neither are piercings or circumcisms or elective c-sections or facelifts. leave the body as nature intended i reckon. there are so many things that can happen along life’s journey without us electing to damage this amazing body we were born with. they will go out of fashion as all this stuff does, unfortunately not an easy reverse, haha imagine the old wrinkly tats in the nursing home
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