Let's get this out of the way at the beginning. I don't have a tattoo and have never had the desire to get one. However, I know that many people do have them. In fact, it seems like everywhere I turn there is a person with a tattoo--multiple ones in fact. I wondered if my perceptions were right, so I consulted Statistic Brain to see what the actual numbers might be. Here are a few of the statistics. (These are for the US)
Percentage of all ages that have a tattoo--14%
Percentage of 18-25 year olds with a tattoo--36%
Percentage of 26-40 year olds with a tattoo--40%
So you can see from these numbers, in the under 40 crowd, more that a third have a tattoo. It didn't give statistics for those of us over 40, but from my experience, tattoos were not so popular in our youth which has me wondering about the whole process.
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While I appreciate the art I see in many tattoos, I still don't understand why you would get something on your body that is essentially irreversible? I understand a wild haircut or color because your hair grows out, or maybe a henna tattoo, but not an ink tattoo. I've heard that they can be removed, but a bit of research suggests that is not as easy as it sounds. Removal can be expensive, be very painful, produce scars, and may not be successful. So in my mind, I still don't quite understand the tattoo mind set.I am a planner and cautious person by nature. Not the sort of person even in my youth who would have gotten a tattoo without a lot of research. That research would have led me to problems with removal which would have deterred me right away. But if I made it past the permanence issue, I don't think I would have ever been able to decide what the tattoo would be. What would I want for the rest of my life? I thought about both of these issues recently when we were on a tour with a young woman. She had a very nicely done tattoo of Miss Piggy on her shoulder. I'm not sure why she chose Miss Piggy, but I can imagine she liked the humor and strength that Miss Piggy symbolized. But in 10 or 20 years from now, will she want a cartoon pig tattoo her shoulder? I wonder if she thought about that?
A few years ago, when tattoos were becoming popular, I had an interesting discussion with a nurse that worked in veteran's hospital. She said many of the men in there had tattoos, and every single one of them was sorry that they had gotten them. That was one of the things from their youth that they wished they could do over.
On the other hand, one of my friends got a tattoo when she turned 50. For years, she said if she made it to 50 she would get a tattoo. She got a phoenix on her back to symbolize all that she had made it through in her life (and it was a LOT). Her tattoo, I understand a little better. She had a lot of life experience behind her decision.
So what do you think? Do you think tattoos are here to stay or the youth of today will regret their tattoos when they are older?
Oy! I totally do NOT get the whole tattoo thing. To be honest, the whole idea sorta grosses me out. I guess I just don't think it looks terribly appealing, especially the giant ones that cover up entire arms or more.
ReplyDeleteIn a certain sense it seems to me that tattoos are just another example of how people in this society have a desperate need to craft some sort of identity for themselves. It's sorta the same way I view fashion. And I think all of it is really sad.
Perhaps because tattoos are so common these days there aren't as many negative repercussions as there would have been in our day, but I always think things like "who would ever hire a person who looked like that?" I also have to admit that the whole men with shaved heads thing gets to me too... perhaps it's because I associate shaved heads and tattoos with neo-nazi stuff, so all of it really makes me uncomfortable.
On the other hand, I did get my ears pierced more than once - with each new hole having great personal significance to me when I was younger. But it wasn't the sort of thing where I was trying to make a statement, I just felt like I needed a tangible reminder of certain issues I was dealing with at the time. But I'd NEVER consider piercing anything but my earlobes. The eyebrow, nose, bellybutton, tongue and "other" stuff totally gives me the willies!
I wonder about tattoos and hiring sometimes, too. I don't know if that's a throwback to an earlier time, but in most jobs, lots of tattoos seem like a distraction at best. I'm also distracted by lot's of piercings mostly because I'm imagining what it must have felt like to get pierced through certain parts of the body. Although I am kind of grossed out by a nose ring (not the small ones on the side that are worn regularly by some cultures. The ones through middle like they do in cattle.)
DeleteI think you have a good point about people trying to craft an identity for themselves with a tattoo and that may explain why more young people are getting them. When you are young, you are still trying to figure out who you are. Also when you are younger, you are more likely to follow the crowd and not think about the consequences. I guess those to things are opposite of each other. Oh, the confusion of youth.
I agree with what both of you have said ... I really try to be open-minded about tattoos, but I just.don't.like.them. I understand it more when people get them for symbolic reasons, like your friend's phoenix.
ReplyDeleteGetting tattoos is quite expensive ... I like to joke, when people ask me about it, that I'd rather spend money getting rid of the roadmap of veins on my legs than by adding ink to them.
Something that I'm sure most younger people don't think about when they get tattoos is that their skin will age. Part of my job involves working with older people on their bathing and dressing skills--I've seen a LOT of elderly skin through the years and tattoos on old skin make skin look even worse.
So much for my open-mindedness ...
One of the things I think about when I see tattoos is how much the skin will sag or wrinkle in the spot they are. Sagging skin is a long way off for a 25 year old so I don't that is a major consideration when they are getting one.
DeleteKris, you just gave me a really funny mental picture -- old skin covered in tattoos!
DeleteIn thinking about Cat's comments about fashion ... I confess, I like fashion--not the super-edgy high-expense kind, but feeling like I look reasonably pulled-together when I go out gives me a mental lift. And when my hair is grey enough (which seems to be happening quickly ...) I plan on coloring it. Vanity, vanity. But I promise I don't judge others on how fashion-forward they are. :)
ReplyDeleteHere's my basic fashion advice that I give to my sons. Whatever you wear, shoot for clean and neat. That will handle most situations.
DeleteI am also turned off by tattoos covering entire parts of a body and would never do that. My oldest son has quite a few he got while in the military, it was something the guys did together. He regrets a few of them but others that have meaning behind them he is still happy he has.
ReplyDeleteI have one. I didn't get it until I was in my mid 40s and it has special significance to me. I won't be getting another one because they are just way too expensive to consider and I don't have anything else I'd like to have with me permanently.
I think tattoos are so common today that unless you have something offensive employers look beyond them in most fields but it does limit your possibilities if you have them on areas of the body that can't be hidden by clothing.
As for why I believe so many are getting inked up, I think it's a way of creating an identity and at the same time thumbing their nose to authority.
It's good to hear your perspective since you have a tattoo and your son has many. There is probably something to youth thumbing their nose at authority. They have been doing that since the beginning of time. However, most of those things were not permanent like tattoos. (We won't go into the drug problem here.)
DeleteI don't think I could get a tattoo, myself. It's the needles that would bother me. (I could never become an IV heroin addict either!).
ReplyDeleteI am really have a hard time every appt that my Dr sends me for more blood work. I about slide right out of the chair and into a heap on the floor, during the blood draw.
Nope, no voluntary tattoos for me!
Yep, I'm not fond of needles either and I wouldn't voluntarily have them stuck in me.
DeleteI have 3 adult sons and only 1 is tattooed as far as I know. He has 2 and really regrets 1 of them. I think perhaps there should be some law requiring a breathalyzer test before college male can be inked. (Maybe females too, but I only have sons) The only thing to be thankful for is that his can be covered with socks. Nice since it is an atrocious looking wizard.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest son is a semi professional smart alec and his go to tattoo tongue in cheek quote is "why would anyone want to have something as a permnent part of their body that could be easily identified in a police line-up. It was him,the one with Elmer Fudd on his arm."
Love the quote. I may have to use that one.
DeleteAnd I agree that there should be some kind of waiting period for a tattoo or at least a breathalyer. I wonder if they are regulated some places like that?