Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's tattoo is the example of a tattoo which serves a purpose.
On the right person they can be a scary and intimidating war paint, on the wrong person they can be a serious dent to your ego.
Tattoo's are interesting little things. Permanent, ( well, nearly ) body paintings that help express your character and style. What confuses me is why young people decide to get Tattoo's. Granted a tattoo is your own decision, people feel their tattoos liberate them and help to convey messages about themselves to others. Why then, do this same people more often than not sport tattoos that are, to say the lest, tiny and well hidden. Surely the idea of showing off means that you actually show something off.
Instead people have tattoos on their legs and their backs in positions that can be difficult to see especially in public. So since most have them to show off, why don't they show them off.
I can accept in various different cultures and religions tattoos are important, for instance in America, a lot of people of Samoan heritage, decide that they wish to tell the story of their lives and honour their heritage by getting tribal tattoos. The more well known of these people, Wrestler turned Actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He has stated in various interviews that he felt it was at the right place in his life to get this tattoo and wanted to honour his heritage ( his mother being a Samoan of royal blood ) What is interesting about his tattoo is that it is clear to see, and takes up a portion of his body, his tattoo serves a purpose, it shows he is respectful and it tells his story. The types of tattoos that wind up on teenagers usually aren't.
Fine some people will say "I have this tattoo as it means something to me, it's a sign of this and that" That's fair enough but why is it on that back of your leg in a position that requires a mirror and an interest in contortion to see. Being in those hard to see area's means that you're sporting a sign that only someone with X-Ray vision can see, and i think Superman is busy doing other things.
A newer argument I have recently found is someone getting a tattoo to remember something. To me in the right circumstances these can be touching however some times they can be a little excessive and in hindsight people can regret their actions.
One example I'd like to draw on is a friend of mine. His girlfriend left him and as he descended into to sorrow he decided that he should get a tattoo to remember his relationship, the next day he arrived at the pub proudly sporting a green star. A few weeks later he is deeply regretting his decision. Even better, his parents have stated that if he was to get a tattoo he'd get thrown out of the house. Now he's left with a semi permanent mark on his body that he has inflicted upon himself. Why? Because it felt like good idea at the time. I think that notion sums up most teenagers who get tattoos.
Another more touching example was in a documentary about British Soldiers who died in Afghanistan, some of the bereaved had their loved ones faces tattooed on their bodies in remembrance. I feel that this usage of tattoos, may be extreme but in some cases it aids in the bereavement process of these people and if that is so then they are a positive thing.
Tattoos are interesting things, they can be a comfort to some and a sign of strength to others. They divide people globally but in my opinion, each to their own.
Here's some information on Samoan Body Art.
http://www.samoa.co.uk/tattoos.html
and some Information on Tattoo's from the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/surgery/advice/body_mind/everyone/tattoos/
On the right person they can be a scary and intimidating war paint, on the wrong person they can be a serious dent to your ego.
Tattoo's are interesting little things. Permanent, ( well, nearly ) body paintings that help express your character and style. What confuses me is why young people decide to get Tattoo's. Granted a tattoo is your own decision, people feel their tattoos liberate them and help to convey messages about themselves to others. Why then, do this same people more often than not sport tattoos that are, to say the lest, tiny and well hidden. Surely the idea of showing off means that you actually show something off.
Instead people have tattoos on their legs and their backs in positions that can be difficult to see especially in public. So since most have them to show off, why don't they show them off.
I can accept in various different cultures and religions tattoos are important, for instance in America, a lot of people of Samoan heritage, decide that they wish to tell the story of their lives and honour their heritage by getting tribal tattoos. The more well known of these people, Wrestler turned Actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He has stated in various interviews that he felt it was at the right place in his life to get this tattoo and wanted to honour his heritage ( his mother being a Samoan of royal blood ) What is interesting about his tattoo is that it is clear to see, and takes up a portion of his body, his tattoo serves a purpose, it shows he is respectful and it tells his story. The types of tattoos that wind up on teenagers usually aren't.
Fine some people will say "I have this tattoo as it means something to me, it's a sign of this and that" That's fair enough but why is it on that back of your leg in a position that requires a mirror and an interest in contortion to see. Being in those hard to see area's means that you're sporting a sign that only someone with X-Ray vision can see, and i think Superman is busy doing other things.
A newer argument I have recently found is someone getting a tattoo to remember something. To me in the right circumstances these can be touching however some times they can be a little excessive and in hindsight people can regret their actions.
One example I'd like to draw on is a friend of mine. His girlfriend left him and as he descended into to sorrow he decided that he should get a tattoo to remember his relationship, the next day he arrived at the pub proudly sporting a green star. A few weeks later he is deeply regretting his decision. Even better, his parents have stated that if he was to get a tattoo he'd get thrown out of the house. Now he's left with a semi permanent mark on his body that he has inflicted upon himself. Why? Because it felt like good idea at the time. I think that notion sums up most teenagers who get tattoos.
Another more touching example was in a documentary about British Soldiers who died in Afghanistan, some of the bereaved had their loved ones faces tattooed on their bodies in remembrance. I feel that this usage of tattoos, may be extreme but in some cases it aids in the bereavement process of these people and if that is so then they are a positive thing.
Tattoos are interesting things, they can be a comfort to some and a sign of strength to others. They divide people globally but in my opinion, each to their own.
Here's some information on Samoan Body Art.
http://www.samoa.co.uk/tattoos.html
and some Information on Tattoo's from the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/surgery/advice/body_mind/everyone/tattoos/
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