Tattoos -- Yay or nay?

notoriouslynickole

I'm all for tattoos, but I'd never get one. I am WAY too fickle.

salladeve

Not for myself, I've never been interested in getting one. I do like some on some people, not so much on others {shrug} to each their own.

ItsMeGee3

Yay, love mIne

blukitten

Yay, i have two

Alluminati

Absolutely a Ney here. People are free to add graffiti or art to their bodies if that is important to them. I wish they would think about any possible negatives before they start. I am an employer and any visible tattoos mean that you probably are not going to get hired. I have never heard an employer say "I hired the applicant because of the cool tattoos" but I have heard one say the opposite.

Is this an excerpt from an outdated HR book?

I am also an employer. I don't care about tattoos so long as you are good at your job and good with people.

BUT WHAT THE HELLO DO I KNOW.

The HR person at our company that hired me has some bad *kitten* sleeves. And no it's not a tattoo company, either.
Welcome to the two thousands.

mantium999

Nope. People started getting tattoos to be different. Now almost everyone has one, so I'm different because I don't. And I like that. Besides, why give the authorities another way to identify you? :smokin:

How do you know what the behind everyone's tattoos are?

Okay, tell me what other reason there would be? You get a tattoo but never show it off? What's the point of that? It's a decoration. And when it started not many people were doing it so you were different because your body was decorated. You stood out. It got you attention.

Do you do ANYTHING creative? I don't mean this as an insult (okay, well, maybe slightly), but if you do, then you should understand that you don't write, paint, create for anyone other than you. If someone likes it, then great. But if not, then who cares? I got my tattoo to symbolize my change, my growth, my never ending cycle of life. I didn't get it to show off, I didn't care if anyone else liked it.

Your assumption that ALL people get tattoos for attention is ridiculous. Tell me... is that why you get dressed in the morning? Why you put on makeup? All simply to get noticed?

Yes, I am creative. I write. I write not only for myself but to bring pleasure to people who read my work. Artists tend to do the same thing. They want to bring beauty to the world.

I am not anti-tattoo by any means. If people get tattoos to grow as a person that's fine. But tell me that if someone compliments you on your tattoo it doesn't make you feel good?

I just don't think a picture inked into your skin defines who you are as a person. A complete jerk might have an angel tattooed on their skin but that doesn't change the fact that they are a jerk. It's your actions that define that.

Now with that said I do know people with really well done and artistic tatttoos and they show them off all the time. They are proud of them. Which again, is fine. But you can't tell me that deep down they hope that someone will see that tattoo and like it and compliment them on it.

But you didn't start writing because "Oh hey, I want someone to read this." , did you? I'm also assuming that more artists don't put paintbrush to canvas with the thought of "Oh dear, I hope people like this." Sure, that may come afterwards (especially if you're trying to make a living out of such), but rarely does it come before. Most creative writing classes and books straight up tell you NOT to write for an audience.

I AM proud of my tattoo, because it shows off a piece of who I am and what I've been through. Why would I NOT be proud of that? Do I give two-sh1ts what you think of my tattoo? Oh hell no. I normally forget that I have it, so if someone comments on it I go "Tattoo? Oh, uh, yeah. Thanks."

I can't tell you why other people get tattoos, but the blanket statement of "people started getting them to be different" is flat-out ridiculous. Nor does you not having tattoos make you different or standout. Because for all people know, your butt cheeks could be covered.

Yeah, actually, I do write in the hopes that others will like my work. I do know not everyone will, but yes, I write not only for myself but for others. I work with plenty of artists and they are putting their work out there for others to see. With the hope that others will like it.

When tattoos first became popular, I'm sorry, but many people got them for attention. I will retract the statement that EVERYONE got them to be different, I'm sure others had other reasons and still do. As they got better in quality many people get them for symbolic reasons, not to get attention, I'm not disputing that.

But it's human nature to want to do something that will make you stand out. Getting tattoos, piercings, gauging.. whatever.

Yer doing it wrong.

Artists become artists because they cannot live another day with that thought trapped inside them. They MUST put pen to paper- they MUST put brush to canvas.

Artists are artists because their soul speaks through their medium. Not because they want other people to read their work or see their art. Is that a great side effect? Sure. But they go into buisness doing that because they are good at what they do and people happen to like it.

But non artists don't go into business being artists because they want attention. If what you say is true- then people would become artists all the time for attention- that's simply not the case.

As for me- I am an artist- I am a dancer. I love art- I love dance- I love the creative eye and what people's souls tell me or want to share with the world. That takes shape in many forms. It is neither right nor wrong- if it is true creativity - it is genuine- and there is no direct ulterior motive for it's existence. It exists only because that is one one persons soul needed to express and put out into the universe. If it's popular and makes the artist money- great. But there is a reason the expression "starving artist" exists- people don't do it for money or attention- sure maybe one day- but they do it because that's what their soul says they must do. It's also a reason why undercutting is such an issue with artists. People love doing what they do- they feel badly for getting paid- or people think- well you love doing it- why should I pay you for what you are worth.

I dance- I will always dance. right now I do occasionally get paid to dance. But I will always dance- with or without the money- because I LOVE dancing. And when I dance with abandon it what it is- I am not ashamed of what it is and I put it out there because that's what's coming out at that moment in time.

Who are you to judge that and say WHY?



And moving on to tattoos. I'm a YAY person- but conservatively.
I do think some people get tattoo to make themselves seem like something else. And I do believe there are BAD tattoos- drunk tattoos or poorly thought out chidlish ones. But it doesn't change the fact there are amazing pieces out there.

I'm an artist- I want to see art. I don't like flash- or crappy tattoos that look like they were done by a child. Simple shakey line art- or poor wording is meh to me. But anything that is well throughout and well done- I love- content is almost totally irrelevant to me.

Mine is a book end- it represents a chapter in my life that I'm happy to walk away from and be out of forever. The door is closed- and it represents the person I was- and who I am. It goes with me everywhere I am- and I will have it forever- because that part of my life- happened- and I cannot change that. I'm glad for some of the experiences- but I'm happy to have moved on. My tattoo is as much a part of me as those experiences are.

It has about jackall to do with attention. I find it weird when people mention it randomly. I actually often don't know what to say. , usually I stutter out a thanks.

Do I like showing it off occasionally? sure- I love my back- I work damn hard on it- and I drew my piece- and both myself and my tattoo artist worked very hard on it- so yes am I proud of it- sure- but it don't go shoving it in people's faces. But it's an intrinsic part of me- so sometimes I share- sometimes I don't. Much like sometimes I tell people about those times- and sometimes I don't.

I like Jo's post

CindyMarcuzAdams

Tattoos are great for the body not for the face...

mantium999

Absolutely a Ney here. People are free to add graffiti or art to their bodies if that is important to them. I wish they would think about any possible negatives before they start. I am an employer and any visible tattoos mean that you probably are not going to get hired. I have never heard an employer say "I hired the applicant because of the cool tattoos" but I have heard one say the opposite.

Do you also not hire obese people?

Fantastic question. A colleague of mine once said to me that he would not hire a fat person because, if they are incapable of taking care of themselves, how could he possibly rely on them to take care of the important things that would be assigned to them.

nb23613

YES! Not a requirement but, you better not object to my ink either! ha!!

chrissyrenee1029

Tattoos are great for the body not for the face...

Come on now...you know you think he's hot, lol

chrissyrenee1029

Absolutely a Ney here. People are free to add graffiti or art to their bodies if that is important to them. I wish they would think about any possible negatives before they start. I am an employer and any visible tattoos mean that you probably are not going to get hired. I have never heard an employer say "I hired the applicant because of the cool tattoos" but I have heard one say the opposite.

Is this an excerpt from an outdated HR book?

I am also an employer. I don't care about tattoos so long as you are good at your job and good with people.

BUT WHAT THE HELLO DO I KNOW.

Exactly.

I work for one of the largest law firms in the country. When my hair is cut short the one on the back of my neck is pretty visible. Does anyone care? Apparently not, because if it was a problem I would have been told to scarf it up a long time ago. Granted, I don't regularly attend judicial proceedings, but that's when I would use my own best judgment and wear a collared shirt to cover it up. Just because an individual has tattoos doesn't mean that she is not an intelligent, hardworking person or that she can't be professional when it's required of her.

ladymiseryali

Love them in general, but there are some people walking around with UGLY tatts......I'm included in that one unfortunately. I dated a scratcher who gave me one. Regret it very much, but my hubby will be designing something to go over it at some point. I also want to get an anatomically correct heart locket on one wrist and a skeleton key on the other and I want my hubby to get the same on the opposite wrists so we have the keys to each other's hearts(very corny, but he's on board. lol)

kellydean52

tattoos are a work of art! i love them

ch1ckpea1

Yay...I just got my first one for my 40th birthday! I took the sound wave image files of my parents telling me in Italian that they love me and had a tattoo designed. I had several options to choose from, but narrowed it down to these two. I went with the double hearts.

Timshel_

It is a great form of personal expression that tons of people do.

Beautiful_disaster40

I'm a fan

vismundcygnus27

Wasn't expecting to find so much tattoo hate in here! To each their own, I guess. I do think it's silly that some employers discriminate against people who have tattoos. Unless it's some incredibly awful face tattoo or something, what bearing does that have on their character, or their ability to do their job? I know quite a few successful people in high-paying jobs with visible tattoos. I don't see why it's an issue.

shani_b1971

definitely YAY! ..btw i started getting ink 20+ yrs ago before the fad. its a shame people still hold these antiquated views on how others decorate their bodies. who is anyone to judge? silly...

La_Malfaisante

Hate them and everyone that has them

joecmoore1

No.