What a narrow minded lady! If you don’t want a tattoo.....don’t get one!!!! The fact is many, many people have tattoos and they are accepted more today then say 20 years ago.

PS...Cabbage Patch Kids are NOT ugly!!!!!! lol

Dillon

You’re right.  If I don’t want a tattoo (which I do not) I do not need to get one - but I do not need to be happy as I see civilization decaying to these levels.

Tattoos are ugly and they are an abuse of the body.

All these 13-20 year olds with Tattoos feel proud about them now - but lets see how rhet will explain them to their children, and their grandchildren. (or how they will maintain discipline after what they have done) How attractive will the tattoos be on a sixty, seventy or an eighty year old.  Yuck!

and yes cabbage patch kids are ugly too.

The reflect a sad situation when we will rise to defend the looks of a doll, but not the life of a real baby.

Thank you for an amusing, informative and also thought provoking article. It reminded me of many conversations we had with our teenagers about tatooing.
The focal point as a most important perception initiator in the human social contact is a great concept to use with young people, thank you again. 
To the arguments you have already mentioned, I can only add that the history of tatooing the skin of a person involved in the beginning a mark of ownership of the tatooed person by another: a tribe, a slave owner, and even a husband...(or a lover) etc. Let us not forget that most degrading of all, the act of tattooing the numbers on the forearms of prisoners in the German Nazi concentration camps during WWII. The members of Hitler’s death squad divisions, the SS, also had their personal numbers tattooed under their arms.  This by itself disqualifies tattooing as a beautifing device, and as for the aesthetics ...the looks says it all - yukk.
The relinquishing of one’s freedom by the act of submitting to a tattooing practice and bearing a permanent mark to prove it, seem to appeal as a powerful argument against tattooing with the young.

Two years ago starkly staring down male menopause, I had my ears pierced. My ultra-conservative dad has only just put me back in his will. My accountant smiled tolerantly reminding me I couldn’t afford a Harley Davidson (average age of owner = forty-eight). My wife just said, “At least it’s not a mistress.” I still like my earrings – nicer than a tattoo, removable, and not time consuming or high maintenance (unlike a Harley or a mistress). The moral of the story – none! Still, there’s nothing like a bit of bling to brighten up your day.

HIV and Hepatitis.  2 really good reasons to think twice about a tattoo.  How do you know for sure that a tattoo parlor is safe?  Last week in the Toronto Star four or five people, who had gone to the same place, were interviewed about how they felt about the possibility of being infected.  The tatoo parlor they had gone to was found to have unsafe practices.

What an interesting and thought provoking article.

I am a christian and I have two tattoos. I am in my late twenties and got my tattoos in my twenties.
Both my tattoos are of religious symbolism. My tattoos are in places that aren’t seen by others and to me they symbolise what I believe. At first I thought that it was wrong to get tattoos because of the ‘mutilation of the body and disrespecting the body factors. A priest once said there’s nothing wrong with getting tattoos, (for christians that is), as long as they are descent and don’t go over board with getting too many and get them from 18+

I am one of generation Y (by way of explanation that im not an old fuddy duddy) - I have a simple view of these things… They are ‘Tramp Stamps’, if you want one good luck to you but every time I see one the first thing I think is ‘Tramp Stamp’!

This trend to more and more garish tatoos is nothing but rebarbative primitivism. It’s proximate source--the (used to be) underground gay fascination with all things rough--bikers, sailors, convicts, and all the emblems of sadomasichism, ie whips, chains, dog collars, exotic piercings and tattos, are all spreading into the general society.  It is in my view just another expression of the flirtation with evil that it seems is more and more in evidence in modern society. 

Besides, when I see some pencil-necked geek with a huge tatoo that would look outsized on on big fat biker, I dont respect him, nor do I think he looks cool--I just see a pathetic young man who now has one more ridiculous thing to live down as he ages.  Even worse when I see young girls--some very beautiful, having marred themselves permanently with some heavy metal skull or biker phantom on their upper arm, or worse, in their otherwise attractive cleavage, I am greatly saddened for the loss of beauty in the world, not to mention the very real regret they will all feel as they get older.

Being a teenager in the 70s, my Dad often said a tattoo was a dumb idea because it was permanent and Mum would say that the faded ink was a drab look as they aged.

That worked for me even though I can remember thinking some of the tatts around at the time were kind of cool.

Thankfully I wasn’t that tempted because the faded dragon with a snake wrapped around it on my forearm would probably be decidedly uncool today.

I think if you can instill a longer term perspective in kids that is probably the best antidote. Tattoo fashion comes and goes but unlike other forms of fashion they can’t just be dropped in the St Vincent de Paul bin when their time is up.

Children that are brought up to be fashionable but stylish way will not be so drawn to tatts, ie going for quality rather than the latest dizzy look which will be gone in 5 minutes.

Look at some of those barbed wire tattoos you see around men’s upper arms - already they look sooo 90s.

Anyway, I guess if one of my kids is dumb enough to get a tatt it won’t be the end of the world but hopefully they’ll adopt the wisdom of their grandparents.

WOW! I must say most of the comments on this topic are pretty ridiculous. If you don’t like them.....don’t get any. Who are you to judge a person for the way the chose to decorate their body. Do you not do the same when you put on clothes or jewelry?

As far as tattoos being part of the “gay,” evil culture you speak of.......all I can say is you need help!!!!!!! People like YOU are the TRUE evil!

I doubt anyone will care what their tattoos will look like when were 80. Every part of us will be ugly by then anyway. So, why not add some color to it.

What an interesting discussion, one of the few with a variety of opinions on this website.It is hardly the end of the world if a kid gets a tatt and I have had a couple of kids ‘threaten’ to get them. It is a sort of normal adolescent thing to do ,afterall it is risky dangerous-the girl who said HIV and hep was on the right track- and it hurts like hell. The kids are always using my ears, pierced since birth in their pro tatt argument But my earings are beautiful, and hardly subversive even the queen has them.And of course that is the point. Tatts are not part of ‘respectable’adult culture so they still have a thrilling rough subcultural attraction. So it is quite understanble that young kids want them .But What I can’t stand is the dumb gen xer adults and film stars who parade them. A.

Interesting thoughts everyone. I have never wanted a tattoo but I have my ears pierced. I think if you want a tattoo it’s up to you but the point about HIV and hepatitis shouldn’t be taken too lightly.  Mind you, having said that I think there are better and less permanent ways of making a statement.  What if you change your mind in 10 years time.......too bad, you’re stuck with it mate!

Hi!

Thanks for this interesting and enlightening article. The idea that the FACE should be the focal point of any fashion is really so true. Saw lots of young people’s eyes light up when they hear that the most important way to get people’s respectful attention is by making them look at their face and then their eyes…

Having tattoos at conspicuous places of the body, bare-bellies, and low cleavages, take away that opportunity to be known what the person really is.

Tattooing one’s body (parts) may be a manifestation of an esteem problem (yes..even among 50-year olds)

I don’t like tattoos. I also don’t like male ear-piercing or male long hair. As FLAduranie has stated (quite loudmouthedly and lacking arguments), I won’t get any.

But I have very good friends and relatives, whom I appreciate and respect who have some or all of those “decorations”.

Ethically, or based on christian morality, I can’t find a strong reason to avoid any of them. Aesthetically speaking I do have some qualms, but each to his choice: bad taste in dressing is a far wider problem. And you’ll hardly go to hell for bad taste.

Should I choose a battle to fight, I would embark on true liberty, respect to human dignity, the importance of authority, etc., not just in the abstract but in everyday life. If that meant allowing tattoos, then tattoos be welcome: I at least fail to see them as intrinsically bad. If the tattoo is an expression of rebellion to parental authority, disrespect to others, sexual provocation, blasphemy, etc., the battle must be fought on other grounds.

And I do think that when (if) a teen ager enters adulthood and has his own children, bearing a tattoo he got a few decades ago, he’ll have a strong argument on why not to get one…