Should You Get a Tattoo?

Tattoos are in today’s western culture still a taboo thing. Even though they have been around for thousands of years, they (still) rise discussions and controversy. Until recently, there were even some states in America where tattoo shops were illegal. Today, many states make it clear that minors under 18 are not allowed to get a tattoo without their parents’ consent.

Having a tattoo is seen by some people as a bad thing, while others think it’s a cool form of expression.

 

Some see them as a sign of beauty, an embellishment if you will. However, we don’t think we can define them as fashion, as fashion change (but as YSL said, “style is eternal”). Asking people, you will get the most diverse reactions to tattoos: from “a piece of art” to “scary”.

 

Tattoos are defined as body modifications, where indelible ink is inserted in the skin in order to change it’s pigment. Tattoos in their original form are most common in Asia, and is still a cultural practice today in many areas, like Polynesia for example, where getting a tattoo has different social symbolic meanings. Ancient tribes all over the world used to get tattoos, and the reasons differed. In modern times, tattoos changed their significance, and most people don’t do them for a religious or social purpose anymore. While some religions forbid them today, others are more permissive.

Being body modifications, tattoos imply health risks and if you plan on getting one, you should be aware of them!

There are a few world-wide famous reality shows, which have the word “ink” in them: “Miami Ink”, L.A. Ink”. On these shows you see people who get tattoos and the reasons they get them. Most people want a tattoo because they want to be reminded something everyday: a value, an event or a person (who sometimes has passed). The “tattoo artists” make great designs and proclaim them to be art. However, in our opinion, a work that is understood only by the contractor, the artist and a few other people does not count as art, but as a tautological work. Indeed most designs are really good and well detailed and make great pieces of embellishment.

 

But the question is: why wear it on your body?

We all know that tattoos are something permanent, even though now you can remove them. Removing a tattoo is a lot harder than it is to make it. And a lot more hurtful! We have all seen people who had a tattoo done a lot of time ago and they are stuck with it. Even if something seems cool now, like getting the Superman symbol on your chest, in twenty years it might look awkward. Also, most people’s skins tend to “drop” as they age, and so the tattoo will loose it’s shape. In case you want to have your skin straightened, you can do it, but the tattoo will look it’s worst. So, then, why do some people choose to have tattoos?

We know that tattoos have a cultural meaning, as we wrote earlier, and today they have a let’s say “cultural” meaning for ghetto gangs and other groups. Tattoos are also a sign of rebellion for many, as it’s not something society wants so you get one to prove your personality.

We suggest this: there are such things as temporal tattoos. If you want to get a tattoo, get a temporal one first and see how it does for you.

We are not advocating pro or against tattoos, but we do think it’s interesting how a cultural practice has turned into something else over the course of years.

 

Fraquoh and Franchomme

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Do you have any tattoos? What do think of them? If you have one, why did you get it? If not, would you get one and why? Thanks for sharing your thoughts in the comments space below!

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