Inspired by the theory of Foucault and Goffman, my study was based on the conception of personal identity management in a social situation or context (Foucault 1995; Goffman 1959). I investigated the relationship between self-awareness of a person and the self-determination concerning their public and private circumstances. This relates to the display of individual status and different experiences of a person via the use of tattoos on the body. Michel Foucault demonstrated the notion of bio power as the position of a person’s political power through their existence in society and how they act in relation to the power dynamics they form part of (Foucault 1990; 1995). The goal of my study was to identify tattoos as real-life items which exceeds …show more content…
The practice of tattooing exhibits far more meaning than meets the eye. This fuels my interest in the practice of tattoos as I personally have a lot of tattoos and I have several friends who have tattoos and also practice tattooing. I am curious to understand how a person’s tattoos connect with the self and the associated perceptions of groups in society. Tattoos have a very personal nature and the meanings are widespread which motivated me to explore the intense history of body modification which was tied to my personal journey to understanding tattoos. As mentioned before, my family raised me with the idea that tattoos are unacceptable in society and linked to destructive consequences which was also a motivation into the exploration of tattoos. My awareness of tattoos kept growing as I grew up and I became more and more conscious of the complex meaning associated with tattoos. Once again, as pointed out by literature on tattoos (Atkinson 2003, Kosut 2006; Sanders and Vail 2008; Vail 1999), tattoos are acts of negotiation of identity and the management of public impressions. Our perceptions of our identity change as time go by, so does the ideas of ourselves and personal choices and orientation. Therefore, the …show more content…
In the context of identity expression through tattoos and social acceptance within society, my research report aims to describe the way in which individuals change their bodies to either fit in or to be different and use this to their personal benefit in their social circumstances. Investigating body modifications and the social implications thereof, gives me as a researcher, the opportunity to investigate individual’s control of the self and their bodies, and the impact of observation on this control practiced by the individuals (Foucault 1995). Control and self-discipline plays an important role in the concept of power as it can reveal the presence and ownership of power of an
A controversial topic today is whether or not body piercings and tattoos should be accepted by professionals working in health care. Currently, tattoos and piercings are allowed in health care as long as they are not visible. According to one of the studies, “Body piercing is defined as a piercing of the body anywhere other than the earlobes” (Westerfield). Therefore, the only visible piercings allowed are small studs in the lobes of the ears for females. The reason body piercings and tattoos are not suggested in health care is that they keep someone from looking professional as well as making them look intimidating. Not everyone sees them that way. The opposing side is that they do not affect
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle is one of the most inspirational book I have ever read. The book is comprised of multiple different stories from the life and work of the author himself, which makes this a realistic experience for the reader. These stories are of the Homeboys of Homeboys Industries, an organization founded by Father G, or Greg, in hopes of finding the light for gangs in California.
Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness and curiosity and create a challenge to discursive practices.
Society has changed in many ways over the years; at one point tattoos were considered unprofessional and disgusting to most people, but today, they are quite common amongst young adults and people who enjoy art. Parents and people of many older generations, sometimes struggle to understand why this new interest in tattoos has been able to consume American culture so quickly. Prior to this boom of interest in tattoos, there were many horror stories that surrounded the subject due to unsanitary tools used and possible diseases a person could catch if a mistake was made. Lois Desocio is one of those adults who has struggled to understand tattoos, especially since her son Alec began to fill his body with them. As Alec’s collection of body art continues
To survive in society, one must fit in. There are many reasons that people always try to be like everyone else. Some are unsure and others are afraid of being different. Many people change themselves just to fit in. Although tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion, they are now common. In Tattoos were once a sign of rebellion – no...
In the journal titled “To Ink or Not to Ink: The Meaning of Tattoos Among College Students”, the authors discuss how students in college feel about tattoos. They address how many people do or do not have a tattoo, the meaning behind the tattoos, and why the non-tattooed students have chosen not to get one. The students with tattoos were said to of taken time to decide what their tattoos was going to be of, where they were going to have it done, and the placement of
The moment we have grown to become aware of our own individuality is the same time in which we learn to discard and replace them for the standards society favors. In Logan Feys’s “Sociology of Leopard Man” the author speaks about how society often looks down on certain aspects that breaks down social norms, and that people are forced to conform to them in attempts to attain acceptance. He utilizes a unique individual who is known as the world’s most tattooed man, and who people often refer to as the Leopard Man, as a reference. Feys is accurate in asserting that people currently live under constant pressure to surrender their individuality and conform to the will of others.
Kosut, M. (2006). An Ironic Fad: The Commodification And Consumption Of Tattoos. The Journal of Popular Culture, 39(6), 1035-1048. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5931.2006.00333.x
Many people have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them and from all different backgrounds. On a nice day in just about any public place one can spot a tattoo about every five minutes, from the business man who had a portrait of his daughter put on him to a young girl with a butterfly on her ankle and even people with extensive tattoo coverage. What is even more interesting is the rise in the number of people who are heavily tattooed and that they come from all different backgrounds. Not too long ago tattooing did not experience the popularity in mainstream culture that it does now. The question that must be asked in order to understand this fascination that popular culture has had with tattoos is why people get tattoos.
Even though tattoos are becoming part of culture and socially acceptable, the negative and prejudiced attitudes towards those with body art are still present. Not all tattoos are gang related, and one must note that they have historically been a symbol of someone’s culture or religion. Other tattoos may have just a personal meaning to its owner and was not intended to be offensive. People also do not understand that a tattoo may impede them from pursuing a professional career, regardless of their qualifications. Employers realize that the need to recruit workers from different backgrounds are important in such a competitive workforce, so they provide accommodation by having reasonable dress code policies.
Non-conformity is skin deep is an article by David Brooks of 27th August 2006, which argues that people fail to adopt the violations that are socially acceptable such as tattoos shallowly. Brooks notes that people’s nonconformity is superficial because they adopt to some transgressions only to look powerful but still remain unchanged inside. The writer made a positive observation through this work because many people have transformed to the socially acceptable violations in the society.
Tattoos are a controversial subject in the world we live in. The kind of people that get tattoos is now varied to almost all humans regardless of race, religion, or age. What many people fail to understand or realize is how much of an effect a tattoo can have on the rest of your life. The original tattoo stereotypes have faded from what they were many years ago and yet tattoos still have a reputation as for what kind of people get tattoos. There are many reasons as to why people would get a tattoo but there are many reason why you should think before you ink. Our society and the social media today has a huge impact on the tattoo industry. Movie stars and pop singers with many tattoos are posing as role models for our generation and
“The impact on the world today through the history and visual reasoning behind tattoos, lead to the inquiry of personal life changing experiences.
It isn 't uncommon to see people walking around with tattoos permanently stained on their body. It is also uncommon to know that they usually have a meaning. From Chinese symbols to images devoted to the flying spaghetti monster, people love to keep these tattoos to remind them of a message or a special someone. According to the World Book Advanced Dictionary, a tattoo is "to mark (the skin) with designs or patterns by pricking a line of holes and putting in colors. ' ' And the meaning of an individual 's tattoo can vary depending on where you are. In this essay, I will discuss contrasting elements in prison and in tribal tattoos. This will be done by doing a cross sectional study of their history, meaning and methods. Are prison and tribal tattoos similar or different?
Are tattoos a kiss of death at a workplace? According to Student Research Center, nearly 4 out of every 10 Americans in their 30s have been inked. ''In April 2000 15% of Americans were tattooed (which is roughly around 40 million people) (The National Geographic).'There are different types of tattoos, from color to black and white, even glow in the dark. Number of tattoo paralos in the U.S. is 21,000'' (Tattoo Statistics 1) and more is being added every single day. People spend about $1.6 billion on tattoos once a year. ''In the U.S. more women than men are tattooed, 36% of the ages is between 18-25 and 40% of those ages are 26-40 that have at least one tattoo.''(Random facts 1) People have been getting tattoos for a while now. It has been said that ''tattoos date back as far as the Neolithic era or around the fourth to fifth millennium BC.''(skinsight.com 1) Tattoos should be acceptable at a place of business because people get tattoos for significant purposes, tattoos can tell stories and build confidence, body art is a way for someone to express themselves, make up, and tattoos are reminders of life time experiences.