The world has changed tremendously throughout the years. Through the personal and cultural expression of tattooing oneself most wonder why people today get tattoos. Furthermore, those who think tattoos are just for looks will have to realize that tattoos are a part of ones life. Therefore one might say, “ Tattooing is used in a way to mark important events or people in their lives in a permanent way.”(Milcetich) people today should look in the meaning and value of a tattoo “As a statement carved in ones body” (Milcetich). Along with that meaning in ones body, people’s attitudes towards tattoos have begun to change what one thinks about tattoos. Attitudes towards life have changed more and more over the years as the personal interest in tattoos grow. “Teenagers create control over life when they side with tattoos to control emotions and life” (Babb’s). “Making a permanent choice with ones body through tattoos is a huge commitment” (Babb’s). Undoubtedly sometimes the personal interest is usually based on stereotypes, and self-expression. “Tattoos are usually chosen to express something that lies under the individual’s skin” (scoop). The abstract world tends to look down upon the ones who take part in this art. People choose to really show what’s on the inside by revealing it on the outside with tattoos. Which is the only way they can express either feeling or emotions? Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation. “The impact on the world today through the history and visual reasoning behind tattoos, lead to the inquiry of personal life changing experiences.
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
His work has also made it possible for the non-conformists to know that their attitude towards tattoos is shallow and that in the near future, they are likely to also have tattoos because the rebelliousness is growing. The manner in which people have transformed and embraced the tattoo culture is also so strong that any negative comment against tattoos will be offensive to most people in the society. Brooks work has therefore achieved its aim of enabling people to understand that they have conformed to the tattooing culture.
The decision to get a tattoo is personal and different for everyone. Tattoos are generally permanent additions to the body. Rushing into a design typically ends in regret. Taking a considerable amount of time to find the perfect design and the positioning on ones’ body may not be a bad idea. Unfortunately, there are far more tattoos that are spur-of-the-moment rather than thoroughly considered, meaningful, or commemorative tattoos. In Beth Janes’s article, “Why I Rue My Tattoo,” and Stephanie Dolgoff’s piece, “Tattoo Me Again and Again,” the authors describe the different processes that they went through when deciding to get their tattoos. Both authors discuss their reasons for getting their tattoos, the designs they chose to get, and share their different opinions about the finished tattoos that they have chosen to live with for the rest of their lives.
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.
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
Identifying the youth’s body to be unique, adolescents looking for setting themselves apart as well as gaining privacy and the rapid physical changes that occurs over which they can’t control are three psychological explanations of youth tattooing. In addition, tattoos might be the possessions of a relationship or possibly the only reason of its being. Decorations can be seen differently, for instance in terms of figuration and symbols rather than just scars on the body. Furthermore could be considered as being independent than irresponsible, once we observe all these thoughts we may not only lean to the other position but informed through our skins to another
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?
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.
Tattoos are a waste of money, until you put a story to the art. For years’ adults have hated tattoos, and their rebellious teens loved them. Now looking around, more and more people are getting them, including elderly people. What caused this social change today?
Tattoos have slowly then all at once became a subculture of its own. Although not everyone has them, everyone does know about them. -- “Tattoos have long been a hobby for some, it seems an interest in them may be broadening, Today 21% of U.S. adults report having a tattoo which is up from previous years” (Harris One In Five). With this statistic in mind we ask ourselves, what draws people to getting a tattoo? Is it to show rebellion, strength, or maybe even love? It could be those things but it could also be much more. I wanted to research tattoos because they are a piece of art that not everyone agrees with. After this paper is done I want people that have disagreed with tattoos to learn more and possibly change their opinion. Today more and
The history of tattooing goes back as far as 3000 B.C or further, the oldest example of tattooing is Otzi the Iceman, his body bears the oldest examples of tattooing and he was found frozen in the Alps and was discovered in 1991. The origin of the word tattoo comes from the Polynesian word ‘ta’, this means to strike something, but it also comes from the Tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means to mark something. Polynesia is known for its intricate tattoos and is considered to have the most skilful tattooing history of the ancient world. In Polynesia the position of a tattoo and the symbol is it, is very important as tattoos are a display of a person’s manna, which is their spiritual power, they are also a way of showing a person’s character, making the men more attractive to the women. Throughout an individual’s lifetime geometric tattoos are added to their body until their entire body is covered, these tattoos are renewed all throughout their lifetime so that none fade or disappear but before getting tattooed a person had to experience a long period of cleansing, during this time a person wasn’t allowed any contact with the opposite sex, they also had to fast for a certain amount of time. In Samoa the tradition of tattooing shows your rank and title, the tattooing ceremonies for young chiefs, which are normally at the beginning of puberty are key parts to their journey to being a leader, these tattoos celebrate their loyalty to cultural traditions. Tattoo masters are very important in Polynesian tattoo culture, they know the meanings behind certain tattoos and they know how to create more meanings through combining tattoos, sea creatures are the most common symbol in Polynesian tattoos. Tattoo styles v...
In the beginning of the article, Martin explains that teenagers usually pursue tattoos from an influence or even in an effort to confirm affiliation or identity (Martin, 1). He then compares the standpoints of the adolescents and parents. Adolescents tend to get tattoos or piercings for the look and feel of it, while parents feel that their child receiving a piercing or tattoo as a threat to their authority. Martin expresses how even the simplicity of piercing or tattooing skin can cause strain and arguments in families (Martin, 2). He then introduces his three main sections: Identity and the Adolescent’s Body, Incorporation and Ownership, and The Quest for Permanence. In his first section, Identity and the Adolescent’s Body, Martin explains some reasons as to why adolescents seek receiving something involving such permanence. He conveys how most teenagers seek piercing and tattooing as a refuge from an identity crisis or conflict, which are normal for youth development (Martin, 3). In Martin’s second section, Incorporation and Ownership, he explains how some adolescents receive tattoos after long thought processes; they embrace fantasy and imagination (Martin, 4). Last but not least, The Quest for Permanence. Martin explains how an anchor tattoo could mean something different for everyone. It is impossible to perceive a tattoo and know
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
A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
The trend of tattooing grew rapidly as a rebellious act in the early 80’s, however, tattooing actually dates back much further. The earliest record of tattoos was discovered back in 1991 on “the frozen remains of the Copper Age Iceman; scientists have named ‘Ötzi.’ His lower back, ankles, knees, and a foot were marked with a series of small lines, made by rubbing powdered charcoal into vertical cuts,” (Barbajosa, 2004). Despite the change in meaning or purpose for receiving a tattoo, it seems that there is sentimental value and the expression of self regardless of how times have changed. Five-thousand years ago, when the Ötzi’s tattoos were discovered, anthropologists perceived the meaning of his tattoos to be a symbol of accomplishment and an earned position in the community or even population. When a young adult turns 18, it’s a rite of passage to receive a tattoo, so the purpose is still there; however, having a purpose for a tattoo does not make it art.