Have We Gone "Tat Crazy?"

[zabdart]

Originally Posted by Wadcutter

I visited a county fair a few weeks ago and I thought I had gotten lost and ended up at a tattoo convention. Being summer time, lots of flesh of both genders is exposed and the number and location of tattoos these days is really getting kooky imho. What do these 20 and 30 something youngn's think those tats are going to look like when they hit their "golden years?" Those tats will be faded and wrinkled beyond recognition and I bet many will regret ever going under the needle. But hey, what do I know, I'm just an old fart untattooed curmudgeon. But dagnabit don't say I didn't warn ya'll! I prefer the days when only pirates and criminals sported tattoos.

Gotta agree with you, Wadcutter. As trends go, I suppose tattoos are better than cutting or drug abuse... but not if they're combined. I guess it's like Bugs Bunny said: "Humans are the CRAZIEST people."

[fitness1]

Don't care if someone wants to do it to themselves, but I've never considered it for a second.

Regarding ladies - a little tasteful something or other wouldn't bother me, but not like most that I see.

A couple years back I was at a health club out of town. I was running on the treadmill and this cute gal got on the one next to me - we were chatting a bit and I thought she looked like "the girl next door" Then she took her T-shirt off and had a spaghetti strap type halter top on to workout in - there was an all black tattoo that covered her whole upper back....like a large eagle or something.

Not my style - sorry.

[MGap]

I remember as a kid seeing my father with his navy tattoos. Over the years they got looking pretty sloppy to the point they were unrecognizable. It was then I decided never to get one.

I guess that I may be the generation that skipped the phase, my youngest son however has got a few. The earlier quote from Jimmy Buffet is appropriate "permanent reminder of a temporary feeling" is what he has. I think it might be my own fault that he got them though. I gave him fatherly advise not to, so of course he did!

[rlouie]

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by rlouie

I think "sometimes" is probably a generously modest estimate, Louie!

[D. Shelton]

I'm 57; never wanted a tat. I'm failing to see any problem with any of the above tattoos.

[Heroditus]

Let's wait and see how THEY look when they're 57. I agree they look very nice now but time will catch up with them.

[Wadcutter]

Originally Posted by rlouie

...and sometimes the exact opposite is true.

[Silly Moustache]

I consider body mutilation is an appalling and primitive fashion, and proves that we are still very tribal in our instincts.

The fashion sector can make us wear silly trousers, dangerous shoes long/short skirts (women ...mostly) and all sort of silly an impractical clothes but the sheople will also willingly have their bodies permanently mutilated to keep up with fashion".

It shows the power of the media, notional celebrity, and the fashion businesses to steer the easily led.

[MGap]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I consider body mutilation is an appalling and primitive fashion, and proves that we are still very tribal in our instincts.

The fashion sector can make us wear silly trousers, dangerous shoes long/short skirts (women ...mostly) and all sort of silly an impractical clothes but the sheople will also willingly have their bodies permanently mutilated to keep up with fashion".

It shows the power of the media, notional celebrity, and the fashion businesses to steer the easily led.

Lets also mention peer pressure.

[Riker36]

Originally Posted by Wadcutter

...and sometimes the exact opposite is true.

Probably MOST of the time the exact opposite is true.

[martind42]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I consider body mutilation is an appalling and primitive fashion, and proves that we are still very tribal in our instincts.

The fashion sector can make us wear silly trousers, dangerous shoes long/short skirts (women ...mostly) and all sort of silly an impractical clothes but the sheople will also willingly have their bodies permanently mutilated to keep up with fashion".

It shows the power of the media, notional celebrity, and the fashion businesses to steer the easily led.

In complete agreement.

[Riker36]

Originally Posted by D. Shelton

I'm 57; never wanted a tat. I'm failing to see any problem with any of the above tattoos.

I wouldn't say I have a 'problem' with them, but in my opinion, they are terribly ugly and detract from the beauty of the females in the pics.

[philo426]

Yeah like putting graffiti on the Mona lIsa.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I consider body mutilation is an appalling and primitive fashion, and proves that we are still very tribal in our instincts.

The fashion sector can make us wear silly trousers, dangerous shoes long/short skirts (women ...mostly) and all sort of silly an impractical clothes but the sheople will also willingly have their bodies permanently mutilated to keep up with fashion".

It shows the power of the media, notional celebrity, and the fashion businesses to steer the easily led.

Gotta disagree with you on some of this.

First the blatantly obvious, tattoos are not mutilation in any conventional sense of the word. A tattoo is an adornment quasi-permanent yes, mutilation no.
And glittering sweeping generality about motivation is just that and often prone to significant simplistic error. Of course fashion, media, and celebrity and peer pressure can have an influence on choices just as any advertising.
But to condemn a particular adornment choice as being wholly externally influenced and only for those "easily led" is pretty much the epitome of presumption.


And to be fair as far as "being easily led" I would offer that, little is more sheepish in behavior than incessant manifestations of "fear of different" masquerading as social comment. If fear were not at least a partial component lurking at a fundamental often subliminal level, then decrying and condemning something which can't possibly have any real actual affect on oneself or life, would then arguably never come into consideration. Something to stop an consider, yes?